Microsoft Whistleblowers Explain How Brutal the Latest Cull is (Layoffs in Seconds-Long Calls, Mass Elimination of Whole Studios and High-Level Officials)
This morning: Rebellion Brewing at Microsoft
They say there's no easy way to cull one's own workers (Microsoft's debt has soared; the cuts are about survival). The way Microsoft did it though seems to have caused an uproar and we see anonymous leakers or whistleblowers in the media today. Some speak [1-2] of "culling of leadership team", others speak [3] of "executive laid off" (remember many left in recent months; they knew what was coming), and the way this was done was extremely rude [4], with "Microsoft la[ying] off 136 out of 185 id Software employees" [5].
Given the geek admiration for id Software this is going to make Microsoft a lot of enemies. █
Related/contextual items from the news:
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The future of the Elder Scrolls Online looks rocky after culling of leadership team
ZeniMax Online head Joseph Burba is among over 200 staff laid off at the Elder Scrolls Online studio last week as part of Xbox's recent round of mass layoffs. Burba has been with the studio for 14 years, and has worked on The Elder Scrolls Online since its 2014 launch. He was promoted to studio lead in July last year.
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ZeniMax Online Studios Leadership Exits Amid XBOX Layoffs
Microsoft’s latest XBOX layoffs include leadership departures at ZeniMax Online Studios, marking big changes for the Elder Scrolls Online developer.
According to a new report by Stephen Totilo of Game File, top Executives at ZeniMax Online Studios have had their roles affected as part of the recent restructuring at XBOX.
Joe Burba, who has been with the studio for 14 years and was appointed to run it last July, is leaving. He is departing alongside the executive producer of Elder Scrolls Online, Susan Kath, the studio game director, Rich Lambert, and the production director, Ala Diaz. Their roles were listed among hundreds that had previously been cut from the studio’s Maryland offices in a WARN letter sent to the state by the developer.
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Microsoft executive laid off after 25-year stint; colleague calls him ‘most talented’
The veteran tech engineer had worked 24 years and 11 months for Microsoft. He had started as a developer in a test team in 2011 and was a principal software engineer when he was laid off.
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Xbox laid off hundreds of people in a call that lasted only 60 seconds
Despite assurances from Xbox management that it has the necessary resources to make new games, laid off employees insist that development teams have been severely gutted.
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DOOM Creator Criticizes Microsoft
Microsoft laid off 136 out of 185 id Software employees, and an anonymous developer from the studio accused the company of destroying value built over years.