As Jason Schreier foretold last week, Microsoft is undergoing yet another massive wave of unfortunate layoffs, this time affecting several coreCall of Dutydevelopment studios. This year’sCall of Dutytitle,Black Ops 7, was just recently unveiled with a cinematic trailer capping off Xbox’s games showcaselast month.The game both follows up last year’s 1990s-setBlack Ops 6while also serving as a sequel to 2012’sBlack Ops 2. More info is expected to be released by the end of the summer.
Several high-profile Xbox studios are currently being hit with devastating layoffs, as was warned by industry insider Jason Schreier last week. Upwards of 9,000 jobs across all of Microsoft are expected to be cut, many of which have already affected Xbox’s gaming division.Sea of Thievesstudio RareandThe Elder Scrolls Onlinestudio ZeniMax Online have both been hit hard, with the long-silentEverwildand a new MMORPG canceled respectively.Forza Motorsportteam Turn 10 has been effectively slashed in half, and Xbox’s newly-built The Initiative studio has been fully closed, with its troubled, yet promisingPerfect Darkreboot, which was being co-developed by Crystal Dynamics, canceled.
It’s been reported that Activision has been hit with layoffs as well.According to Insider Gaming, both Raven Software and Sledgehammer Games, two coreCall of Dutydevelopment studios, have been affected by this round of Microsoft’s job cuts. Since the layoffs are actively unfolding, exact numbers are unknown. Raven has been collaborating with Treyarch Studios onthis year’sCall of Duty: Black Ops 7, while Sledgehammer has been working on futureCall of Dutytitles.
Raven Software and Sledgehammer Games Reportedly Hit With Layoffs
With all the otherCall of Dutysupport studios Activision has at play,Black Ops 7is still very likely on track to release this year. While these layoffs are affecting all of Microsoft, it can be assumed thatXbox’s $68 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzardmay still be playing a significant role in these company-wide job cuts. If true, it’s both unfortunate and ironic that Activision itself is now facing layoffs at some of its most prominentCall of Dutystudios, especially one like Raven that has a new game on the way in just a few months.
As this wave of Microsoft layoffs is still developing, there is sure to be more information to come, though hopefully the worst of it is over. With multiple game cancellations and a major studio closure, this could very well go down as the most devastating round of job cuts inXbox’s 24-year history. Hopefully those affected will be able to find work soon.
