Microsoft Lays Off Another 650 Staff From Its Video Game Workforce (ign.com)
- Reference: 0174982597
- News link: https://games.slashdot.org/story/24/09/12/142259/microsoft-lays-off-another-650-staff-from-its-video-game-workforce
- Source link: https://www.ign.com/articles/microsoft-lays-off-another-650-staff-from-its-video-game-workforce-xbox-boss-phil-spencer-sends-memo-to-staff
> In the memo, Spencer said the roles affect mostly corporate and support functions, and were made "to organize our business for long term success." He clarified that no games, devices or experiences are being canceled and no studios are being closed as part of these cuts. These latest layoffs mean Microsoft has let go of 2,550 staff from its gaming business since acquiring Activision Blizzard for $69 billion in 2023. In his memo, below, Spencer makes it clear that the cuts are related to the acquisition.
[1] https://www.ign.com/articles/microsoft-lays-off-another-650-staff-from-its-video-game-workforce-xbox-boss-phil-spencer-sends-memo-to-staff
Acquisitions always go like this. (Score:5, Insightful)
In order to get approval, they promise that they can eliminate wasteful spending on competition, combine resources, and the result would be better quality and lower prices for consumers. It's an obvious lie every time, they just wind up firing half their people raising prices and lowering quality every time, and the regulatory bodies that are supposed to protect the economy from exactly this kind of monopolism rubber-stamp the whole thing every time.
What gets me is that everyone knows this. Everyone that hears these promises knows that they are blatant bald-faced lies, and rubber-stamp them anyway. Those who have the job of protecting competition in our markets are the very ones who allow this to happen, again and again.
The voters see this happening, we all know this is going on. Literally everyone who is in any position to do anything at all about this in any capacity, knows about this, and literally no-one is doing a damn thing to stop this.
Re: (Score:2)
Something to consider. Has a mega merger ever been denied?
Re: (Score:3)
> literally no-one is doing a damn thing to stop this.
I mean they tried and lost in the court system: [1]FTC v. Microsoft [wikipedia.org]. If Joseph Simons instead of Lina Khan is in the chair does the FTC even try and stop it? Maybe, but elections matter here in terms of the temperment of the regulatory bodies.
The fact we have one of the first serious FTC chairs with regards to antitrust in like 30 years is something but a lot of guardrails against this stuff gotten taken apart in the 80's and 90's during the big business era, it's gonna take more than one admin to turn thing
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FTC_v._Microsoft
Record profits (Score:5, Insightful)
Wow, record profits for microsoft last quarter! Congrats guys!
Sorry to hear you were again not able to keep your promises about job cuts! [1]https://www.washingtontimes.co... [washingtontimes.com]
Must be really tough on you guys killing people's livelyhood out of pure greed after promising not to do that. Hey here is an idea! Why don't the authorities in the US and EU make a real good note of this. That you outright lied on a legal claim. You know, when you next are going in for a chat about anticompetitive behavior, a merger, or a data rights check. Just to make sure you don't accidentally do such a little oopsy again.
[1] https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/feb/8/ftc-lawyer-imad-abyad-microsoft-failed-keep-its-pr/
Re: Woke Games Disasters (Score:1)
Do we know if any of the staff who were made redundant in this acquisition were DEI staff?
Synergy in action (Score:3)
Good thing Microsoft has been buying up Game Studios, they have a huge Synergy just waiting to contribute to their bottom line. Once again Wall Street wins, Main Street loses.