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[Ass of Can Whooping]

Probably not, Also did they get rid of all of them or just the ones not needed anymore? People get fired everyday for various different reasons.

Maybe the games they were working on was not up to standards or was taking too long to finish? Six years to make a game and it's still ways off, I'd fire them too.

Entire teams like that get relocated if they were let go for anything other than Microsoft just cracking down on operational costs.

 

[Ic3man]

1. Lots of people are over exaggerating the implications of this layoff

2. Lots of people are salty about MS purchasing ABK and are using this to spell doom and gloom for Xbox

3. MS history of managing gaming studios have been abysmal, hence some concerns here are valid.

All true

 

[MayauMiao]

Eh, I didn't shed a tear. Blizzard died a long time ago.

 

[Ic3man]

Entire teams like that get relocated if they were let go for anything other than Microsoft just cracking down on operational costs.

What if they don't need to those teams anymore?

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

What if they don't need to those teams anymore?

They have a quota to hit. It's not a matter of whether you're needed or not

 

[Ic3man]

So here's a basic and simple example.

You own a company that paints houses and have 2 painters working for you. Now you take over another company and they employ 6 painters but you only need 4 more to handle the workload. Do you keep them employed because you feel sorry for them or do you get rid of them? It's basic business practice.

 

[GHG]

So if they couldn't make money off of these people and teams, why did they acquire them in the first place?

They acquired these teams only to lay them off, and games only to cancel them mid-production, and fanatics cheered them on during their acquisitions? Make it make sense.

One of the potential theories of harm set out by the competent regulators was that they sought to acquire Activision because it means they can control what represents one of the biggest money makers for their main competitor. They even have the option to outright kill the business in order to cause harm to their competitors revenue stream. It sounds dystopian but them and other companies of similar size are no stranger to this tactic.

I mentioned it in the acquisition thread:

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

Why are people surprised? they are there to make money like any other business. It's not a welfare company and jobs become redundant. I feel sorry for everyone losing the jobs but that's life.

People who were against this are not surprised at all. It's happening exactly as it was foretold.

On the other hand, the goalposting of the pro-merger crowd is quite something. In 24 hours they went from "the merger will mark a new dawn for the industry" to "in every merger jobs are lost, whoopsie"

Pretty much this, with "redundant" and "overlap" as buzzwords.

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

So here's a basic and simple example.

You own a company that paints houses and have 2 painters working for you. Now you take over another company and they employ 6 painters but you only need 4 more to handle the workload. Do you keep them employed because you feel sorry for them or do you get rid of them? It's basic business practice.

This analogy isn't relevant lmao

 

[Ic3man]

This analogy isn't relevant lmao

You obviously don't own your own company.

I'm not defending Microsoft or any big company as they all to shitty thing but business is business.

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

You obviously don't own your own company.

I'm not defending Microsoft or any big company as they all to shitty thing but business is business.

I don't need to own anything to call out nonsense reasoning for what is simply a cost cutting exercise.

What you're doing. That's called defending

 

[rexux-Corocotta]

Activision

01/18/2022 ....... ≈10000 employees
10/13/2023 ....... ≈17000 employees

Microsoft.............

 

[FunkMiller]

So here's a basic and simple example.

You own a company that's WORTH THREE TRILLION and paints houses and have 2 painters working for you. Now you take over another company FOR A SUM OF MONEY THAT DOESN'T TOUCH THE SIDES and they employ 6 painters but you only need 4 more to handle the workload. Do you keep them employed because you CAN PUT THEM TO WORK ON NEW PAINTING JOBS, or feel sorry for them, or do you get rid of them JUST TO APPEASE SHAREHOLDERS? It's basic business practice.

FTFY.

Any fucking argument about 'good business' goes out the window when the business makes video games THAT NEED DEVS. None of this shit is about good business.

 

[bender]

So here's a basic and simple example.

You own a company that paints houses and have 2 painters working for you. Now you take over another company and they employ 6 painters but you only need 4 more to handle the workload. Do you keep them employed because you feel sorry for them or do you get rid of them? It's basic business practice.

You hire four painters and don't waste your money buying another company only to waste more money laying off two of the acquired painters.

 

[Mr.Phoenix]

You hire four painters and don't waste your money buying another company only to waste more money laying off two of the acquired painters.

Well, you buy that other company for a number of reasons, you can want their clients, their technology, or their know-how in certain areas...etc. But you still only need a maximum of 6 painters.

Analogies aside, I think I have been unashamedly anti-merger, but even I don't see this as a sign of doom. If anything this, or things like these should have been expected and were inevitable. Especially when you consider where the majority of these fires are, MS is a publisher and has its people that do CS, and all the logistics attributed to physical publishing, when they absorb another publisher, they don't need double the amount of people in that department, so something has to give.

 

[IlGialloMondadori]

So here's a basic and simple example.

You own a company that paints houses and have 2 painters working for you. Now you take over another company and they employ 6 painters but you only need 4 more to handle the workload. Do you keep them employed because you feel sorry for them or do you get rid of them? It's basic business practice.

lol.

The reality of it is nothing like that. They're laying off COD devs on different teams, for example. Do you have expert devs who are familiar with your particular game and platform? Of course you don't. They're laying off internal QA, and outsourcing to foreign countries because it's cheaper, as well.
Stop trying to excuse corporate bullshit greed.

 

[bender]

Well, you buy that other company for a number of reasons, you can want their clients, their technology, or their know-how in certain areas...etc. But you still only need a maximum of 6 painters.

Analogies aside, I think I have been unashamedly anti-merger, but even I don't see this as a sign of doom. If anything this, or things like these should have been expected and were inevitable. Especially when you consider where the majority of these fires are, MS is a publisher and has its people that do CS, and all the logistics attributed to physical publishing, when they absorb another publisher, they don't need double the amount of people in that department, so something has to give.

He's analogy was painters so most of the reasons you listed aren't valid and the one that might hold any weight, clients, is mostly negated by the size of each company.

The analogy falls apart further when we examine the cuts that Microsoft are making as they are seemingly going beyond redundancies.

 

[Kadve]

Interestingly. If Nerdslayer was correct in his rundown in the Halo Infinite development then Microsoft has an unusual employment security to begin with.

Basically its extremely hard to fire a Microsoft employee as the company wants the "badge" (of being a Microsoft employee) to remain something "valuable". So the company in turn has a huge amount of independent contract workers that they instead get rid off in these situations.

 

[pasterpl]

Been part of couple of M&S when 1000s of people got laid off, same departments don’t need to exist in new entity, there are different processes that dont need so much overhead. HR, QA, playstation/switch developers were probably first to go. I run 3 businesses myself, so far acquired 1, and had to fire 30% of staff due to them doing same things. people need to get real. I know it is cool to shit on MS.

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

I know it is cool to shit on MS.

Yup and this just makes it even cooler. The quality of your games are shit so do the thing that makes them even shitter

Genius

 

[GameCritic]

I know some of the positions are probably not being made redundant by AI, but these articles a few weeks back make you think.

Over 30% of game developers use generative AI, according to Survey - Everyone Gaming

Valve recently announced that they will allow game developers to make use of assistance from generative AI tools on Steam in their games.

everyonegaming.com

31% of game developers already use generative AI

And almost half say that generative AI is being used in their workplace, according to a GDC survey.

www.pcgamer.com

The convergence of AI and industry layoffs - Everyone Gaming

Job cuts, downsizing this is where we are at the moment in various industries, from tech, and game development to even the impact of AI.

everyonegaming.com

 

[IlGialloMondadori]

Been part of couple of M&S when 1000s of people got laid off, same departments don’t need to exist in new entity, there are different processes that dont need so much overhead. HR, QA, playstation/switch developers were probably first to go. I run 3 businesses myself, so far acquired 1, and had to fire 30% of staff due to them doing same things. people need to get real. I know it is cool to shit on MS.

What a coolguy expert businessman you are.

We "need to get real" lol
It'll always be cool to shit on MS as long as they keep being shit douchebags.

 

[pasterpl]

Yup and this just makes it even cooler. The quality of your games are shit so do the thing that makes them even shitter

Genius

Publisher of the year 2 years ago, still no game to compete with forza horizon 5 so many years after release, sot is the most successful Rare game, hi-fi rush was goty contender, flight sim is in league of their own and we are getting new one this year, age of empires are top rts games. We have just had dev direct with warm feedback, starfield ended up being solid game (not masterpiece) but solid game. Only game that can be called shit is the vampire fps which title I dont even remember. You like to generalise much, I do to, but neogaf doesn’t like my opinions about Sony games.

 

[pasterpl]

It'll always be cool to shit on MS as long as they keep being shit douchebags.

and why they are “shit douchebags” in your opinion?

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

Publisher of the year 2 years ago

In ten years you'll still be congratulating them for this

 

[pasterpl]

In ten years you'll still be congratulating them for this

If you want to look at 10 years back they had multiple other great games gears, halo, halo wars, previous forza (motorsport and horizon), ori etc.

 

[IlGialloMondadori]

and why they are “shit douchebags” in your opinion?

Because they just laid off 2k people in companies three months after acquiring them? They're outsourcing labour to cheaper regions? All the while being the richest company in the world and hitting record profits? Those alone are enough. You know this, I don't think i need to list off Microsoft's history of unethical practices. Don't be obtuse.

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

gears, halo, halo wars, previous forza

You're like a parody lol

The games that are a success are inspite of their own incompetence

 

[The Fuzz damn you!]

I'm not defending Microsoft or any big company as they all to shitty thing but business is business.

So here’s a basic and simple example.

Some guy who doesn’t know or give a shit about me owns a company that paints houses. He takes over another company and immediately fires a third of their workforce. When people complain, I pop up and say “business is business” and “you wouldn’t keep those employees on the payroll of this was a gaming company, would you?” and other such bullshit nonsense.

In this scenario, I am defending the company that is laying off employees, because fucking obviously I am.

 

[FunkMiller]

Publisher of the year 2 years ago, still no game to compete with forza horizon 5 so many years after release, sot is the most successful Rare game, hi-fi rush was goty contender, flight sim is in league of their own and we are getting new one this year, age of empires are top rts games. We have just had dev direct with warm feedback, starfield ended up being solid game (not masterpiece) but solid game. Only game that can be called shit is the vampire fps which title I dont even remember. You like to generalise much, I do to, but neogaf doesn’t like my opinions about Sony games.

You're either a troll of supremely high quality, or lobotomised.

Anyone defending a trillion dollar company for firing the very people it needs to create games is totally out of touch with reality. Can you breathe with Phil's half flaccid cock so far down your throat? Is Booty full inserted into your booty?

 

[bender]

If you want to look at 10 years back they had multiple other great games gears, halo, halo wars, previous forza (motorsport and horizon), ori etc.

You forgot Gears Tactics, Halo: Fireteam Raven, Halo: Spartan Assault, Halo: Spartan Strike, and Forza Street.

 

[Skifi28]

So here’s a basic and simple example.

Some guy who doesn’t know or give a shit about me owns a company that paints houses. He takes over another company and immediately fires a third of their workforce. When people complain, I pop up and say “business is business” and “you wouldn’t keep those employees on the payroll of this was a gaming company, would you?” and other such bullshit nonsense.

In this scenario, I am defending the company that is laying off employees, because fucking obviously I am.

Paint analogies are the new car analogies.

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

Paint analogies are the new car analogies.

The house is on fire

 

[IlGialloMondadori]

Publisher of the year 2 years ago, still no game to compete with forza horizon 5 so many years after release, sot is the most successful Rare game, hi-fi rush was goty contender, flight sim is in league of their own and we are getting new one this year, age of empires are top rts games. We have just had dev direct with warm feedback, starfield ended up being solid game (not masterpiece) but solid game. Only game that can be called shit is the vampire fps which title I dont even remember. You like to generalise much, I do to, but neogaf doesn’t like my opinions about Sony games.

Omg this is pure comedy now. Which one is you?

 

[Heisenberg007]

So here's a basic and simple example.

You own a company that paints houses and have 2 painters working for you. Now you take over another company and they employ 6 painters but you only need 4 more to handle the workload. Do you keep them employed because you feel sorry for them or do you get rid of them? It's basic business practice.

Extremely bad analogy.

Xbox Game Studios had 2 painters because they needed 2 painters.
ABK had 4 painters because they needed 4 painters.

Now ABK and XGS need 6 painters. If Microsoft fires 2 because they can't afford them, it means:

(1) either slowing down the paintwork,
2) overworking those 4 painters into doing the work of 6 painters, or
(3) doing a half-ass job.

 

[Astray]

Will never understand the adulation for the man and the media are shitbags for placating this guy for , in my opinion, output that no where near matches any sort of adulation. Why won’t media people question him or the likes of Matt Booty, all we get is pre arranged interviews with screened questions and answers.

Being a Xbox guy who has disliked his reign in charge has been frustrating .

He's been astroturfed down our throats as Gaben 2.0, the effects of said astroturfing has limits tho and we are seeing then in real time.

He's actually the single most responsible individual for the death of the Xbox brand.

 

[Dirk Benedict]

He's been astroturfed down our throats as Gaben 2.0, the effects of said astroturfing has limits tho and we are seeing then in real time.

He's actually the single most responsible individual for the death of the Xbox brand.

I astroturf for Gaben for free.

 

[ChuckeRearmed]

Personally I am only curious why Ybarra left.

 

[IlGialloMondadori]

He's been astroturfed down our throats as Gaben 2.0, the effects of said astroturfing has limits tho and we are seeing then in real time.

He's actually the single most responsible individual for the death of the Xbox brand.

Phil acquiring another 1900 souls so he can level up.

 

[Krieger]

Phil Spencer's career moments for 2024 so far:

• Fired nearly 2000 people, 4 months after acquiring their studios

 

[FunkMiller]

Phil Spencer's career moments for 2024 so far:

• Fired nearly 2000 people, 4 months after acquiring their studios

To go along with his career moment of 2023:

"Great games won't help Xbox compete."

What kind of fucking idiot have you got to be to stan that fat cunt?

 

[pasterpl]

Omg this is pure comedy now. Which one is you?

I worked in company partially owned by MS but not related to gaming in any way so I not in any of these cringe pictures.

You're either a troll of supremely high quality, or lobotomised.

Anyone defending a trillion dollar company for firing the very people it needs to create games is totally out of touch with reality. Can you breathe with Phil's half flaccid cock so far down your throat? Is Booty full inserted into your booty?

seriously? In most cases M&A result in layoffs for reasons I have stated above. 9% seems like a small number to me to be honest.

 

[FunkMiller]

seriously? In most cases M&A result in layoffs for reasons I have stated above. 9% seems like a small number to me to be honest.

Has it entered your brain at all that the people the video games company shouldn't be laying off are the people who make the video games?

 

[pasterpl]

Extremely bad analogy.

Xbox Game Studios had 2 painters because they needed 2 painters.
ABK had 4 painters because they needed 4 painters.

Now ABK and XGS need 6 painters. If Microsoft fires 2 because they can't afford them, it means:

(1) either slowing down the paintwork,
2) overworking those 4 painters into doing the work of 6 painters, or
(3) doing a half-ass job.

QA is going to be automated via use of AI we have heard about this for some time, same with lots of dev work, it will be supported by AI tools etc. On top, coming back to you analogy, these 2 painters might have been experts in painting specific surfaces only that you no longer will support (no need to keep switch or playstation developers in some teams if you will release majority of your games on Xbox and PC).

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

no need to keep switch or playstation developers in some teams if you will release majority of your games on Xbox and PC

Should someone tell him?

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

Has it entered your brain at all that the people the video games company shouldn't be laying off are the people who make the video games?

 

[pasterpl]

Has it entered your brain at all that the people the video games company shouldn't be laying off are the people who make the video games?

Companies, divisions restructure all the time. I don’t understand your approach - should MS keep hiring new devs all the time (now approx 20k) regardless of company strategy, same roles duplicating etc? Don’t you see flaw in this business approach?

 

[pasterpl]

Should someone tell him?

Tell me what…?

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

Tell me what…?

Poor guy

 

[pasterpl]

Poor guy

Still waiting for your fud