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.
On one hand, there's definitely going to be some level of duplication of effort whenever a large merger like this takes place. On the other hand, it's not like either of these companies was...
On one hand, there's definitely going to be some level of duplication of effort whenever a large merger like this takes place.
On the other hand, it's not like either of these companies was remotely close to being unprofitable before the merger. In 2021, Actiblizz had about 10,000 employees. So Microsoft has laid off more than 20% of that in the gaming division. I fully expect quality to stagnate or plummet, given that that's Microsoft's MO.
They could have used this opportunity to, you know, leverage all this excess staff to further branch out and experiment?
And the FTC called this out over a year ago: https://www.polygon.com/24065269/ftc-microsoft-activision-deal-layoffs-appeal in short, part of why the aqusition went through is because they would...
there's definitely going to be some level of duplication of effort whenever a large merger like this takes place.
The problem with that, Abyad wrote, is that Microsoft told the court during its FTC hearings that Microsoft and Activision Blizzard would be largely independent from each other. He then provided several examples of places where Microsoft said the “post-merger company will be structured and operated in a way that would readily enable Microsoft to divest any or all of the Activision businesses” — that is, that Activision Blizzard would remain independent.
in short, part of why the aqusition went through is because they would keep structures separate enough for a clean break if they had to break up. Now that seems to be growing less true by the day.
This would be perjury if it wasn't a billion dollar corporation, no?
On one hand, there's definitely going to be some level of duplication of effort whenever a large merger like this takes place.
On the other hand, it's not like either of these companies was remotely close to being unprofitable before the merger. In 2021, Actiblizz had about 10,000 employees. So Microsoft has laid off more than 20% of that in the gaming division. I fully expect quality to stagnate or plummet, given that that's Microsoft's MO.
They could have used this opportunity to, you know, leverage all this excess staff to further branch out and experiment?
And the FTC called this out over a year ago: https://www.polygon.com/24065269/ftc-microsoft-activision-deal-layoffs-appeal
in short, part of why the aqusition went through is because they would keep structures separate enough for a clean break if they had to break up. Now that seems to be growing less true by the day.
This would be perjury if it wasn't a billion dollar corporation, no?
Another blood sacrifice on the altar of CoD? How many more will they need?