Live Feeds
● LIVE Updated 1h ago · 5 sources tracked

‘Halo’ to move under Call of Duty publisher as Xbox announces layoffs

Microsoft has laid off hundreds of employees, including those in Xbox roles in Washington, as part of a broader organizational overhaul. As a result of this reset, the next Halo game will move to Activision, the publisher of Call of Duty. This shift integrates one of Xbox's core first-party franchises under the management of its largest acquired studio. The layoffs continue a trend of workforce reductions within the company's gaming division.

🎙️

Listen to Live Briefing

Real-time synthesized voice briefing · Live Feeds Desk

⏱ ~2 min
Speed:
RSS Source map (5)
⚡ Key Developments & Real-Time Context
Text size:
  • ✓ Microsoft cut hundreds of jobs, including roles within Xbox.
  • ✓ The next Halo game is shifting to Activision.
  • ✓ Layoffs affected hundreds of workers in Washington.
🛡️ Source Corroboration: 5 independent reporting domains (100% confidence) ⏱ Read time: ~2 min

What changed

Microsoft announced hundreds of additional layoffs and the transfer of the next Halo game to Activision.

Live updates

  1. Microsoft cuts hundreds of Xbox jobs and shifts Halo to Activision

    Microsoft has laid off hundreds of employees, including those in Xbox roles in Washington, as part of a broader organizational overhaul. As a result of this reset, the next Halo game will move to Activision, the publisher of Call of Duty. This shift integrates one of Xbox's core first-party franchises under the management of its largest acquired studio. The layoffs continue a trend of workforce reductions within the company's gaming division.

    Why it matters

    Halo is a foundational franchise for the Xbox brand. Moving its development or publishing to Activision signals a significant change in how Microsoft manages its internal studios. This occurs amid a period of restructuring termed a reset by Xbox.

    What is confirmed

    • Microsoft cut hundreds of jobs, including roles within Xbox.
    • The next Halo game is shifting to Activision.
    • Layoffs affected hundreds of workers in Washington.

    What to watch next

    • Official confirmation from Microsoft regarding the specific number of employees cut
    • Details on the development timeline for the next Halo game under Activision
    Sources used for this update (5)
    1. The Washington Post — ‘Halo’ to move under Call of Duty publisher as Xbox announces layoffs
    2. news.xbox.com — Continuing Our Reset
    3. GeekWire — Microsoft cuts hundreds more jobs, shifts next ‘Halo’ game to Activision in Xbox overhaul
    4. The Verge — Xbox is barely Xbox anymore
    5. seattletimes.com — Microsoft layoffs hit hundreds in WA again, Xbox roles included
    confidence 100%
📊

Community Sentiment: How do you assess this situation?

Voice your perspective · Real-time aggregated sentiment from the Live Feeds community