Following the news that Microsoft will be laying off many staff, most of which are from Activision Blizzard studios, reports suggest that layoffs have hit Toys for Bob and Sledgehammer Games.Last month, Microsoft announced that it had made the “painful decision” to lay off around 1,900 employees across Xbox Game Studios, ZeniMax, and Activision Blizzard, and saw Blizzard’s already-announced survival shelved. The move follows Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which concluded last year.According to a report from the San Francisco Chronicle, Microsoft will be closing Toys for Bob’s office in Novato, California, and laying off 86 employees on March 30. Reports earlier today suggested that the Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Skylanders developer would be closed for good, but that doesn’t seem to be the case now. What Microsoft plans to do with Toys for Bob isn’t yet clear, but according to Windows Central’s Jez Cordon on X, he has “got confirmation the Toys for Bob is not closing down.”The report also suggests that Sledgehammer Games’ Foster City, California office will also close its office from March 30, with 76 employees being affected by layoffs. Unlike the uncertain future of Toys for Bob, however, Insider Gaming recently reported that it looks like Sledgehammer could be remote working temporarily until the team can move into a smaller office.Microsoft has been in the spotlight a lot already this year due to its mass layoffs, and now the future of Xbox seems to be in an area of uncertainty as well. Earlier this week, reports suggested that Microsoft is considering launching Xbox-exclusives Starfield and Indiana Jones on PS5. That was then followed by the news that Gears of War is reportedly on the docket for a PS5 release.Naturally, the community is unsure where Microsoft will be taking the brand, and we’re yet to hear anything confirming or denying the rumors. So far, Xbox head Phil Spencer has said that Microsoft will share its “vision for the future of Xbox” via a business update event next week.
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