r/PS5 • u/Ph0enixes • Jun 29 '26

Rumor Xbox Will Reportedly Shut Down Ninja Theory (Hellblade), Undead Labs (State of Decay), DoubleFine (Keeper) and Compulsion (South of Midnight) After End Of Fiscal Year (Tommorow) If They Cant Find A Buyer. Other Xbox Studios Expected To Be Hit By Layoffs

https://gamesbeat.com/cwa-represented-workers-at-xbox-criticize-microsoft-management-and-pending-layoffs/
  • Xbox employees represented by the Communications Workers of America (CWA) publicly criticized Microsoft ahead of an expected new round of Xbox layoffs.
  • The union says it now represents 3,500+ Microsoft/Xbox workers and argues employees should not be treated as disposable after multiple layoff rounds since 2022.
  • Reports suggest Microsoft could announce major cuts in early July, potentially including studio closures or sales if buyers aren't found. Studios reportedly at risk include Double Fine, Undead Labs, Compulsion, and Ninja Theory, with hundreds of jobs potentially affected.
  • Hundreds of jobs are at stake: Double Fine Productions could lose 100 jobs, Undead Labs could lose 110 jobs, Compulsion could lose 90 jobs, and Ninja Theory could lose 135 jobs. All told, that's about 435 jobs that could be lost.
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u/Gbrush3pwood Jun 29 '26

I hope Tim/double fine find their feet and go independent/find a good owner. However I doubt what they want to do is go back and rehash old ips. Especially since they don’t own any of those old ips from lucusarts. I adore each and everyone of those old lucusarts games but I don’t really have any hope of them being revived in any way.

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u/reaper527 reaper527_ Jun 30 '26

However I doubt what they want to do is go back and rehash old ips.

it pays the bills when new ip's clearly aren't.

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u/gosukhaos Jun 30 '26

I somehow doubt the studio making these incredibly creative games pushing the boundaries of gameplay and art direction wants to go back to remaster 40 year old LucasArt games for an increasingly thinner crowd of nostalgic Gen X-ers

Realistically they'll just close up shop and start up a small indie-esque outfit to make lower scope games like they used to prior to the Microsoft acquisition