Xbox cuts 268 jobs as Halo, Rare, World's Edge, Obsidian, Playground, and Turn 10 shift under Activision and Bethesda.

Xbox is cutting 268 jobs across Halo Studios, other first-party teams, and the wider Xbox organization, the company has confirmed.

The layoffs mark another round of restructuring at Microsoft's gaming division, which has seen multiple rounds of cuts over the past two years. The affected teams include Halo Studios, the rebranded internal studio formerly known as 343 Industries that oversees the Halo franchise.

What we know

The cuts touch both development studios and central Xbox functions. Microsoft has not detailed which specific roles or projects are impacted beyond confirming the total number of positions eliminated.

Why it matters for players

Halo Studios is responsible for the future of the Halo series, so any reduction in its workforce raises questions about the pace and scope of upcoming projects. For Xbox owners, the layoffs add to a stretch of uncertainty about the platform's first-party output.

What happens next

Microsoft has not announced a timeline for further changes or clarified how the cuts will affect specific games in development. More details may emerge as the company updates its plans for the affected studios.

Source: the original publisher