A new wave of layoffs implemented by Microsoft in the Xbox division has provoked a strong reaction among players. This protest occurred through an official channel of the company itself, the Xbox Player Voice, a platform designed to collect opinions and suggestions from the community.
Criticism of the cutting cycle
A post titled "Stop the cycle of layoffs" became extremely popular on the portal, accumulating over three thousand positive votes in just a few days. The content criticizes the constant restructuring promoted by Microsoft and requests changes to the corporate approach aimed at maintaining studios and development teams.
In the text, the author points out that the recent dismissals are part of a recurring pattern in the Xbox division over the years. The community highlights that thousands of employees have been laid off in recent years, impacting teams at companies such as Activision Blizzard, Bethesda/ZeniMax, King, Mojang, Obsidian, id Software, and the Xbox Game Studios themselves. Although the exact number mentioned in the post is questioned by various sources, cuts have been frequent since 2024.
Impact on studios and projects
In addition to layoffs, players point to the closure or reorganization of studios such as Arkane Austin, Alpha Dog Games, Tango Gameworks, Compulsion Games, Double Fine, Undead Labs, and Ninja Theory, coupled with the cancellation of several projects.
Demands made to leaders
The campaign also details a series of demands directed at Xbox leadership. Among them is the request for a commitment to cease new layoffs over the next two years, the prevention of studio closures, strengthening dialogue with unions and developers, prohibiting bonuses for executives during periods of staff reduction, and increasing investments in development teams instead of prioritizing technologies like artificial intelligence.
The text also criticizes the insistence on profitability targets, arguing that the Xbox division already operates profitably and should not be guided exclusively by increasingly rigorous financial objectives.
Context of the mobilization
This mobilization comes just days after the latest round of cuts announced by Microsoft. In recent weeks, the company confirmed thousands of layoffs across various areas, again affecting its gaming sector. Xbox-affiliated studios lost experienced professionals, projects were canceled, and some teams remain uncertain about their future.
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma had previously stated that the restructuring aims to provide greater sustainability to the division after years of accelerated expansion, driven by Game Pass. Despite this, the strategy remains under scrutiny from both the community and game creators themselves.
Support and company response
In the post's comments, many players demonstrated solidarity with the demands presented. Some argue that the layoffs reflect management failures and not the competence of the professionals involved in the games. Others expressed the intention to cancel their Game Pass subscription if the current restructuring model persists at Microsoft. To date, the company has not provided an official response to the post nor commented on the suggestions sent by users via Xbox Player Voice.
