Even Call of Duty has been struck by the Microsoft layoffs
In January 2024, it feels like Microsoft has let the industry down. On January 25, we reported on a Phil Spencer memo that revealed that Microsoft is laying off 1,900 members of staff in the wake of its acquisition of Activision Blizzard King.
Spencer then announced that the company's next steps are made with the intention of growing even further. Microsoft is one of the most valuable technology companies in the world, and yet, almost 2,000 members of hard-working staff have been sent home without jobs.
It was a shocking situation where some even turned to Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier to find out if they were among those affected. After 2023's horror show for gaming staff, we'd hope that we'd seen the tail end of such ruthless acts from these companies. Sadly, January is giving the entirety of 2023 a run for its money.
Call of Duty’s team suffers layoffs after ActiBlizz buyout
The layoffs were devastating and affected all corners of Microsoft's gaming arm, and now, it turns out that not even the leading champion of gaming sales charts is safe from the layoffs. Taking to LinkedIn and Twitter, staff working on the Call of Duty games confirm they've lost their jobs because of the huge layoffs.
Most recognisable of the bunch is Austin O'Brien, the community manager of Raven Software, who has been working on Warzone for the last three years. "I'm angry because it doesn’t have to be like this," he said in a tweet that he posted while waiting to find out if he would suffer in the layoffs. "None of us deserve this."
Along with O'Brien are Sledgehammer Games' Environment Artist Ethan Pflugh, System Designer Brad Dallaire, and Senior Quality assurance lead Michael Guerra.
Almost every active Call of Duty studio has been hit by layoffs
CharlieIntel reports that along with Raven and Sledgehammer, there are also teams across Infinity Ward, Treyarch, High Moon Studios, and more suffering at the hands of these layoffs. This is clearly a huge sweep that has thinned out every corner of Microsoft's gaming division, and it's devastating to watch in real-time.
The most worrying is that Sledgehammer has just locked in Call of Duty 2027 but has apparently just lost 30% of its workforce. Even though CoD is set to be Xbox's golden goose, we're worried for its future. We're sending our love to those affected by this shocking change. Many think Microsoft has dropped the ball on this one, while its impact could severely affect their hopeful output.
