[87208] Gaming industry crisis: Waves of layoffs and studio closures shake Sony and Microsoft

Shake-up in the gaming industry: Waves of layoffs and speculations surrounding major studios

The gaming industry is experiencing significant shocks today, June 17, 2026, with reports of widespread cuts among software giants. According to Grummz, known for his frequent criticism of the AAA industry, Sony is expected to fire about half of the employees at Bungie studio. According to him, the move comes following the "poor performance" of the game Marathon, which may reduce the studio's workforce from 800 to only 400 employees.

At the same time, Microsoft stands at the center of a public storm surrounding the Ninja Theory studio. Reports from Okami13_ and RinoTheBouncer, relying on Game File, claim that the company planned to close the studio or sell it even before the announcement of the latest game in the Senua series. According to the sources, the move was intended to "attract interest from investors" and not to save the studio. RinoTheBouncer added criticism regarding the timing of the announcement, noting that "presenting a trailer with the year 2027 implies that the game is almost ready," which strengthens the claim that it was a deceptive move.

Fierce disagreements have developed in the online arena regarding Microsoft's management. While users like AnxiousNeck claim that the studios would have closed anyway without the acquisition by the giant, other users replied that "Ninja Theory didn't deteriorate until Microsoft bought them," which indicates broader criticism of the corporation's management policy.

Additionally, a incident was reported surrounding Atlus SEA, when user PunishedKsensei noted the "Oda level foreshadowing" of the deletion of a post related to the 30th anniversary celebrations of Persona, an event that caused echoes in the fan community and led to heated debates on social networks.