Age of Empires studio World’s Edge has been hit with layoffs following its transition to Activision, with “just under half” of employees affected.
Per Eurogamer, former creative director Adam Isgreen shared the news on Reset Era (under the verified username Tempus Chaoti) that he and half the World’s Edge team had been laid off.
Isgreen, a 16-year Microsoft veteran, also posted on LinkedIn, sharing that he was “disappointed that this is the way the time with World’s Edge and Age ends for myself and many of my talented teammates that were also impacted.”
“We had some great plans for what’s next, and I hope the team that remains can rise to the occasion down the line.”
World’s Edge was among several studios impacted by Xbox’s ongoing restructuring. In yesterday’s update, Xbox announced the studio’s move to Activision, along with Rare and the Halo franchise.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Halo, Rare, and World’s Edge to Activision,” said Activision president Rob Kostich. “It’s an honour and a responsibility that we do not take lightly. These teams and their games have inspired fans around the world for decades.”
In total, 268 positions were eliminated across Halo Studios, other first-party developers, and Xbox Game Studios as part of yesterday’s announcement.
Ninja Theory is set for closure, while Undead Labs became an independent studio. However, it also reported that a significant number of employees were made redundant during this process.
“They are exceptionally talented developers who have poured years into the State of Decay franchise: solving hard problems, looking after one another, and helping shape both this game and this studio,” the developer said.