{
  "id": 9156015,
  "title": "Xbox Lays Off Another 268 Employees, Assigns Activision to Next ‘Halo’ Game",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/xbox-lays-off-another-268-employees-assigns-activision-to-next-halo",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-22T15:11:44.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TheWrap",
    "slug": "thewrap",
    "url": "https://www.thewrap.com/culture-lifestyle/culture/xbox-layoffs-activision-next-halo-game/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Microsoft's Xbox division announced on Tuesday the layoff of an additional 268 employees, as part of a broader staff reduction plan that began in July. This brings the total workforce reduction at Xbox to 3,200 employees. In an internal memo, Xbox chief content officer Matt Booty revealed that Activision will now be responsible for developing Microsoft's next \"Halo\" game, replacing the previous teams, including Bungie and Halo Studios (formerly 343 Industries). Activision will form a new dedicated \"Halo\" team, separate from its ongoing \"Call of Duty\" projects. Booty expressed gratitude for the work colleagues have done and acknowledged the challenges facing those who will leave the company. Additionally, Bethesda will now own Obsidian and collaborate with the studio on a new \"Fallout\" game, while Playground and Turn 10 will merge to focus on \"Forza\" and \"Fable\" games. King will take over Microsoft Casual Games, alongside Xbox. Undead Labs, formerly part of Xbox, has now become an independent, employee-owned studio. However, Ninja Theory remains uncertain as Xbox seeks alternative options for the studio.",
  "summary": "The latest cuts bring the Microsoft division to the roughly three-quarter mark of its ongoing restructuring initiative The post Xbox Lays Off Another 268 Employees, Assigns Activision to Next ‘Halo’ Game appeared first on TheWrap .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}