ZeniMax Employees Reveal Chaos of Microsoft’s “Inhumane” Layoffs
▼ Summary
– ZeniMax employees criticized Microsoft’s layoffs as “inhumane,” citing abrupt communication cuts and widespread confusion before HR notifications.
– The layoffs affected “hundreds” at ZeniMax and other Xbox studios, marking Microsoft’s third major round of job cuts since 2023.
– Employees described the process as traumatic, with severed access to work platforms and rushed goodbyes, leaving remaining staff demoralized.
– Unionized workers at ZeniMax credited their union (ZWU-CWA) for mitigating the layoffs’ impact, stating the situation would have been worse without it.
– The games industry continues to face widespread layoffs, with recent cuts at studios like The Chinese Room and Supermassive Games.
Microsoft’s recent wave of layoffs at ZeniMax has sparked outrage among employees, who describe the process as chaotic and deeply traumatic. Workers claim the company’s handling of job cuts left hundreds of colleagues abruptly locked out of systems, creating widespread panic and confusion.
Senior QA tester Autumn Mitchell didn’t mince words when criticizing Microsoft’s approach. “It’s not okay. It wasn’t normal,” she said. “The way they do it is inhumane. No matter how much they claim it’s dignified, the reality is anything but.” The layoffs, part of a broader restructuring affecting multiple Xbox studios, reportedly left employees scrambling to say goodbye before losing access to communication tools like Slack and email.
The fallout extended beyond severed access. Page Branson, another affected employee, highlighted the emotional toll. “People were left distraught, not knowing if they’d still have jobs,” Branson explained. “Making employees rush to type farewell messages to colleagues they’ve worked with for years, it’s disgusting.” The lack of clarity from leadership only deepened the distress, with many left questioning their future while Microsoft executives touted the company’s successes in internal memos.
The cuts didn’t just disrupt lives, they gutted institutional knowledge. “Practical expertise vanished overnight,” Branson noted. “Those left behind are struggling to fill the gaps, and morale has plummeted.” Mitchell echoed the sentiment, describing the remaining workforce as a “carcass of workers” expected to keep delivering award-winning games under immense strain.
Both Mitchell and Branson are members of the ZeniMax Workers Union, which they credit for mitigating the worst effects of the layoffs. “Without union support, the situation would’ve been far worse,” Branson emphasized. The union provided a crucial safety net, advocating for both terminated employees and those still employed but shaken by the upheaval.
The gaming industry as a whole continues to face relentless job cuts, with studios like The Chinese Room and Supermassive Games also announcing layoffs this week. For ZeniMax employees, the scars of Microsoft’s restructuring run deep, leaving many questioning the human cost of corporate decisions. As Branson put it, “Empathy should be at the core of these choices. Real people, real families, their lives are being upended.”
(Source: EuroGamer)
