Microsoft has begun a new round of layoffs in its gaming division

Microsoft has begun new large-scale layoffs affecting the company’s gaming division.

The layoffs will affect 9,000 employees, which is 4% of the company’s total staff. To date, layoffs have affected the Zenimax holding (publisher Bethesda), the King office in Barcelona (Candy Crush), Undead Labs (State of Decay 3), Turn 10 (Forza Motorsport), Rare (Everwild has been cancelled), Raven Software, Sledgehammer Games and High Moon Studios (the Call of Duty series). Also, according to preliminary data, a new project from the developers of The Elder Scrolls Online has been cancelled. The Initiative studio, responsible for the new Perfect Dark, has been completely closed, and the shooter itself has been cancelled.

This round of layoffs is already the fourth wave of layoffs in Microsoft’s gaming division. Experts believe this is due to pressure from the company’s management to cut costs after the industry-record deal to buy Activision Blizzard for $69 billion.