Xbox is implementing further job cuts, affecting hundreds of employees, and making significant changes to the production of its Halo franchise. These latest reductions are part of a broader company-wide "reset" announced in July.
The current studio responsible for Halo will see staff impacted, with Call of Duty publisher Activision taking over development of any future Halo games. Halo Studios will continue to support the game's community and existing titles.
Xbox also confirmed that attempts to sell Cambridge-based game developer Ninja Theory, known for the Hellblade games, have been unsuccessful. The studio will now enter consultation with employees regarding a proposed closure, although potential buyout talks are ongoing.
These 268 job cuts follow 1,600 immediate job losses in July, forming part of a total of 3,600 planned reductions. Xbox chief executive Asha Sharma stated in July that the company's gaming division had not been "healthy" and that growth of platforms like Game Pass had not been fast enough.