Microsoft Laying Off Up To 9,000 Employees, Xbox Cancels ‘Perfect Dark’, Gamers React Written by Bernard "Beanz" Smalls Published on July 3, 2025 ...

While Spencer isn’t retiring anytime soon, Microsoft is continuing its big cuts today that have affected Xbox studios and employees. Perfect Dark and Everwild have been cancelled, while Forza ...

The Initiative, the studio meant to revive Perfect Dark, has been shut down entirely. This all comes despite Microsoft raking in $25.8 billion in net income last quarter.

Xbox’s Perfect Dark reboot, announced back in 2020, has reportedly been canceled as part of the ongoing layoffs at Microsoft. The studio developing the game has reportedly been shut down, too.

While people's lives are being thrown into chaos, Spencer has the gall to write, "I recognize that these changes come at a time when we have more players, games, and gaming hours than ever before.

The troubled Perfect Dark reboot is canceled and Xbox studio The Initiative has shut down amid devastating layoffs sweeping across Microsoft today, sources have told IGN.

These changes come at a time when we have more players, games, and gaming hours than ever before,” said Xbox head Phil Spencer in an email to staff.