# Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds in Xbox Restructuring, Including Gears of War Director Before Launch

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/microsoft-lays-off-hundreds-in-xbox-restructuring-including-gears-of-war-director-before-launch/
- Published: 2026-09-23T11:19:40+00:00
- Updated: 2026-09-24T02:57:43+00:00
- Topics: Art, Culture, Entertainment, Gaming, TV

## Key points

- Xbox’s restructuring has cut 268 World’s Edge jobs.
- An apparent new project was reportedly cancelled.
- Microsoft’s gaming layoffs could reach about 3,200.

## Summary

Microsoft’s latest Xbox restructuring has reportedly led to 268 redundancies, including senior staff at World’s Edge, the studio overseeing the Age of Empires franchise. The cuts, linked to the studio’s transfer from Xbox to Activision, have reportedly affected almost half of World’s Edge’s workforce and may have involved cancelling an unannounced project.

World’s Edge primarily manages Age of Empires and collaborates with external developers on titles including Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition and Age of Empires IV. The redundancies form part of a wider Microsoft gaming “reset”: about 1,600 employees were dismissed in July, with total cuts expected to reach roughly 3,200 and potentially include staff at Ninja Theory.

## Coverage

- [Eurogamer: Gears of War: E-Day narrative director laid off before launch](https://www.eurogamer.net/gears-of-war-e-day-story-director-laid-off-xbox-cuts)
- [Rock Paper Shotgun: Age of Empires studio World’s Edge reportedly lose nearly half their staff and a new game project in mass Xbox layoffs](https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/age-of-empires-studio-worlds-edge-reportedly-lose-nearly-half-their-staff-and-a-new-game-project-in-mass-xbox-layoffs)
- [GamesRadar+: Gears of War: E-Day director laid off days after completing development as Xbox cuts reach The Coalition](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/gears-of-war/gears-of-war-e-day-director-laid-off-days-after-completing-development-as-xbox-cuts-reach-the-coalition/)

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.