Microsoft is carrying out another restructuring of its Xbox video-game operations, with multiple reports saying more studio combinations and layoffs are planned. The changes are linked to Microsoft’s broader shake-up of its gaming business following earlier cost-cutting measures and studio sales.
Several outlets report that Activision Blizzard is set to take on major franchises associated with Xbox properties. In particular, the Halo and Sea of Thieves brands are described as moving under Activision’s control, alongside Age of Empires. One report also says Microsoft is laying off about 268 Xbox employees as part of the latest steps. Other coverage describes the transition as part of a larger plan to reorganize teams and consolidate studios.
Across the articles, the core points converge on Microsoft’s ongoing Xbox restructuring and the intended transfer of key franchises to Activision, but they differ in emphasis—some focus more on the likelihood of additional layoffs and studio consolidation, while others foreground the franchise ownership and the scale of the overall studio shake-up.
