Microsoft Gaming, led by its recently appointed CEO Asha Sharma, is reportedly planning layoffs. According to a post on the professional forum Blind, the cuts could affect around 15% of the company’s gaming division employees. The post, from someone claiming to work at Activision Blizzard, suggests the announcement will happen either on May 6th or June 5th.
Although not officially confirmed, this news follows Microsoft’s recent announcement of a hiring freeze in its cloud and sales departments. One Amazon employee commented on the post, pointing out that hiring freezes often precede significant layoffs. They noted Amazon implemented a similar freeze in January, and warned that layoffs may be coming, whether people choose to believe it or not.
Sharma assumed her position in February, taking over from Phil Spencer, the previous head of the division. When Spencer transitioned out of the role, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella praised his 38 years with the company, highlighting his strong leadership and collaborative spirit.
According to a report, Spencer told Satya last fall that he was considering leaving his position and starting a new phase of his life. They both agreed to plan a careful transition that would maintain stability and build on the success they’d already achieved. Spencer emphasized that Xbox is more than just a company – it’s a passionate community of players, developers, and employees who are dedicated to creating great experiences, and that community deserves a well-thought-out plan for the future.
After Spencer left, Sarah Bond, the president of Xbox, also announced her departure. She shared that she was proud of what she’d accomplished at the company and felt ready to move on to new opportunities in her life and career.
A recent report suggested that Bond left her position because of criticism surrounding the “This is an Xbox” marketing campaign, which she strongly supported but ultimately didn’t succeed. The campaign aimed to show gamers that Xbox games could be played on various devices using services like Game Pass and Cloud Gaming, but it didn’t gain much traction. The report also stated that the campaign upset many employees within the company, and some found Bond challenging to collaborate with.
Recent reports suggest that one of the first things Sharma will do as head of Microsoft Gaming is launch a new Game Pass option. This new tier would only include games made by studios owned by Xbox Game Studios. There’s also talk of a possible partnership with Netflix to offer a combined subscription package.
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2026-04-21 17:15