By “We did not make these selections lightly”
Today, numerous layoffs at Xbox have been reported, prompting several abandoned projects spotlighted by Perfect Dark and Everwild. Xbox Game Studios leader Matt Booty has communicated an internal notice to the workforce regarding this matter.
In his communication, as conveyed by Variety, Booty emphasizes that “multiple unannounced initiatives” are also being discontinued within Xbox’s portfolio, and he asserts that these decisions were not taken lightly. Here’s his complete message:
“We have reached the conclusion to halt development of Perfect Dark and Everwild and also to wind down various unannounced initiatives across our portfolio. As part of this process, we will be closing one of our studios, The Initiative. These choices, along with other modifications across our teams, represent a broader attempt to realign priorities and concentrate resources to prepare our teams for enhanced success in a transforming industry environment. We did not make these selections lightly, as each project and team embodies years of dedication, creativity, and commitment.”
“Our overall portfolio strategy remains unchanged: create games that engage our players, continue expanding our most significant franchises, and forge new narratives, worlds, and characters. We have over 40 initiatives in active development, ongoing progress on titles launching this fall, and a robust lineup leading into 2026.”
“For those directly impacted, we are collaborating closely with HR and studio leadership to offer support, which includes severance, career transition assistance, and, where feasible, opportunities to explore positions on other teams.”
“To everyone across our studios: thank you. Your ingenuity and perseverance continue to shape who we are. I believe in the capability of our teams and the direction we’re heading as we move forward.”
This follows a similar internal communication from Xbox chief Phil Spencer earlier today, who indicated that the company would “cease or reduce work in specific areas of the business” to “position Gaming for lasting success and enable us to concentrate on strategic growth areas”.
We were expecting some substantial layoff news ahead of today, but Everwild and Perfect Dark‘s cancellation was not anticipated – and now we’re simply hoping that everyone affected finds new opportunities swiftly.
Fraser serves as the News Editor at Pure Xbox, dedicating his time to covering the most significant stories in the Xbox universe and beyond.