Latest news with #PhilSpencer
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Microsoft CEO channels inner Fallout boss to say 9,000 layoffs are no big deal because "we're investing more," then AI brain hits: "Imagine if all 8 billion people could summon a researcher, an analyst, or a coding agent at their fingertips"
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Weeks after Microsoft insiders claimed the company had the choice to either reduce its spending on AI technology or obliterate its workforce, CEO Satya Nadella seems to be defending its decision in a new memo sent to employees. According to a blog posted on the Microsoft website, Nadella assuages remaining workers that – despite the fact that 9,000 people, including thousands at Xbox, lost their jobs to this month's layoffs – "Microsoft is thriving." "We're investing more in [capital expenditure] than ever before," he writes. "Our overall headcount is relatively unchanged, and some of the talent and expertise in our industry and at Microsoft is being recognized and rewarded at levels never seen before," echoing Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer's awkward admission to laid off employees that "our platform, hardware, and game roadmap have never looked stronger." "And yet, at the same time, we've undergone layoffs," admits Nadella. This, apparently, is "the enigma of success," and it must be encountered to get to Microsoft's true love – AI. "Just imagine," Nadella writes wistfully, "if all 8 billion people could summon a researcher, an analyst, or a coding agent at their fingertips, not just to get information but use their expertise to get things done that benefit them. "And consider how organizations, empowered with AI, could unlock entirely new levels of agility and innovation by transforming decision-making, streamlining operations, and enabling every team to achieve more together than ever before." Oh, God. Microsoft reportedly doesn't include lost first-party game sales when calculating Xbox Game Pass profits, but the subscription service is apparently earning money regardless.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Microsoft cuts another 9,000 roles in latest jobs cull
Microsoft is cutting about 9,000 jobs worldwide in the latest round of staff cuts as the US technology giant looks to slash costs. It is understood the job losses will impact less than 4% of its total workforce. A company spokesman said: 'We continue to implement organisational changes necessary to best position the company and teams for success in a dynamic marketplace.' It marks the biggest jobs cull since early 2023 when the company cut 10,000 workers – almost 5% of its workforce at the time – amid a move in the wider tech sector to scale back expansion seen during the pandemic. The latest cuts are thought to impact different teams and country operations as part of efforts to cut layers of management. The company's gaming business is among areas where Microsoft will 'end or decrease work', according to an internal memo. 'To position gaming for enduring success and allow us to focus on strategic growth areas, we will end or decrease work in certain areas of the business and follow Microsoft's lead in removing layers of management to increase agility and effectiveness,' Phil Spencer, Microsoft's chief executive of gaming, said. The cuts come after Microsoft axed around 6,000 roles in May and some 1,000 in January. Microsoft employed 228,000 full-time workers as of last June, the last time it reported its annual headcount. About 55% were in the US. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
After 11 years of development, 6 years of marketing, and a full reboot, Rare's Everwild has been canceled amid mass Xbox layoffs – 5 months after Phil Spencer's assurances it's making "progress"
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Everwild, the gorgeous but mysterious Rare title first announced back in 2019, has been canceled amid the mass layoffs happening today at Xbox. Rare has not yet confirmed the news, but three separate reports now suggest that the game is, indeed, dead. News of Everwild's cancellation was first reported by VGC, which mentioned that "employees are likely to lose their jobs as part of broader restructuring" at the studio. IGN's sources have also corroborated that the game is canceled, as has Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, who first reported on today's Xbox layoffs. We'd seen a handful of trailers for Everwild, which offered promises of a big adventure through a strange world filled with unusual animals. The exact details of the gameplay were never clear, but the almost Studio Ghibli-like vibes were enough to catch plenty of attention. Earlier this year, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said that the game was still making "progress." Reports circulated that Everwild's development had been rebooted in 2021, though Xbox representatives suggested those reports were "a little more extreme" than the truth. However, those same reports alleged that Everwild had been in some form of development since 2014, and a game rarely spends that long in development without some sort of trouble behind the scenes. What the cancellation and the looming layoffs mean for the future of Rare remains to be seen. The studio has a storied history going back to the British computer scene of the '80s, and was a prolific NES developer in its early days. It developed a close partnership with Nintendo throughout the '90s, during which it created the beloved Donkey Kong Country trilogy for the SNES, as well as titles such as GoldenEye 007, Banjo-Kazooie, and Perfect Dark for the N64. Microsoft's acquisition of Rare in the early '00s shocked the gaming world at the time, and while many of the studio's games under Xbox were quite good - I'll defend Viva Pinata and Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts forever - they never made quite the same impact as the earlier Nintendo titles. After years supporting Xbox's ill-fated Kinect peripheral, Rare seemed to finally find its footing with Sea of Thieves, which, while it took some time to really find its footing, proved to be an excellent multiplayer sandbox. Everwild had the potential to be a strong follow-up, but I guess now we'll never know. I expect we'll lose a few more upcoming Xbox Series X games before the day is out. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Microsoft orders more Xbox layoffs, boss Phil Spencer tells staff "our platform, hardware, and game roadmap have never looked stronger" but the fourth big round of layoffs in 18 months is coming anyway
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Microsoft has begun a new round of mass layoffs, impacting its gaming division despite Xbox boss Phil Spencer saying that the company's "platform, hardware, and game roadmap have never looked stronger." Whispers of upcoming job cuts were reported by Bloomberg last week, which now writes that employees are being informed today of the plans. Candy Crush developer King is cutting around 200 jobs, affecting roughly 10% of its staff, according to the site's sources. The exact number of layoffs across other offices, such as in the US and the rest of Europe, isn't currently clear. In a statement provided to GamesRadar+ on July 2, a Microsoft spokesperson says: "We continue to implement organizational and workforce changes that are necessary to position the company and teams for success in a dynamic marketplace." While no specifics were provided confirming the number of Microsoft Gaming employees affected by the layoffs, it's stated that roughly 4% of Microsoft's total workforce has been impacted. As of last year, it was estimated that Microsoft employs roughly 228,000 people. Bloomberg also shares an email that was sent to staff by Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer (posted in full by The Verge), who acknowledges that "these changes come at a time when we have more players, games, and gaming hours than ever before. Our platform, hardware, and game roadmap have never looked stronger." However, he adds that "the success we're seeing currently is based on tough decisions we've made previously," and insists that "we must make choices now for continued success in future years, and a key part of that strategy is the discipline to prioritize the strongest opportunities. "We will protect what is thriving and concentrate effort on areas with the greatest potential, while delivering on the expectations the company has for our business," Spencer continues. "This focused approach means we can deliver exceptional games and experiences for players for generations to come." Spencer adds that "we would not be where we are today without the time, energy, and creativity of those whose roles are impacted," and says those affected are "encouraged to explore open positions across Microsoft Gaming, where their applications will be given priority review." However, as Bloomberg points out, the situation feels particularly dire, given that this is the fourth round of layoffs since January 2024, when almost 2,000 people lost their jobs. After that, there was the closure of studios, including Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks (the latter of which was later revived by Krafton), followed by the layoff of another 650 people a few months later. The full situation still appears to be unfolding, with more details emerging gradually, as it's also been reported that Everwild, an action-adventure from Rare, has been canceled amidst the layoffs. This article has been updated to include a statement from a Microsoft spokesperson. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
微軟旗下 Candy Crush 開發團隊大裁員，員工爆料是被自己開發的 AI 工具取代
Microsoft Gaming 近期大規模裁員波及知名手遊《Candy Crush》的開發工作室 King，多名負責遊戲敘事、使用者體驗、關卡設計及用戶研究的員工被警告工作不保，原因竟是其多年來協助開發與訓練的 AI 模型，如今可更快完成同樣任務。「即使公司整體表現亮眼，但為了效率和利潤就以 AI 工具取代人力，實在太噁心。」一位不願具名的員工向 表示。此外，倫敦 Farm Heroes Saga 的文案團隊也面臨縮編半數的危機。 據該名員工估計，Microsoft Gaming 本月的裁員總數或超過 200 人，此數字與 Bloomberg 最初報導的範圍相符。裁員衝擊不僅限於 King，Engadget 記者 Jessica Conditt 採訪 Halo Studios 員工時，至少有五名開發人員在收到 Phil Spencer 的全員電郵恭賀 Xbox 盈利之後，被告知失去工作。另一名 Halo 開發者控訴，並指出公司正大力推動 Copilot 工具在內部使用：「我真的很生氣，他們正盡全力用 AI 代理來取代我們」。 更多內容： Laid off Candy Crush studio staff reportedly replaced by the AI tools they helped build 微軟裁員 3%、約 7,000 人，主力精簡管理架構 Xbox 團隊或面臨「大幅裁員」，最快下週官宣 Xbox高管建議被裁員工「用AI緩解負面情緒」，遭網友痛批缺乏同理心 緊貼最新科技資訊、網購優惠，追隨 Yahoo Tech 各大社交平台！ 🎉📱 Tech Facebook： 🎉📱 Tech Instagram： 🎉📱 Tech WhatsApp 社群： 🎉📱 Tech WhatsApp 頻道： 🎉📱 Tech Telegram 頻道：
