Blizzard eliminates ‘small number’ of roles in China
Blizzard Entertainment has laid off what studio president Johanna Faries has described as a “small number” of employees in China.
An email penned by Faries and obtained by Game Developer says the company has eliminated those roles as it works to evolve its operating model in the region. It’s unclear how many people have been impacted, but Faries claims the job cuts will enable Blizzard to strengthen its regional publishing and product management capabilities.
In the email, which was distributed to all Blizzard workers earlier this week, Faries said the 3,200 layoffs announced by Xbox boss Asha Sharma on July 6 will be “challenging to navigate” but said Blizzard’s own forward-looking strategic initiatives and priorities “remain in focus.”
Blizzard operates numerous titles in China—such as World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, and Overwatch—in partnership with local video game conglomerate NetEase.
Xbox is currently pursuing a “reset” under new boss Asha Sharma, who claimed Microsoft’s video game division must downsize significantly after notable strategic bets—such as widespread acquisitions, Xbox Game Pass, and a multiplatform pivot—failed to pay off.
The move will result in 3,200 people being laid off before the end of the current fiscal year in June 2027. 1,600 of those cuts will be made immediately, with the remainder due over the next 12 months.
Although we know how many people will lose their jobs, it’s unclear how individual studios and teams have been impacted. Earlier today, a WARN notice filed in Texas indicated that 158 employees at ZeniMax locations in the U.S. region have been laid off—including 136 workers at Doom developer id Software.
Xbox has also parted ways with four studios including Double Fine, Compulsion Games, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs.
