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Microsoft introduced this week that it’s shedding 1,900 individuals as a part of its “success” plan following its acquisition of Activision Blizzard King. It seems that the layoffs have an effect on employees throughout virtually each division of Microsoft’s gaming division. This may be dangerous sufficient information, however Microsoft shouldn’t be the primary video games firm that’s laid off a lot of staff in 2024. It’s not even the one one which’s laid off virtually 2,000. In actual fact, in keeping with videogamelayoffs.com, we’ve had over 5,000 layoffs regardless of solely being 26 days into the brand new yr.
Simply to place that into perspective, a conservative estimate of 2023’s layoffs places the general quantity at 10,500 individuals. However that’s throughout the whole yr. Whereas 2023’s layoffs had been ruinous and miserable, at the very least they had been unfold out over a number of months (a small reprieve, if one can name it that). In lower than a month, we’ve had half as many layoffs in 2024 as we had (once more, conservatively estimated) in all of 2023.
Why is that this? It seems that, cliche although it’s, issues are going to worsen earlier than they get higher. The identical financial elements behind final yr’s layoffs are nonetheless in play. Microsoft’s plans to create “a method and an execution plan with a sustainable price construction” sound much like different firms’ plans for “restructuring” throughout the post-pandemic stoop. The business boomed spectacularly in the previous couple of years, and now we’re in a corrective interval. We’ll need to see what’s left as soon as the bloodletting is over.
In private information, I’m virtually overwhelmed by the video games that got here out this week. We’ve now obtained Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Tekken 8 and the remake of the Apollo Justice trilogy. I’ll in all probability be taking part in as a lot of every as potential, however I will likely be a bit busy as my thirty third birthday is developing and I suppose I have to rejoice to mark the event.
What to play this week
What’s new:
- Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
- Tekken 8
- Apollo Justice: Ace Lawyer Trilogy
- Go Mecha Ball
- Graven
- Phantom Abyss
- Lil’ Guardsman
- Stargate: Timekeepers
- Enshrouded
- Anomaly Agent
- Jett Rider
New on subscription companies:
- Yars: Recharged (Prime Gaming)
- Firefighting Simulator — The Squad (GeForce Now)
- Metallic: Hellsinger (GeForce Now)
- Highway 96: Mile 0 (GeForce Now)
- Shadow Techniques: Blades of the Shogun (GeForce Now)
- Shadow Techniques: Blades of the Shogun — Aiko’s Selection (GeForce Now)
- Solasta: Crown of the Magister (GeForce Now)
- Tails Noir (GeForce Now)
- Wobbly Life (GeForce Now)
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