Microsoft lays off 4,800 people, with Xbox accounting for about 3,200 job cuts
Microsoft announced the reduction of 4,800 positions, accounting for approximately 2.1% of its global workforce. The Xbox gaming division is the hardest hit, having laid off 1,600 people on July 6, with an additional 1,600 expected to be cut within this fiscal year, totaling about 3,200 positions. Asha Sharma, the Xbox CEO who took over in February, candidly told employees that the business is currently not healthy, stating that Xbox's profit margins are three to ten times lower than those of similar platforms and publishing businesses, with rising console component costs exacerbating competitive pressure against Sony's PlayStation and Nintendo's Switch.
Microsoft will also divest four previously acquired studios, with Compulsion Games and Double Fine operating independently, while Ninja Theory and Undead Labs will be transferred to new owners, partially reversing the gaming landscape built by the $68 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard three years ago. Chief Human Resources Officer Amy Coleman stated that the company launched a buyout plan in April, with over one-third of eligible employees accepting it. Microsoft's stock price has dropped about 19% over the past six months.



