Activision is taking over Halo as part of a massive Xbox shake-up

Microsoft is announcing a massive restructuring of its Xbox studios today, months after laying off 1,600 Xbox employees and selling off studios. The latest changes will see Activision take on the Halo and Sea of Thieves franchises, as well as Age of Empires. Microsoft is also laying off around 268 Xbox employees as part of this restructuring, and likely closing Ninja Theory. Microsoft has already said that 3,200 roles are set to be impacted by Xbox cuts over the course of Microsoft’s 2027 financial year (which ends in June 2027).