Xbox Lay Offs Continue With 268 Employees Cut; Activision to Develop Next ‘Halo’ Game as Part of Studio Reorg

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  "detected_at": "2026-09-22T14:02:00+00:00",
  "company": {
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  "data": {
    "url": "https://variety.com/2026/gaming/news/xbox-lay-offs-continue-activision-new-halo-game-1236872038/",
    "title": "Xbox Lay Offs Continue With 268 Employees Cut; Activision to Develop Next ‘Halo’ Game as Part of Studio Reorg - Variety",
    "excerpt": "By Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Xbox has laid off an additional 268 employees this week as part of its previously announced job-eliminations plan . The new cuts primarily affect Halo Studios, other first-party studios and the XGS management and central functions layer, Xbox chief content officer Matt Booty said in a memo to staff Tuesday . Amid the cuts, the Microsoft-owned gaming company has also undergone a studio reorg that will see teams combine under the goal to “strengthen our franchises and games by operating fewer business units, aligning groups that already work closely together, and focusing our publishing expertise,” per Booty. From here on out, Activision will oversee studios World’s Edge and Rare and will also be developing the next “Halo” title. According to Booty, this “Halo” game will be “led by a new, purpose-built team that is separate from ongoing development and plans for Call of Duty. A small team at Halo Studios will continue supporting the Halo community and games in-market.” Other studio changes include Bethesda adding in Obsidian, King combining with Microsoft Casual Games, and Playground and Turn 10 merging into one studio focused on the “Forza” and “Fable” franchises. As part of its first round of layoff announcements in July, Xbox also announced plans for divesting some of its studios, beginning with Compulsion and Double Fine. Per Booty’s...",
    "summary": "Xbox laid off an additional 268 employees, primarily affecting Halo Studios and other first-party studios.",
    "planning": false,
    "headcount": 268,
    "image_url": "https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Halo.jpg?w=1000&h=563&crop=1",
    "confidence": 0.9,
    "published_at": "2026-09-22T14:02:00Z",
    "article_sentence": "By Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Xbox has laid off an additional 268 employees this week as part of its previously announced job-eliminations plan ."
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