World's Edge, the developer behind Age of Empires, has experienced layoffs after transitioning to Activision

The studio behind Age of Empires, World's Edge, has faced significant job cuts after its integration into Activision, affecting nearly half of its workforce.

According to a report from Eurogamer, Adam Isgreen, the former creative director, made the announcement on Reset Era using the verified username Tempus Chaoti, indicating that he and half of World's Edge's team were laid off.

Isgreen, who spent 16 years at Microsoft, expressed on LinkedIn his dissatisfaction with how his journey with World's Edge and Age of Empires concluded for him and his colleagues who were also laid off.

"We had great plans for the future, and I hope the team that stays will meet the challenges ahead," he mentioned.

The studio's transition was part of restructuring efforts at Xbox. An update released the previous day by Xbox shared that not only World's Edge but also studios such as Rare and the Halo franchise were moved to Activision.

Rob Kostich, CEO of Activision, remarked, "We are excited to welcome Halo, Rare, and World's Edge to Activision. These teams and their creations have captivated audiences globally for many years."

The total job losses amounted to 268 across Halo Studios, several first-party developers, and Xbox Game Studios following the announcement.

Ninja Theory is facing closure, whereas Undead Labs transitioned to an employee-owned structure. Despite this, there were substantial layoffs reported during the restructuring.

Undead Labs noted, "These highly skilled developers dedicated years to the State of Decay series, overcoming challenges, supporting each other, and influencing both the game and the studio."