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- Blizzard was working on Odyssey, an ambitious survival game.
- However, Xbox has recently laid off 1,900 employees, impacting this developer.
- The survival game has now been canceled.
Xbox has just confirmed devastating news. The gaming giant is cutting 8% of its gaming division, laying off various employees from Activision Blizzard. In total, around 1900 Xbox workers are losing their jobs.
However, the bad news does not stop there. Since Activision Blizzard has been hit the hardest, the publisher has confirmed another upsetting announcement. Blizzard’s upcoming survival game has been canceled following these layoffs.
Why it matters: While Microsoft is not the first to announce layoffs in 2024, its announcement is sadder than most since Activision Blizzard has only been part of the gaming giant for a few months.
-Microsoft lays off 1,900 Activision Blizzard and Xbox employees
-Blizzard president Mike Ybarra leaves the company
-Blizzard chief design officer Allen Adham leaves the company
-Blizzard's previously announced survival game is cancelled https://t.co/K9NhR9rMhf pic.twitter.com/vL9GDH5FfJ— Wario64 (@Wario64) January 25, 2024
Following the announcement, Blizzard’s chief design officer has also departed, leaving the company without two of its biggest figures. This announcement was made by Matt Booty, who said:
“Blizzard is ending development on its survival project.”
He states that this decision will help shift resources to other projects, confirming that Blizzard is working on more than a single new game. However, all of these games are currently in early development.
This is a massive blow to the publisher since this survival game was quite far along in development. Nearly a year ago, reports claimed that this game was heading toward completion and could be released as a multiplatform title.
Official information about the game was always limited, but reports confirmed that it would feature a stylized art style and offer a first-person perspective.
The above image shows concept art from this survival game, hinting at a mystical world brimming with potential.
Interestingly, another survival game with a similar premise has blown up in popularity recently.
Palworld shows the huge demand for this market, beating Counter-Strike’s all-time concurrent player count. According to leaks, Blizzard had a similar winning formula on its hand, making this outcome an even bigger shame.
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[News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than three years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
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