Microsoft's Mass Layoffs Have Already Begun (Could Not Wait 'Til July)
Microsoft's biggest layoffs round in 50+ years?
Last week we said that July 1st seemed to have become June 30th and then we heard more reports - albeit unverified - that some Microsoft studios were already formally laying off workers. We also heard from sources that units unassociated with gaming were subjected to cuts, mergers, cancellations etc. It caused anxiety and stress, workers described these as "bloodbath" (in the XBox content) or brutal. Not too long beforehand Microsoft tried canning people under the guise of "buyouts" - albeit only the most expensive (senior) people in the best paid geography. We were meant to believe people in their 40s (with mortgage and family) can simply "retire".
In recent hours we can reports like "Layoffs Begin at Xbox Studio Compulsion Games" and "Layoffs start at Compulsion Games ahead of reported studio closure by Microsoft", so expect more in the coming days. No need to wait until next week. █
Image source: Total Eclipse of July 7 1842