World’s Edge Faces Major Layoffs Amid Xbox Restructuring

Xbox’s extensive organizational reset is continuing. The company recently announced the elimination of another 268 positions as part of its plan to cut 3,200 jobs during the fiscal year. Several Xbox studios and franchises are also moving under the Activision Blizzard organization, including World’s Edge, the developer behind Age of Empires.

Nearly Half of World’s Edge Reportedly Affected

World’s Edge creative director Adam Isgreen said the studio experienced substantial layoffs during the transition. He expressed disappointment that his time with World’s Edge and Age of Empires was ending alongside that of many talented colleagues.

Isgreen said the team had ambitious plans for future projects and expressed hope that the remaining employees would be able to meet the challenges ahead. In a separate ResetEra post, he stated that just under half of the studio had been laid off.

Adam Isgreen’s Career in Strategy Games

Isgreen’s history with the real-time strategy genre spans several decades. He worked at Westwood Studios from 1995 to 2003 and served as a designer on the original Command & Conquer: Red Alert. He later contributed to Star Wars: Empire at War at Petroglyph, a studio founded by former Westwood developers, before joining MS in 2010.

During his time at Xbox, Isgreen served as creative director on a diverse range of projects, including Killer Instinct, Crimson Dragon, D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die, and ReCore. He eventually helped lead MS’s revival of the Age of Empires franchise, overseeing numerous remasters and working as creative director on Age of Empires IV, released in 2021.

An Uncertain Future

Reflecting on his departure, Isgreen said he never expected to work at MS, much less spend 16 years there in a creativity-focused role.

He said he remains uncertain about what comes next, suggesting that he might continue working in games or pursue something entirely different. He also mentioned pinball machines as a possibility, citing his long-standing appreciation for how they combine design, art, and engineering.