Further details have emerged regarding the significant impact of Microsoft's Xbox consolidation and job cuts on affected workers. World's Edge, the studio responsible for managing the Age of Empires strategy series, has reportedly experienced substantial layoffs. An anonymous but verified creative director shared on the industry forum ResetEra that "just under half" of the studio's staff were dismissed as the studio transitioned from direct Xbox oversight to Activision's management.
Adam Isgreen, studio creative director at World's Edge, confirmed on LinkedIn that he was among the 268 employees affected by the latest round of redundancies at Xbox. He expressed disappointment that his tenure and that of many colleagues at World's Edge had concluded in this manner, noting that "some great plans for what's next" were in place. Isgreen also voiced hope that the remaining team would be able to succeed in the future.
This "what's next" may refer to a new game project that was allegedly canceled as part of Xbox's restructuring. Andrew Martz, a senior software engineer at World's Edge, also announced on LinkedIn that he was part of the layoffs and that "our next project" had been shelved due to the move to Activision.
World's Edge previously operated under Xbox Game Studios, primarily serving in a stewardship capacity for the Age of Empires franchise and its spin-off, Age of Mythology: Retold. Major entries such as Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition and Age of Empires IV were developed in collaboration with external studios Forgotten Empires and Relic Entertainment, respectively. Forgotten Empires also co-developed Age of Mythology: Retold. While World's Edge maintained overall control of the RTS series, these recent events and the reported game cancellation suggest the studio's future is subject to significant shifts under new ownership.
Earnest Yuen, a 30-year veteran developer of Age of Empires who retired from Microsoft earlier this year, extended his condolences to those affected. He reflected on the personal impact of such announcements on the individuals involved, highlighting the dedication of artists, designers, engineers, producers, testers, and community staff who invested years into the games. Yuen emphasized that the work created mattered to millions of players and encouraged those departing to remember their value.
These layoffs are part of a broader, ongoing restructuring of Microsoft's gaming division under new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma. An initial round of approximately 1,600 job cuts occurred in July, with total numbers anticipated to reach around 3,200. This figure is also expected to include the closure of Ninja Theory, the studio behind the Senua games.