Microsoft has initiated layoffs affecting teams behind the popular mobile games Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile and Warcraft Rumble. Both titles, launched within the past year as part of renowned gaming franchises, are experiencing reductions in their development teams.
This latest round of job cuts aligns with a larger workforce reduction announced by Xbox on September 12, where approximately 650 employees were let go, primarily from corporate and support sectors. Importantly, no studios were closed, nor were any games canceled amid these layoffs.
Warcraft Rumble, which debuted in November 2023 and marked the franchise’s first new game release in nearly a decade, is set to transition into a “live-ops” model. The specifics of this shift remain unclear, but the game will continue to be available to players.
In contrast, Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile, which launched in March of the same year, introduced features such as cross-progression with Modern Warfare 3 and has been viewed as a crucial addition to the Call of Duty franchise. Despite the downsizing of its development team, Warzone Mobile will persist.
These layoffs mark a continuation of significant workforce reductions at Microsoft following its acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Previously, in January, Microsoft cut 1,900 jobs, and in May, it shuttered four development studios, including Arkane Austin, known for Redfall.
