Microsoft Axes Xbox Entertainment Studios, Has Steven Spielberg's 'Halo' TV series Already Been Cancelled?

Quite possibly a sign of the struggling economic status, we are in, Microsoft has announced that they will be shutting down Xbox Entertainment Studios. An estimated 18,000 layoffs will take place in the coming months.

It is never a pretty sight when someone is getting fired from their job. Though the studio was responsible for developing original programming, there were difficulties securing deals about new content. None of the representatives were clear about how the content would be released, whether through all Xbox platforms, or just Xbox Gold Live members.

In an email sent to disgruntled employees, Xbox head Phil Spencer states, "Every member of Team Xbox should be incredibly proud of the impact and reach your work has within the walls of Microsoft, with our developer community and most importantly, with consumers."

With employees getting the axe, what does that mean for the existing projects? Well, the documentary series, Signal to Noise, will continue as planned. There are no plans to put a halt to the Steven Spielberg-produced Halo TV series. The upcoming digital series, Halo: Nightfall, will still be released in the fall.

During the transition, studio chief Nancy Tellem will remain onboard, along with Executive Vice President Jordan Levin. Gamers will still have interactive sports content from the NFL on Xbox. The studio's closure will not have any foreseeable impact on the company's partnership with over-the-top app developers. 

As Microsoft renews its focus, the business hopes to look ahead on being mobile-first and leading cloud-first technology.

As Xbox Entertainment Studios shuts down and lets go of its employees, there may still be hope as the company shifts in a new direction. Readers, what do you think of the upcoming layoffs?