adminWorld’s Edge layoffs have affected just under half of the Age of Empires studio’s employees, following the announcement that the team would move to Activision. Former creative director Adam Isgreen was among those impacted, along with many of his colleagues.
Image credit: World’s Edge
World’s Edge layoffs affect nearly half the team
Adam Isgreen, a 16-year Microsoft veteran, shared that he had been laid off along with a significant portion of the World’s Edge team. The reported number was just under half of the studio’s employees.
In a LinkedIn post, Isgreen said he was disappointed that his time with World’s Edge and Age of Empires had ended this way, and noted that many talented teammates were also affected. He added that the studio had plans for what might come next and expressed hope that the remaining team would be able to deliver on future work.
No specific details about those plans were included in the announcement. For readers following the franchise, that means the reported cuts do not by themselves confirm which future projects will continue or change. Further details would need to come from the studio or its new organizational leadership.
World’s Edge moves to Activision amid Xbox restructuring
The studio’s move to Activision was part of a broader Xbox restructuring announcement. Halo and Rare were also named as moving to Activision, with Activision president Rob Kostich welcoming the teams and acknowledging the responsibility of taking on franchises with long-standing global audiences.
The same announcement said that 268 positions had been eliminated across Halo Studios, other first-party developers, and Xbox Game Studios. These figures relate to the wider restructuring and should not be confused with the separate report that just under half of World’s Edge employees were affected.
When following employment news across several studios, it is useful to distinguish studio-specific figures from company-wide totals. The available information identifies the scale of the impact at World’s Edge in approximate terms, but does not provide a full breakdown of individual roles.
Other studios also affected
The restructuring also included changes at other developers. Ninja Theory was set to close, while Undead Labs became an independent studio. Undead Labs said that a significant number of employees had been made redundant during the process.
The developer recognized the contributions of staff who had worked on the State of Decay franchise, describing their work on the games and the studio as significant. The announcement illustrates that the changes involved different outcomes for different teams, including closures, independence, and job losses.
What the changes mean for Age of Empires
World’s Edge is the studio associated with Age of Empires, but the reported information does not specify how the move to Activision or the layoffs will affect particular games, release plans, or development responsibilities. Isgreen’s comments indicate that plans for future work existed, while leaving their details undisclosed.
For now, the confirmed points are the studio’s move, the reported impact on just under half its staff, and Isgreen’s departure. Readers seeking updates about Age of Empires should look for specific announcements from the companies involved rather than assume that unannounced plans have been cancelled or remain unchanged.
Summary
The World’s Edge layoffs affected just under half of the Age of Empires developer’s employees during a wider Xbox restructuring that also moved the studio to Activision. The available report does not explain how individual projects may be affected, so future updates from the companies will be important for understanding what comes next.
