Today a source has told MVC that 75% of the Reading-based Xbox EMEA teams’ full-time staff positions (Europe, Middle East and Africa) are going to be axed. While those affected by the job cuts will be able to reapply for the remaining 25% of positions, that’s hardly a consolation. In addition, the Xbox UK team has been reportedly reduced “slightly,” and 10% of contractor roles have been cut.
Xbox has yet to confirm or deny these numbers. However they did state that: “We eliminated a number of EMEA roles in the UK to gain efficiencies… We remain very committed to the market and will continue to support our local development teams. We believe that the UK has exceptional games industry talent and we’ll continue to focus on game creation in the through Microsoft Studios like Rare, Lionhead Studios, Lift London and Soho Productions. Also, Europe continues to be an important market for Xbox, and we’re excited to launch Xbox One to fans in 13 mainland European markets in September.”
This round of layoffs seems to be a part of Microsoft’s recent decision to cut 18,000 of its 127,104 positions worldwide. The majority of those layoffs (12,500) came from the newly acquired Nokia Devices and Services Division. At the time Microsoft Devices Group CEO Stephen Elop said that there would only be “limited changes” with regards to Xbox, but with news it appears that he may have meant structually rather than numerically.
Shehzaan Abdulla
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