AI
Jun 17, 20261
59%
Xbox Undergoes Major Restructuring as Leadership and Studios Face Uncertain Future
Microsoft's Xbox division is undergoing radical restructuring, with nearly half of its 2022 leadership team departed and multiple game studios facing closure or spin-off. The contraction follows the $69 billion Activision Blizzard acquisition and signals a shift from Xbox's previous aggressive expansion strategy to a more cost-conscious approach.
Quick Facts
Who
Phil Spencer
What
Leadership team overhaul at Xbox
When
January 2022
Where
Microsoft Xbox division
- Leadership team overhaul at Xbox
- Multiple rounds of layoffs
- Studio closures and restructuring
- Console price increases
- Game Pass price adjustments
Microsoft's Xbox division is experiencing a dramatic organizational transformation four years after acquiring Activision Blizzard for $69 billion in 2023. An official Xbox article published in January 2022 by then-CEO Phil Spencer featured an organizational chart with 13 members of the Gaming Leadership Team. By 2026, nearly half of those individuals, including Spencer and his successor Sarah Bond, have departed the company, signaling a significant leadership overhaul.
The restructuring reflects intense organizational stress across the division. Xbox has conducted multiple rounds of layoffs, implemented two console price increases, raised prices on its flagship Game Pass subscription service (later cutting them), and closed studios. Current CEO Asha Sharma has warned her team about making "hard choices" as the company navigates financial pressures, with Xbox operating at a slim 3% profit margin.
The most recent upheaval involves potential closures or restructuring of three major studios: Compulsion Games (developer of the Peabody Award-winning South of Midnight), Double Fine (known for Psychonauts), and Ninja Theory (Hellblade series). Bloomberg reported that several other Xbox teams also face potential closure or spin-off into precarious independence. These studios, which represent the artistic and experimental side of Xbox's portfolio, were all acquired during an expansion phase beginning in 2018 when Spencer announced acquisitions of four studios at E3.
The three endangered studios share a common characteristic: their recent releases have not achieved significant commercial success based on available data. This raises questions about how their games aligned with Xbox's Game Pass strategy—the subscription-focused model that drove studio acquisitions to stock the service's release calendar with consistent content.
The current situation represents a reversal of Xbox's aggressive expansion strategy from the 2018-2023 period. Rather than continuing to acquire and build its studio portfolio, the division now appears to be contracting, re-evaluating which studios and creative approaches fit its financial constraints and strategic priorities. Microsoft has not publicly commented on the reports of studio closures.
Why This Matters
Xbox's restructuring signals a strategic pivot in the gaming industry: major publishers are now prioritizing profitability and portfolio efficiency over aggressive expansion. For gamers, this means potential disruption to upcoming releases from beloved studios like Double Fine and Ninja Theory, and uncertainty about Game Pass's future direction. For investors, it demonstrates Microsoft's willingness to absorb massive acquisition losses and restructure core divisions, raising questions about the viability of large gaming M&A deals moving forward.
Timeline & Sources
Jan 18, 2022
WirePhil Spencer publishes official Xbox article featuring 13-member Gaming Leadership Team org chart following Activision Blizzard acquisition announcement
Jan 1, 2023
WireMicrosoft completes $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard
Jun 16, 2026
WireBloomberg reports that Compulsion Games, Double Fine, and Ninja Theory face closure or spin-off; several other studios at risk
Jun 17, 2026
WireStephen Totilo publishes analysis of Xbox's organizational contraction in Game File newsletter