Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Collective redundancyLatest NewsJob creation and lossesTech sectorMergers and acquisitions

Microsoft slashes 1,900 gaming jobs

by Ashleigh Webber 26 Jan 2024
by Ashleigh Webber 26 Jan 2024 Chikena / Shutterstock.com
Chikena / Shutterstock.com

Microsoft is laying off 1,900 workers in its gaming division just three months after it acquired gaming giant Activision Blizzard in a $69bn (£54.3bn) deal.

As first reported by tech website The Verge, Microsoft is cutting roughly 8% of its gaming workforce, primarily roles at Activision Blizzard, but also some Xbox and ZeniMax employees.

In an internal memo, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said the teams needed to have a “sustainable cost structure”.

“Together, we’ve set priorities, identified areas of overlap, and ensured that we’re all aligned on the best opportunities for growth,” the memo said.

Job losses

Theatre staff who learned of job losses on social media win pay-out

Protected conversations: pros and cons in the redundancy process

“As part of this process, we have made the painful decision to reduce the size of our gaming workforce by approximately 1900 roles out of the 22,000 people on our team. The Gaming Leadership Team and I are committed to navigating this process as thoughtfully as possible.

“The people who are directly impacted by these reductions have all played an important part in the success of Activision Blizzard, ZeniMax and the Xbox teams, and they should be proud of everything they’ve accomplished here. We are grateful for all of the creativity, passion and dedication they have brought to our games, our players and our colleagues.”

The staff affected by job losses will receive redundancy packages “informed by local employment laws”.

Blizzard’s president, Mike Ybarra, and chief design officer Allen Adham have resigned from the company.

Other major game developers including Riot Games, Google and Unity have recently announced job cuts.

There has been a wave of redundancies in the wider tech space. This week eBay announced 1,000 job losses, and earlier in January Amazon said it would cut roles in subsidiaries including Prime Video and Twitch.

In January 2023 Microsoft announced it was cutting 10,000 jobs worldwide.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

 

HR roles in IT, internet and new media on Personnel Today


Browse more HR roles in IT, internet and new media

Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is a former editor of OHW+ and former HR and wellbeing editor at Personnel Today. Ashleigh's areas of interest include employee health and wellbeing, equality and inclusion and skills development. She has hosted many webinars for Personnel Today, on topics including employee retention, financial wellbeing and menopause support.

previous post
RAD Awards 2024: Eye-catching bus campaign wins Work of the Year
next post
Lloyds Banking Group to cut 1,600 jobs

You may also like

Public sector needs 92,000 more workers to remain...

19 May 2025

Poundland jobs at risk as parent group seeks...

19 May 2025

Burberry puts 1,700 jobs at risk in cost-cutting...

14 May 2025

Microsoft to cut 3% of jobs worldwide

14 May 2025

Nissan to cut 15% of jobs globally

13 May 2025

Downturn in hiring activity eased in April

12 May 2025

UK-US trade deal threatens bioethanol jobs

12 May 2025

CIPD links Employment Rights Bill with low business...

12 May 2025

Jobs on the line across NHS trusts in...

9 May 2025

UK-US deal saves ‘thousands’ of jobs in car...

9 May 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+