Layoffs at Xbox, Helldivers 2, Ghost Recon... - This week's top stories #17
, by Thibaut
It's been a gloomy week for the video game industry. Microsoft laid off more people than ever, projects cancelled and studios closed. Xbox gamers can take heart from the arrival of Helldivers 2.
It's time take a look at the depressing news of the last few days.
1. Microsoft lays off 9,000 people
So it was this week that Microsoft decided to lay off around 9,000 of its employees. The gaming branch has obviously been heavily impacted, as well as ZeniMax Media and Activision Blizzard. King has lost 10% of its workforce, and Turn 10 (Forza Motorsport) approximately 50%. Studios working on Call of Duty have not been spared either.
2. Perfect Dark has been cancelled and The Initiative closed
Perhaps the biggest announcement regarding these layoffs is Perfect Dark being cancelled. The game had been shown in June 2024 with a trailer that some say was partially fake. The Initiative is the development studio behind Perfect Dark: it got founded back in 2018 and is closing its doors without having released a single game whatsoever.
3. The next MMO by ZeniMax Online has also been cancelled
Albeit being very promising and highly regarded internally, the MMORPG in development at ZeniMax Online since 2018 has been abandoned. With Blackbird cancelled, Matt Firor, the founder of the studio responsible for The Elder Scrolls Online is leaving after more than 18 years.
4. Rare loses an iconic figure and cancels Everwild
After being gone from the media scene since its announcement in 2019, Everwild has not withstood the latest wave of layoffs at Microsoft. Gregg Mayles, a game designer who has been with the company for 35 years, has announced his departure.
5. The Stop Killing Games petition reaches one million signatures
The European citizens' initiative to stop certain games being taken offline has finally got a million signatures. It will now be presented to the European Commission, and could lead to a law requiring studios to keep their game servers active.
6. Palworld is back on track
Thanks to its crossover with Terraria, Pocketpair's title peaked at 122,512 concurrent players on Steam, its best total in five months. The game remains very popular.
7. A The Elder Scrolls VI trailer is out and about
Seven years after its announcement, the sequel to Skyrim still hasn't shown up again. However, a trailer for the game is reportedly circulating internally at Microsoft. It remains to be seen when the game will be officially shown.
8. Hytale could be saved
After being guried by Riot Games, Hytale could be salvaged by the founder of Hypixel Studios. He says he's ready to invest $25 million and scale back the game's ambition to get it into players' hands as quickly as possible. The aim is to include the community in the development process.
9. Helldivers 2 is coming to Xbox Series in August
Despite Microsoft's terrible week, Xbox Series players will soon be able to enjoy Helldivers 2. Arrowhead's title will land on these machines on August 26, with cross-play as a bonus. It won't be added to Game Pass.
10. A new Ghost Recon could come out on autumn 2026
Known by the codename Ovr, the next Ghost Recon could be released in the fall of 2026. A first alpha version could be available internally this autumn.
11. The campaign of the next Battlefield may only last 6 hours
The campaign for Battlefield 6 seems to be off to a bad start. One developer is talking about a major delay and the near impossibility of offering it at launch in a satisfactory state. It is also said to have a lenght of only six hours.
12. Anthem servers are closing next January
After a long period of agony, BioWare's Anthem game will bow out for good on January 12, 2026. It is no longer possible to purchase premium currency for the game.
13. Techland cancels two projects in development
The creators of Dying Light have decided to halt work on two of their projects. The fantasy RPG announced on March 2023 is among the cuts.
14. Prison sentences for three former Ubisoft executives
The trial of three Ubisoft executives accused of harassment has reached a verdict. Tommy François has received the heaviest sentence, with a three-year suspended prison sentence and a €30,000 fine.
15. Neil Druckmann steps away from The Last of Us series
Finally, Druckmann has announced in a press release that he will no longer be involved with the HBO-produced TV series The Last of Us. He now says he wants to concentrate on Naughty Dog projects, including Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.