1,900 Laid Off From Microsoft Gaming - Mike Ybarra and Allen Adham Quitting

Blizzard Posted 2024/01/25 at 9:16 AM by Neryssa

Microsoft is laying off 1,900 Activision Blizzard, ZeniMax, and Xbox employeesPhil Spencer Reducing Gaming Workforce

Phil Spencer, via the Verge

It’s been a little over three months since the Activision, Blizzard, and King teams joined Microsoft. As we move forward in 2024, the leadership of Microsoft Gaming and Activision Blizzard is committed to aligning on a strategy and an execution plan with a sustainable cost structure that will support the whole of our growing business. Together, we’ve set priorities, identified areas of overlap, and ensured that we’re all aligned on the best opportunities for growth.

As part of this process, we have made the painful decision to reduce the size of our gaming workforce by approximately 1900 roles out of the 22,000 people on our team. The Gaming Leadership Team and I are committed to navigating this process as thoughtfully as possible. The people who are directly impacted by these reductions have all played an important part in the success of Activision Blizzard, ZeniMax and the Xbox teams, and they should be proud of everything they’ve accomplished here. We are grateful for all of the creativity, passion and dedication they have brought to our games, our players and our colleagues. We will provide our full support to those who are impacted during the transition, including severance benefits informed by local employment laws. Those whose roles will be impacted will be notified, and we ask that you please treat your departing colleagues with the respect and compassion that is consistent with our values.

Looking ahead, we’ll continue to invest in areas that will grow our business and support our strategy of bringing more games to more players around the world. Although this is a difficult moment for our team, I’m as confident as ever in your ability to create and nurture the games, stories and worlds that bring players together.

PhilBlizzard President Mike Ybarra Steps Down

Mike 'Qwik' Ybarra

It was great to be part of the team that built Blizzard and ATVI over the years. I've decided to transition out now that it's merging with MSFT, and happy to have helped that succeed. I'll be taking time out for a bit to spend time with family and travel the world. Afterwards, will look for hyper-growth opportunities with great teams.Original Co-founder Allen Adham Departing

12 39

Comment by SinRWell then...

Lets Go Microsoft?Comment by VivaPinataI remember Phil's speech on Blizzcon, such a good jokeComment by ClownParrot8% of staff reduction seems pretty low considering the amount of overlap acquisitions create in positions. Especially at a time every company is figuring out they don't need as many people as they have anymore.

Ybarra seemed extremely incompetent, so hopefully that's addition by subtraction.Comment by AwooI hope this doesn’t affect development of content. They are doing so well with WoW rn and I hope they keep it up moving forwardComment by Zygos"This news comes up followed up by According to The Verge's article..."Comment by dokeefe1986Insane.Comment by SilmafarionWell, that's bleak.
edit: Not referring to Ybarra leaving, by the way. Couldn't care less about him.Comment by Sp33deyreally want more transparency here - what is the reason?Comment by penguinsaneThe wowhead article doesn't state it, but the Verge one did... they also cancelled the Blizzard survival game they were working on, too. Kinda sad, I wanted to see what they'd come up with since survival games are having a resurgence in popularity lately.Comment by DindongMike Ybarra and Jen Oneil always felt a little like puppet ceo picks in the middle of the controversies. What an odd end to that chapter. The lay offs were always coming after a merge, but oh boy is 1900 quite a lot.Comment by Civil47948% of staff reduction seems pretty low considering the amount of overlap acquisitions create in positions. Especially at a time every company is figuring out they don't need as many people as they have anymore.

Ybarra seemed extremely incompetent, so hopefully that's addition by subtraction.Comment by 97buckeyeMust... protect... the corporation... profits. Late stage capitalism sucks.Comment by melasomaThat seems kinda sus to be honest.

I mean... touché to Ybarra to show his displeasure of that whole situation by just quitting, but the whole thing seems kinda weird considering how much hype the made at the Blizzcon for the Microsoft merge.Comment by bdropeI remember Phil's speech on Blizzcon, such a good jokehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJpyaVMvi1AComment by Drakknfyre"...always keep Blizzard blue and the player at the forefront of every decision."

That's a joke. They've made it perfectly clear that the shareholders + A-B upper management are at the forefront of every decision for the last 10 years or more. Overwatch 2 is the perfect poster child for that. And they have increasingly listened less and less to the playerbase even on incredibly obvious issues.Comment by TalinsVery sad day for Blizzard employees! Hopefully this won't affect their pipelines overly!Comment by pepegadevssmart guy who said they dont make any money from wow token

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4H2FESJTXkComment by TheGobby8% of staff reduction seems pretty low considering the amount of overlap acquisitions create in positions. Especially at a time every company is figuring out they don't need as many people as they have anymore.

Ybarra seemed extremely incompetent, so hopefully that's addition by subtraction.Comment by Moxiesan8% of staff reduction seems pretty low considering the amount of overlap acquisitions create in positions. Especially at a time every company is figuring out they don't need as many people as they have anymore.

Ybarra seemed extremely incompetent, so hopefully that's addition by subtraction.Comment by LostelfMicrosoft really out here saving Blizzard.

12 39