Latest news with #WarcraftRumble
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Everwild, Perfect Dark and other games that are getting cancelled after latest Microsoft layoffs
Microsoft has announced substantial layoffs impacting as many as 9,000 employees across its various divisions, also impacting its Xbox division, with numerous studio closures, game cancellations and widespread layoffs. The exact number of affected Xbox employees remains undisclosed. Reports indicate that over 70 staff members at Turn 10 Studios, the developer behind Forza Motorsport, will be let go, affecting the "vast majority" of the studio's personnel. Major game projects face setbacks The impact on Xbox's game development ecosystem is severe, with multiple studios and projects reportedly hit: Rare and Everwild: British developer Rare has seen its highly anticipated game, Everwild, canceled, as per Gamespot. Announced in 2019, the project was reportedly in development for a decade and underwent a reboot, but ultimately failed to find the right direction. The Initiative and Perfect Dark: One of Microsoft's newer studios, The Initiative, is reportedly closing, leading to the cancellation of its first game, a new Perfect Dark. Reports from May 2024 had indicated the game was in "rough shape." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Top 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo A New ZeniMax MMORPG: A new multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) from The Elder Scrolls Online developer ZeniMax Online Studios, reportedly codenamed "Blackbird" and in development since 2018, has also been canceled. Longtime executive Matt Firor is also departing the company, the report said. Romero Games: Funding for a new, unannounced game from Romero Games, headed by John and Brenda Romero, has been canceled by its publisher, believed to be Microsoft. Brenda Romero's social media post indicated a "strategic decision made at a high level within the publisher," with an affected staffer directly attributing their job loss to "the recent Xbox layoffs." Microsoft job cuts result in widespread layoffs across key game developers Beyond game cancellations and studio closures, numerous other developers integral to Xbox's portfolio have reportedly faced significant staffing reductions: Turn 10 Studios: The Forza Motorsport developer was reportedly hit hard, with nearly 50% of its staff let go, though the exact number remains unconfirmed. Raven Software: An esteemed Call of Duty co-development studio, responsible for Black Ops 6 (2024) and Black Ops 7 (2025), was affected. High Moon Studios: A long-time Call of Duty co-developer, known for its contributions to Call of Duty: Warzone, has also been impacted. Sledgehammer Games: Another prominent Call of Duty co-developer, Sledgehammer Games, has faced layoffs as part of the wider Microsoft cuts. Blizzard and Warcraft Rumble: Blizzard has announced that support for Warcraft Rumble will cease in its current form, with no new content added. While some employees will shift roles, as many as 100 people are reportedly being laid off. Halo Studios: The development team formerly known as 343 Industries, currently working on multiple upcoming Halo titles, was also affected by the widespread layoffs. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Microsoft 9000 jobs cut: Blizzard puts Warcraft Rumble game in ‘maintenance mode'
Jul 03, 2025 04:21 PM IST Blizzard is winding down its mobile strategy game, Warcraft Rumble, amid massive Microsoft layoffs affecting the studio. The game will no longer receive new features or content, but it will remain online with regular support and limited in-game events. Blizzard cited that the game has been unable to meet long-term expectations despite ongoing improvements, which is a key reason behind the change. Blizzard pauses new content for Warcraft Rumble amid Microsoft's major layoffs. Warcraft Rumble was launched in 2023 to bring the Warcraft experience to mobile. It offers gameplay very similar to popular mobile games like Clash Royale. The game initially generated excitement but struggled to maintain a strong player base. Despite the team's hard work, listening to players' feedback, and exploring different options, the game showed little to no signs of improvement. Blizzard stated in its official announcement, 'We have made the difficult decision to stop developing new content for Warcraft Rumble and focus on maintaining the game for current players.' With that, the studio confirmed that there will be no new content for the game but emphasized keeping the game accessible and stable with support for bug fixes and in-game events. This move from the studio coincides with massive layoffs at Microsoft, the largest in over two years, with approximately 9,000 employees cut globally. This heavily impacted the Xbox gaming division and its subsidiaries, including Blizzard. These layoffs represent about 4% of Microsoft's total workforce and are part of a broader effort to redirect resources toward artificial intelligence and other priorities. Xbox CEO Phil Spencer explained that the company is 'ending or decreasing work in certain areas of the business' to focus on strategic growth areas. These cuts led to the cancellation of popular projects like the Perfect Dark reboot and Everwild, the shutdown of The Initiative, and reshuffling across Microsoft's gaming teams. For Blizzard, these layoffs mean reallocating resources from less successful ventures like Warcraft Rumble to core franchises.
Engadget
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Engadget
Blizzard is giving up on its Warcraft mobile game amid layoffs
It's nearly the end of the road for Warcraft Rumble . Blizzard has announced that it will no longer be developing new content for the free-to-play mobile strategy game, and instead focus on "regular, systemic in-game events and bug fixes." The change comes as the rest of Microsoft's business is in upheaval: The company is laying off as many as 9,000 employees across its global workforce. Blizzard's statement doesn't get into the details of what motivated the decision, but is clear that Warcraft Rumble hasn't been living up to expectations. The game "struggled to find its footing" relative to Blizzard's ambitions, prompting the studio to explore different options to improve it over the last few years. "Some of that work showed signs of progress, but ultimately wasn't enough to put the game on a path to sustainability," Blizzard writes. Warcraft Rumble was announced in 2019 as Warcraft Arclight Rumble. Much like Hearthstone , the game was a high-profile attempt to translate a popular Blizzard franchise into something that works on smartphones and tablets. Warcraft Rumble plays like a more flexible version of Clash Royale , where miniaturized armies face off in PVP or singe-player challenges, and the biggest strategic choices are when and where characters are placed. Aftermath reports that winding down Warcraft Rumble is a direct result of the wider Microsoft layoffs effecting Blizzard. While some of the team who created new content for Rumble will be given new roles at the studio, others will be let go, according to a staff email sent by Blizzard president Johanna Fairies that Aftermath viewed. Blizzard's public statement doesn't acknowledge these layoffs beyond a mention that the studio is "focused on supporting [its] teammates," which is telling in context. While Warcraft Rumble will live on for now in a diminished state, some future Xbox games have been outright cancelled as a result of Microsoft's restructuring, including Everwild and Perfect Dark . The bigger damage is the loss of talent. Greg Mayles, the lead designer on Donkey Kong Country and creative director of Sea of Thieves, is leaving Rare, according to Video Game Chronicle . ZeniMax Online Studios shared on X that director Matt Firor is also making an exit following the cancellation of the studio's next MMO.
The Verge
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Verge
Blizzard is winding down support for its Warcraft mobile game
Microsoft's layoff of roughly 9,000 employees is continuing to have downstream effects at the company's subsidiaries. Aftermath reports that as many as 100 developers at Blizzard have been impacted, and as a result the studio is winding down development on its mobile tower defense game Warcraft Rumble. In an announcement, Blizzard wrote that while the game will not be abandoned entirely, the company will cease development on any new content. 'Moving forward, we'll continue supporting Rumble with updates focused on regular, systemic in-game events and bug fixes, but no new content. ' Blizzard continued, saying Rumble, 'struggled to find its footing relative to our ambition for its long-term success.' And while its developers worked to respond to player feedback that, 'ultimately wasn't enough to put the game on a path to sustainability.' Warcraft Rumble was the first mobile focused game in the Warcraft Universe. It launched in 2023 after nine years in development and was originally one of two mobile games Blizzard was working on, the other being Blizzard's take on Pokémon Go. That game was never officially announced by Blizzard and cancelled sometime in 2022. Warcraft Rumble joins a handful of other Blizzard games in development stasis along with Starcraft II and Heroes of the Storm. Earlier today, Xbox also announced that it was cancelling the Rare-developed Everwild, as well as the Perfect Dark remake, while shuttering The Initiative, the studio making it.
Time of India
26-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Microsoft to cut more jobs in Xbox division, even though profits have been up in recent months
(Image via Pixabay) Microsoft is reportedly gearing up for another round of major job cuts across its Xbox division. This move comes as part of a wider company-wide restructuring spree that's been going on for the past 18 months. With mounting pressure to boost profits post-Activision Blizzard's $69 billion acquisition, the Xbox team seems to be next on the chopping block. A Fourth Wave of Cuts Hits Xbox Sources close to the matter say Microsoft is preparing substantial job cuts in its Xbox division, possibly as early as next week. These layoffs aren't just limited to one team or region. Managers across Xbox are reportedly bracing for wide-scale reductions. And if you've been following Microsoft's moves lately, this won't come as a total shock. This will be the fourth major layoff round for Xbox since early 2023. Not to forget, several Xbox game studios were already shut down in 2024. It's starting to feel like a pattern, and not the good kind. Xbox Planning Job Cuts, Even Though Revenue Is Up - Inside Games Daily Pressure Mounts Post-Activision Deal After Microsoft dropped a jaw-dropping $69 billion on Activision Blizzard in 2023, expectations shot through the roof. That deal, the biggest in Microsoft's history, was meant to transform Xbox into a global gaming powerhouse. But now, the pressure to deliver profits has reached a whole new level. From hardware to game studios, everything is being evaluated. The company wants leaner operations, fatter margins, and a smoother ride heading into the close of its fiscal year on June 30. Layoffs Across Microsoft Continue These upcoming cuts are part of a broader Microsoft layoff spree. Earlier this month : 300+ roles gone Just weeks before that : 6,000 jobs slashed Since Jan 2023 : Over 16,000 roles eliminated This isn't random. It's Microsoft's attempt to correct the over-hiring that happened during the pandemic boom. As demand slowed and macroeconomic conditions shifted, reality hit hard. Satya Nadella Frames It as 'Repositioning' During an earlier internal town hall, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella addressed concerns about the ongoing layoffs, calling them a 'repositioning' rather than a performance issue. 'This was not about people failing. It was about repositioning for what comes next,' Nadella reportedly said. However, the mounting cuts, particularly within a high-profile division like Xbox, signal more than just repositioning. They hint at a deeper restructuring of Microsoft's gaming ambitions. Microsoft Gaming Xbox Layoffs Coming Next Week - What About Warcraft Rumble? What Does This Mean for Xbox's Future? At the time of writing, Microsoft hasn't dropped an official statement about the upcoming Xbox cuts. But if Bloomberg's report is accurate, and it usually is, we could hear something very soon. What's certain is this: Xbox is entering a new phase. Between Activision integration, financial scrutiny, and constant restructuring, the gaming division is being tested like never before. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
