World’s Edge Reportedly Hit Hard by Xbox Restructuring and Layoffs
Further details have emerged about the effects of MS’s ongoing Xbox consolidation and job-cutting program. World’s Edge, the studio responsible for overseeing the Age of Empires strategy franchise, has reportedly suffered significant losses while moving from Xbox’s direct control to Activision.
An unnamed but verified creative director claimed on the ResetEra industry forum that just under half of the studio’s staff had been laid off during the transition.
Creative Director Adam Isgreen Among Those Affected
World’s Edge studio creative director Adam Isgreen said he and many of his colleagues were included in Xbox’s latest round of 268 redundancies. It has not been confirmed whether Isgreen operates the ResetEra account that first described the scale of the layoffs.
“I am of course 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,” Isgreen wrote. “We had some great plans for what’s next—and I hope the team that remains can rise to the occasion down the line.”
Unannounced Project Reportedly Cancelled
Isgreen’s reference to “what’s next” may concern a new game project that was reportedly cancelled as part of the restructuring. World’s Edge senior software engineer Andrew Martz, who was also laid off, said that “our next project” had been shelved as a direct result of the move to Activision.
World’s Edge and the Age of Empires Franchise
Previously part of Xbox Game Studios, World’s Edge has primarily served as a steward of the Age of Empires franchise and its spin-off, Age of Mythology: Retold, rather than acting as the principal developer.
- Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition was developed through a major collaboration with Forgotten Empires.
- Age of Empires IV was produced in partnership with Relic Entertainment.
- Age of Mythology: Retold was co-developed with Forgotten Empires.
Despite these partnerships, World’s Edge has retained broad control over the real-time strategy franchise. There is currently no explicit indication that this arrangement will end under Activision, although the layoffs and reported project cancellation demonstrate the extent to which the studio remains affected by ownership decisions.
Former Developer Responds to the Layoffs
Earnest Yuen, a 30-year Age of Empires development veteran who retired from MS in June, expressed sympathy for the employees affected by the cuts.
“I keep thinking about the people behind the work: the artists, designers, engineers, producers, testers, and community folks who poured years of their lives into these games,” Yuen wrote. “Their ideas, their passion, their push to make the best experiences possible for players. Announcements can feel distant, but the impact is personal and immediate for the people living it.”
He added: “To everyone who’s leaving: what you built mattered, and it mattered to millions of players. Please take the time you need to process the change and remember you matter.”
Part of a Wider Xbox Reset
The 268 job cuts form part of a broader, months-long reset of MS’s gaming business led by recently appointed Xbox CEO Asha Sharma. Approximately 1,600 employees were laid off during the initial round in July, while the overall number is expected to reach an estimated 3,200. That total is now considered likely to include the entire Ninja Theory team, the studio behind Senua’s games.