Microsoft cuts 9,000 jobs in biggest layoffs this year, says “we continue to…”

Microsoft laid off approximately 9,000 employees Wednesday, marking the company’s second major workforce reduction this year. The cuts, affecting less than 4% of Microsoft’s global workforce, hit the Xbox gaming division particularly hard, with several high-profile game cancellations and studio closures announced alongside the layoffs.

The job cuts span multiple teams across geographies and tenure levels as Microsoft seeks to streamline operations and reduce management layers. The company cited “organizational changes necessary to best position the company and teams for success in a dynamic marketplace” as the primary driver for the workforce reduction.