Microsoft recently made an announcement regarding its gaming divisions, revealing a round of layoffs that had an impact on the company. As a result of these layoffs, a new survival game being developed by Blizzard has been canceled, causing a significant setback for the company.
Approximately 1,900 employees were affected by the layoffs at Microsoft, mainly targeting staff at Activision Blizzard, which Microsoft acquired in October for a staggering $68.7 billion. However, workers at ZeniMax and Xbox divisions were also impacted by the cuts. This reduction in workforce follows a similar trend in the gaming industry, exemplified by Riot Games, the developer of League of Legends, cutting over 500 jobs earlier in the week.
Matt Booty, the head of Xbox Studios, confirmed the cancellation of Blizzard’s survival game project in a note to the staff. He mentioned that the focus would now shift to other promising projects in the early stages of development at Blizzard. Booty also revealed that Blizzard president Mike Ybarra and chief design officer Allen Adham would be leaving the company.
Blizzard’s survival game was highly anticipated as it would have marked the company’s first new property since the release of Overwatch in 2016. However, with its cancellation, fans of Blizzard will have to wait longer for a new franchise to emerge from the renowned game developer known for its popular titles like Diablo, Warcraft, Overwatch, and StarCraft.
While specific details about the survival game were not disclosed, this cancellation serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by game developers when introducing new intellectual properties into a saturated market.
FAQ:
1. What announcement did Microsoft recently make regarding its gaming divisions?
Microsoft recently announced a round of layoffs that affected the gaming divisions within the company.
2. How many employees were affected by the layoffs at Microsoft?
The layoffs at Microsoft affected approximately 1,900 employees.
3. Which company did Microsoft acquire in October?
Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard in October for $68.7 billion.
4. Were only Activision Blizzard employees affected by the layoffs?
No, workers at ZeniMax and Xbox divisions were also impacted by the cuts.
5. Who confirmed the cancellation of Blizzard’s survival game project?
Matt Booty, the head of Xbox Studios, confirmed the cancellation of Blizzard’s survival game project.
6. Who will be leaving Blizzard as a result of the cancellation?
Blizzard president Mike Ybarra and chief design officer Allen Adham will be leaving the company.
7. What was significant about Blizzard’s survival game?
Blizzard’s survival game was highly anticipated as it would have marked the company’s first new property since the release of Overwatch in 2016.
8. What challenges do game developers face when introducing new intellectual properties into a saturated market?
Introducing new intellectual properties into a saturated market poses challenges for game developers.
Definitions:
– Layoffs: terminations or dismissals of employees from a company or organization, typically due to economic or restructuring reasons.
– Whopping: extremely large or impressive, often used to emphasize the size or extent of something.
– IPs: stands for “intellectual properties,” refers to creative works such as films, books, or video games.
– Saturated market: a market that is already filled with a large number of similar products or offerings, making it difficult for new entrants to gain attention or success.
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The source of the article is from the blog smartphonemagazine.nl