The ongoing wave of layoffs at Xbox has impacted World's Edge, the studio responsible for the Age of Empires franchise. According to former employees, nearly half of the studio's staff was dismissed, and its next project has been canceled.
Former creative director Adam Isgreen stated on ResetEra that Xbox laid off just under half of World's Edge, including himself. Software engineer Andrew Martz also shared on LinkedIn that the studio's next project was canceled as part of the reorganization. Martz, who received a promotion just seven days prior to his layoff, described the situation as "time to pick up the pieces one more time."
World's Edge was established by Xbox Game Studios in 2019 to oversee the Age of Empires series. The studio collaborated with other developers on Definitive Editions for the first three games, a remastered version of Age of Mythology, and the development of Age of Empires 4, which was released in 2021. With a significant reduction in staff and the cancellation of its upcoming game, the future outlook for the Age of Empires series appears uncertain.
This news follows broader restructuring within Xbox, which has included significant layoffs across multiple studios and the transfer of the Halo series to Activision and Obsidian Entertainment to Bethesda Softworks. Xbox leadership has indicated a strategic shift towards prioritizing existing major franchises over new intellectual property. The cuts at World's Edge, despite its focus on the established Age of Empires series, suggest a further consolidation of resources around a smaller number of high-profile franchises.