Halo Cinematic Director Promoted and Laid Off in Same Week

Ever been promoted and fired in the same week? For Josh Daniels, former cinematic director at Halo Studios, that surreal scenario just became reality. In a LinkedIn post, Daniels revealed he was promoted and then immediately laid off, calling it "pretty wild." He's one of many hit by the Halo Studios layoffs.

Earlier today, Microsoft announced another 268 employees would be cut under Xbox. Halo Studios appears to have been hit especially hard. The Halo IP is now in the hands of Activision, the Call of Duty publisher. That's a massive shift for a franchise that defined Xbox for decades.

But the layoffs go far beyond Halo. Studios like Ninja Theory and Arkane are facing closures, Obsidian has been absorbed by Bethesda, Playground and Turn 10 have been combined, and Undead Labs is spinning out. Even The Coalition, the team behind Gears of War: E-Day, is reporting cuts. Xbox's studio lineup is unrecognizable compared to just nine months ago.

According to Xbox CCO Matt Booty, these layoffs have brought Xbox "roughly three-quarters of the way through" a restructuring plan announced by new CEO Asha Sharma. The plan will see 3,200 employees cut in total. That's a staggering number, and it's left countless Xbox employees and studios working with an axe looming over them all year, never sure who's next.

Even as Xbox rushes to get games out and reportedly puts Bethesda's feet to the fire over Fallout and The Elder Scrolls production timelines, Microsoft leadership has overseen layoffs that cut veteran talents, including many Fallout and The Elder Scrolls seniors. Nobody anywhere seems safe.

And here's a bitter irony: Halo Studios didn't even get the chance to launch one original title before Xbox decided to let Activision try instead. For fans, it's a gut punch. For developers, it's a scary time.

What do you think about the state of Xbox right now? Will you be picking up future Halo games under Activision? Let us know in the comments.