Warcraft Rumble Halts New Content After Blizzard Layoffs
▼ Summary
– Warcraft Rumble is shifting to a live-ops-only phase with no new content due to Microsoft layoffs affecting 4% of its workforce (~9000 employees).
– Blizzard announced the game struggled to achieve sustainability despite community feedback and updates, mirroring the scaled-down support for StarCraft II and Heroes of the Storm.
– Around 100 Blizzard employees are impacted by the layoffs, with some reassigned to other projects also facing restructuring.
– Microsoft’s layoffs extend beyond Blizzard, canceling projects like an MMO from Zenimax Online Studios and Rare’s Everwild, alongside shutting down The Initiative.
– The full impact of the layoffs across Xbox teams is still emerging, with troubled developments and reboots preceding several cancellations.
Warcraft Rumble has entered a maintenance phase following significant workforce reductions at Microsoft, with Blizzard confirming the mobile game will no longer receive major content updates. The decision comes as part of broader restructuring efforts impacting roughly 4% of Microsoft’s global employees, approximately 9,000 people, with Blizzard among the affected studios.
In an official blog post, Blizzard revealed that while Warcraft Rumble will continue receiving bug fixes and recurring in-game events, development of new content has been halted. The studio described the move as a transition to a “live ops-only” model, mirroring the approach taken with older titles like StarCraft II and Heroes of the Storm. Internal communications obtained by Aftermath cited the game’s inability to achieve long-term sustainability despite post-launch adjustments and player feedback.
Originally launched in 2023 after nearly a decade in development, Warcraft Rumble blended tower defense mechanics with the beloved Warcraft universe. However, Blizzard acknowledged the title “struggled to find its footing,” leading to this scaled-back support strategy. Reports suggest up to 100 Blizzard employees were affected by the layoffs, with some reassigned to other projects, though those teams also faced cuts during the reorganization.
The changes reflect wider turmoil across Microsoft’s gaming divisions, particularly under Xbox. Zenimax Online Studios, known for The Elder Scrolls Online, reportedly canceled an unannounced MMO, while Xbox-backed studios like The Initiative and Rare saw high-profile projects shelved. The Perfect Dark reboot, once a flagship title, was partially outsourced to Crystal Dynamics before ultimately being scrapped. Similarly, Everwild, Rare’s enigmatic adventure game announced in 2019, quietly disappeared after years of development hurdles and key staff departures.
As the dust settles, the full scope of these layoffs remains unclear, with updates emerging gradually from Xbox-affiliated teams. The shift in strategy for Warcraft Rumble underscores the challenges facing live-service games in an increasingly competitive market, where even established franchises must adapt, or risk discontinuation.
(Source: GameSpot)
