Bethesda and 343 Industries, the developers behind Starfield and Halo Infinite respectively, have been impacted by the vast Microsoft layoffs that were revealed today, Wednesday. Microsoft has laid off over 10,000 employees, including those at Xbox and the video game studios it owns. Exact figures on how many employees were cut from Bethesda and 343 Industries have not been officially given, but reports on the figures for 343 Industries have been made.
343 Industries “hit hard” by Microsoft layoffs
According to a tweet from Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, Microsoft did not share specific figures for how many employees in its gaming division were affected by the layoffs, which were revealed in its latest security filing. However, Schreier states that several employees told him that 343 Industries in particular was “hit hard.” This comes after numerous contractor departures and a “long-running hiring freeze” at the developer.
According to a source speaking with site Lords of Gaming, at least 60 people at 343 Industries have been laid off, which would represent about 13 percent of its 450-person workforce.
As for Starfield, these layoffs could be a reason behind a rumor by insider MrMattyPlays on the Starfield release date being pushed out of the first half of 2023.
Among those impacted by the mass layoffs, Bloomberg says, are Xbox veterans who have been with the company for over a decade. ZeniMax Media, the parent company for Bethesda, also experienced job cuts across its divisions. A Microsoft spokesperson declined to comment on the extent of the gaming layoffs.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has stated in a memo that the company is taking a “$1.2 billion charge in Q2 related to severance costs, changes to our hardware portfolio, and the cost of lease consolidation.”
