An internal memo from Microsoft game content and studios president Matt Booty confirmed that Activision Blizzard president Mike Ybarra and chief design officer Allen Adham are leaving the company
Microsoft executes another round of layoffs, impacting 1,900 employees at Activision Blizzard and Xbox. (Credit: Coolcaesar/Wikimedia Commons)
American technology giant Microsoft is executing another round of layoffs, impacting 1,900 employees at Activision Blizzard and Xbox.
The job cuts will mainly affect the roles at Activision Blizzard, along with some jobs at Xbox and ZeniMax.
Microsoft’s fresh round of layoffs represents approximately 8% of the company’s overall gaming unit.
The job cuts were confirmed through an internal memo from Microsoft gaming CEO Phil Spencer, reported The Verge.
Besides, an internal memo from Microsoft game content and studios president Matt Booty confirmed that Activision Blizzard president Mike Ybarra and chief design officer Allen Adham are leaving the company.
Ybarra posted on X, saying: “It’s an incredibly hard day and my energy and support will be focused on all those amazing individuals impacted – this is in no way a reflection on your amazing work. If there’s anything I can help with, connections, recommendations, etc., DM me.
“To the Blizzard community: I also want to let you all know today is my last day at Blizzard. Leading Blizzard through an incredible time and being part of the team, shaping it for the future ahead, was an absolute honour.”
As part of the new changes, Activision Blizzard’s previously announced survival game has also been cancelled.
The layoff comes three months after the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) granted consent to wrap up Microsoft’s $68.7bn acquisition of Activision Blizzard, excluding the latter’s cloud streaming rights outside of the European Economic Area (EEA).
Last year, Microsoft announced mass job cuts in human resources and engineering divisions, affecting nearly 5% of the technology major’s workforce. The layoffs at that time accounted for approximately 11,000 roles.