Microsoft hits Surface, HoloLens, Xbox with 10,000 personnel reductions, HoloLens is in danger of manufacturing the next version

Microsoft has announced that it will reduce the workforce by 10,000 people in January 2023. Due to this personnel reduction, it is reported that employees involved in the development of mixed reality (MR) goggles HoloLens , Surface and Xbox , which are products developed by Microsoft, will be dismissed.

Microsoft (MSFT) Layoffs 2023: Tech Giant Cuts Jobs in HoloLens, Surface, Xbox - Bloomberg
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-10/microsoft-cuts-jobs-in-hololens-surface-xbox-as-layoffs-continue

More layoff pain at Microsoft: Github, Xbox, Mixed Reality, and others hit hard | Windows Central
https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/more-layoff-pain-at-microsoft-github-xbox-mixed-reality-and-others-hit-hard

Microsoft Kills Its Industrial Metaverse Team After 4 Months — The Information
https://www.theinformation.com/articles/microsoft-kills-its-industrial-metaverse-team-after-4-months

According to information independently obtained by Bloomberg, the personnel of the HoloLens development team, which is an MR goggle developed by Microsoft, has been reduced, resulting in a next-generation version that is different from the military HoloLens developed by the company for the US military. It is said that the manufacture of HoloLens is in danger. Windows Central reports that the HoloLens development team has been cut in half.

An anonymous source also commented that Microsoft's gaming division, Xbox, has cut headcount in marketing and the gaming ecosystem. Phil Spencer, the chief of the Xbox division, said that he notified employees about the staff reduction in an email to employees, but he said that the email did not explain what kind of jobs would be affected. Windows Central also reported layoffs in 'teams responsible for content partnerships, marketing and other business-oriented work.'

In addition, it is reported that dozens of veteran employees, including top directors and contract employees, have been dismissed at the game studio `` 343 Industries '', which is known as the developer of the Halo series. In addition, it seems that the game department of Microsoft's ZeniMax Studios, which released ' Hi-Fi RUSH ', also reduced personnel.

Microsoft implements large-scale personnel reduction & organizational reform at Halo developer - GIGAZINE

In addition, The Information reports that the `` Industrial Metaverse Core Team '', an industrial metaverse product development team just formed by Microsoft in October 2022, will be closed due to this personnel reduction. Most of this Industrial Metaverse Core Team seems to have been made up of members of Project Bonsai, which Microsoft acquired in 2018.

Designers responsible for making Windows and other applications look good have also been cut, according to Windows Central, but details are unknown. In addition, the entire team involved in Surface's business-related development has also been closed, and Windows Central fears that this may lead to a reduction in the Surface brand itself.

In addition, it was reported that 250 people, equivalent to 10% of employees, were dismissed at GitHub, which is owned by Microsoft. Microsoft seems to be cutting costs by closing the GitHub office and shifting the remaining staff to a fully remote work system.

GitHub will dismiss 10% of its employees, and the office will be closed in anticipation of a complete remote system - GIGAZINE

In addition, when Bloomberg asked Microsoft for comment on this large-scale layoff, ``I would like to refrain from commenting on personnel reductions, but there is no change in our commitment to MR and the current HoloLens 2.'' It seems that there was