{"id":2242984,"date":"2024-05-12T15:52:02","date_gmt":"2024-05-12T19:52:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/microsoft-announces-another-round-of-devastating-layoffs-employees-notified-via-gut-stab-email\/"},"modified":"2024-05-12T15:58:41","modified_gmt":"2024-05-12T19:58:41","slug":"microsoft-announces-another-round-of-devastating-layoffs-employees-notified-via-gut-stab-email","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/microsoft-announces-another-round-of-devastating-layoffs-employees-notified-via-gut-stab-email\/","title":{"rendered":"Microsoft announces another round of layoffs, informing employees through heartbreaking emails"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmicrosoft-announces-another-round-of-devastating-layoffs-employees-notified-via-gut-stab-email%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2242984&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Microsoft announced the \u2064closure of several Xbox \u200cstudios, leading to staff\u200d layoffs. The move stirred outcry and uncertainty\u200c among employees as studios like Arkane \u2064Austin and \u2064Tango Gameworks faced full closures.\u200c Despite realigning some staff, the\u2063 impact on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/breaking-president-trump-gives-pardons-to-73-individuals-and-commutes-another-70-sentences-steve-bannon-is-included\/\" title=\"BREAKING: President Trump Gives Pardons to 73 Individuals and Commutes Another 70 Sentences \u2013 Steve Bannon Is Included\">gaming industry<\/a> and\u2063 employees&#8217; futures remains a point of concern. Microsoft revealed the closure of various Xbox\u2064 studios, resulting in layoffs and turmoil among employees. The shutdown \u200cof\u2063 studios like Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks \u2064has raised concerns within the gaming industry. Despite \u200dstaff realignment efforts, the future of employees \u200band\u2062 the\u2064 gaming sector remains uncertain.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<header> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/entertainment\/\">  Entertainment <\/a>   <span> <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/bchai\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<p> <span>   By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/bchai\/%20\"><span>Bryan Chai<\/span><\/a> <\/span> <span>   May 12, 2024 at 11:12am <\/span> <\/span>  <\/header>\n<section>\n<p>In a move prompting all manner of outcry and consternation, Microsoft told its staff last week that several studios of Xbox (which the tech titan owns) would be shuttering.<\/p>\n<p>In short, while some talent may be re-dispersed within the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/microsoft-update-will-make-xbox-carbon-aware-consoles-will-automatically-shut-based-regional-carbon-intensity\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Xbox<\/a> first-party studio ecosphere, many staffers have been let go altogether amid those studio closures.<\/p>\n<p>Notably, some of the prominent studios were culled \u2014 including the studio that created Xbox\u2019s most interesting new intellectual property in years.<\/p>\n<p>In an email obtained by multiple outlets, including the gaming news website <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/microsoft-closes-redfall-developer-arkane-austin-hifi-rush-developer-tango-gameworks-and-more-in-devastating-cuts-at-bethesda\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IGN<\/a>, Matt Booty, head of Xbox Game Studios, notified affected employees via email about the shutdowns.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cToday I\u2019m sharing changes we are making to our Bethesda and ZeniMax teams,\u201d Booty wrote. \u201cThese changes are grounded in prioritizing high-impact titles and further investing in Bethesda\u2019s portfolio of blockbuster games and beloved worlds which you have nurtured over many decades.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo double down on these franchises and invest to build new ones requires us to look across the business to identify the opportunities that are best positioned for success.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis reprioritization of titles and resources means a few teams will be realigned to others and that some of our colleagues will be leaving us.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Studios affected include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Arkane Austin (Austin, Texas): The studio in Austin, Texas, which was behind the critically maligned \u201cRedfall\u201d (as well as the critically beloved \u201cDishonored\u201d series) will be completely closed.<\/li>\n<li>Alpha Dog Studios (Halifax, Nova Scotia): Another <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/finnish-lapland-entrepreneurs-warn-coronavirus-restrictions-could-destroy-tourism\/\" title=\"Finnish Lapland Entrepreneurs Warn Coronavirus Restrictions Could Destroy Tourism\">full closure<\/a>. Most notably, this studio was behind the somewhat successful, free-to-play mobile game \u201cMighty Doom.\u201d That game\u2019s servers will be shut down Aug. 7.<\/li>\n<li>Roundhouse Games (Madison, Wisconsin): A different studio that helped on the \u201cRedfall\u201d flop. Staffers will be shuffled into ZeniMax Online Studios, which focuses on \u201cThe Elder Scrolls Online\u201d game.<\/li>\n<li>Tango Gameworks (Tokyo, Japan): Yet another full studio closure, Tango was responsible for a number of hit series, such as \u201cThe Evil Within\u201d franchise, and experimented with newer IP\u2019s, such as \u201cGhostwire: Tokyo.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"firefly-poll-container\">\n<p>Do you own any Microsoft products?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Tango specifically was also behind the rhythm-based action game \u201cHi-Fi Rush,\u201d a completely new and original IP for Microsoft that was showered with praise from all corners of the gaming world when it came out in 2023.<\/p>\n<p>Booty stressed that Microsoft at least recognized the work put in by studios like Tango and Arkane Austin.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese changes are not a reflection of the creativity and skill of the talented individuals at these teams or the risks they took to try new things,\u201d he wrote. \u201cI acknowledge that these changes are also disruptive to the various support teams across ZeniMax and Bethesda that bring our games to market.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are making these tough decisions to create capacity to increase investment in other parts of our portfolio and focus on our priority games.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The studios themselves confirmed the closures via social media.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Signup here <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/wb1R4m4emj\">https:\/\/t.co\/wb1R4m4emj<\/a> to receive details on how eligible players can receive this credit. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/69Os17kpQ8\">pic.twitter.com\/69Os17kpQ8<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Arkane Studios (@ArkaneStudios) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ArkaneStudios\/status\/1787837804287860886?\">May 7, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"zxx\"><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/KhhqgR902g\">pic.twitter.com\/KhhqgR902g<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Tango Gameworks (EN) (@TangoGameworks) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TangoGameworks\/status\/1787837929332601189?\">May 7, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>A quick glance at the responses to just those two posts alone shows that users are not thrilled with the way that Microsoft has handled its rapid expansion and acquisition.<\/p>\n<p>Dinga Bakaba, the studio head of Arkane Lyon, Arkane Austin\u2019s sister studio in Lyon, France, took things a step further with a raw X tirade.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">This is absolutely terrible. Permission to be human : to any executive reading this, friendly reminder that video games are an entertainment\/cultural industry, and your business as a corporation is to take care of your artists\/entertainers and help them create value for you.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Dinga Bakaba (@DBakaba) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DBakaba\/status\/1787839169588265251?\">May 7, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>At one point in Bakaba\u2019s screed, he <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DBakaba\/status\/1787839172994085280\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">outright called<\/a> the studio closures a \u201cf***ing gut stab.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>These abrupt layoffs come just a few months after Microsoft <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/video-game-industry-woes-microsoft-axes-nearly-2000-jobs-69-billion-deal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">laid off<\/a> nearly 2,000 employees in January.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<div>\n<p><b><i>A Note from Our Deputy Managing Editor:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p><i><span>\u201cWe don\u2019t even know if an election will be held in 2024.\u201d Those 12 words have been stuck in my head since I first read them. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Former Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn recently made that comment to Floyd Brown, founder of The Western Journal. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>And if the leftists and the elites get their way, that\u2019s exactly what will happen \u2014 no real election, no real choice for the Electoral College, and no real say for the American people. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>The Western Journal is fighting to keep that from happening, but we can\u2019t do it alone.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>We work tirelessly to expose the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-rep-anna-paulina-luna-scolds-dems-waving-ukrainian-flags-after-vote-put-those-damn-flags-away\/\" title=\"Video: Rep. Anna Paulina Luna Criticizes Democrats Waving Ukrainian Flags - 'Remove Those Flags!\">lying leftist media<\/a> and the corrupt America-hating elites.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>But Big Tech\u2019s stranglehold is now so tight that <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=BM6XAWRJ8NS7A&#038;utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>without help<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>  from you, we will not be able to continue the fight. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>The 2024 election is literally the most important election for every living American. We have to unite and fight for our country, otherwise we will lose it. And if we lose the America we love in 2024, we\u2019ll lose it for good. Can we <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=BM6XAWRJ8NS7A&#038;utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>count on you<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>  to help? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>With you we will be able to field journalists, do more investigative work, expose more corruption, and get desperately needed truth to millions of Americans. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>We can do this only with your help. Please don\u2019t wait one minute.<\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=BM6XAWRJ8NS7A&#038;utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>  Donate right now<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Thank you for reading,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Josh Manning<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Deputy Managing Editor<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>P.S. Please <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=BM6XAWRJ8NS7A&#038;utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>stand with us<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>  today.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"author-info-44778\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/bchai\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<div>\n<p><label for=\"summary-tab-radio-44778\">Summary<\/label><label for=\"more-info-tab-radio-44778\">More<span> Biographical Information<\/span><\/label><label for=\"posts-tab-radio-44778\">Recent<span> Posts<\/span><\/label><label for=\"contact-tab-radio-44778\" onclick=\"if( typeof grecaptcha=='undefined' ) { let cap_s=document.createElement( 'script' ); cap_s.src='https:\/\/www.google.com\/recaptcha\/api.js?render=6LeJFcsUAAAAAPsIEqvB1EebWbZfqRUe6ebMpGy7'; document.body.appendChild( cap_s ); }\">Contact<\/label><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Bryan Chai has written news and sports for The Western Journal for more than five years and has produced more than 1,300 stories. He specializes in the NBA and NFL as well as politics.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>  Bryan Chai has written news and sports for The Western Journal for more than five years and has produced more than 1,300 stories. He specializes in the NBA and NFL as well as politics. He graduated with a BA in Creative Writing from the University of Arizona. He is an avid fan of sports, video games, politics and debate. <\/p>\n<p>  Birthplace <\/p>\n<p>  Hawaii <\/p>\n<p>  Education <\/p>\n<p>  Class of 2010 University of Arizona. BEAR DOWN. <\/p>\n<p>  Location <\/p>\n<p>  Phoenix, Arizona <\/p>\n<p>  Languages Spoken <\/p>\n<p>  English, Korean <\/p>\n<p>  Topics of Expertise <\/p>\n<p>  Sports, Entertainment, Science\/Tech <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Entertainment By Bryan Chai on May 12, 2024, Microsoft announced the closure of several Xbox studios, causing uproar. Talent may relocate within Xbox&#8217;s first-party studio network, leaving many employees uncertain about their future<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2015,"featured_media":2242985,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Microsoft-Logo.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[548],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2242984","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-conservative-news-daily"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Microsoft-Logo.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2242984","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2015"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2242984"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2242984\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2242985"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2242984"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2242984"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2242984"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}