{
  "id": 9157585,
  "title": "Xbox lays off more than 250 employees amid studio restructurings",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/xbox-lays-off-more-than-250-employees-amid-studio-restructurings",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-22T15:48:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Mashable",
    "slug": "mashable",
    "url": "https://mashable.com/tech/xbox-layoffs-studio-restructure-halo-activision-september-2026"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Xbox has faced a challenging year, culminating in the announcement of layoffs on Tuesday. The company revealed that it is cutting 268 jobs across its first-party studios, bringing the total number of cuts to approximately 75% of its current payroll. Xbox executive Matt Booty confirmed that additional layoffs are anticipated. This restructuring has also led to significant changes within the development team. The highly anticipated Halo franchise is now managed by Activision, while studios such as World's Edge, which developed Age of Empires, and Rare, behind the creation of Sea of Thieves, have also been absorbed by Activision. Bethesda, developer of popular titles like Elder Scrolls and Fallout, has taken over Pentiment and Avowed from Obsidian Entertainment. Additionally, mobile game developer King is merging with Microsoft Casual Games, and Playground Games and Turn 10 will work together to oversee the Fable and Forza franchises. Xbox has also formallyized some existing partnerships, such as those between Obsidian, Playground, and Turn 10. The blog post addressed the fates of former subsidiaries like Compulsion, Double Fine, and Undead Labs, noting that Ninja Theory's potential closure is being explored due to unresolved agreements. Bethesda developer Arkane is currently in negotiations to potentially be spun off. While some Xbox fans might have seen hope in recent leadership changes, the tenure of Asha Sharma has primarily been marked by layoffs and studio closures. Furthermore, the company's recent restrictions on Game Pass streaming and the ongoing boycott of the Xbox brand over the past year and a half have added to the company's challenges.",
  "summary": "Microsoft's bloody year continues with even more Xbox layoffs and a serious pivot for games like 'Halo.'",
  "key_points": [
    "Xbox cuts 268 jobs, 75% of current payroll",
    "Halo franchise moves to Activision",
    "Bethesda takes over Pentiment and Avowed"
  ],
  "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."
}