Who makes it · Developer and publisher
Microsoft Gaming (Xbox)
Based in Redmond, Washington, United States Founded 2022
Microsoft's video game division, which makes Xbox consoles and runs the Game Pass subscription service, and owns publishers and studios including Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda/ZeniMax, Activision, Blizzard, King and Mojang. It earns money from game sales, Game Pass subscriptions, in-game purchases and hardware.
Track-record badges
What stands out, worst first
- Child safety
Child-safety enforcement
US FTC, June 2023: Microsoft agreed to pay $20 million to settle charges that Xbox sign-ups collected children's data without parental consent (COPPA). - Large layoffs
Large layoffs
Microsoft Gaming cut about 1,900 jobs in January 2024, and Xbox announced about 3,200 cuts from July 2026. - Competition law
Competition-law action
UK CMA, April 2023: found the Activision Blizzard deal would harm cloud-gaming competition and blocked it; cleared a restructured deal in October 2023.
Track record
What's on the record, newest first
- Labour
Announced about 3,200 job cuts and four studio divestments
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma told staff the division would cut about 3,200 roles during its 2027 financial year, starting with about 1,600 that day, with reductions at Activision, Bethesda/ZeniMax, Blizzard, King, Mojang and Xbox Game Studios. Compulsion Games and Double Fine became independent, Ninja Theory and Undead Labs moved to new ownership, and Arkane's French studio entered consultation.
Xbox Wire (Microsoft) - Court case
Brazilian first-instance court ordered R$50 million in loot-box damages, subject to appeal
In public civil actions brought by the child-rights group ANCED, the 1st Children and Youth Court of Brazil's Federal District ordered Microsoft to pay R$50 million in collective moral damages over loot boxes, according to a technical note from Brazil's Ministry of Justice. The ministry listed Microsoft with Apple and Tencent, at R$50 million each, among companies that run game distribution platforms and ecosystems; its note does not name the games involved. It is a first-instance ruling: the ministry said the rulings are still subject to appeal, so the case is pending.
Brazil Ministry of Justice and Public Security (Technical Note 55/2026) - Labour
Layoffs closed The Initiative and cancelled Perfect Dark and Everwild
As part of a Microsoft-wide cut of about 9,000 jobs, Xbox closed The Initiative studio, cancelled Perfect Dark, Everwild and a ZeniMax Online MMO, and cut staff at studios including King (about 200 people), Raven Software and Turn 10.
GamesIndustry.biz - Court case
FTC dropped its challenge to the Activision Blizzard deal
After a federal district court denied the FTC's request for a preliminary injunction in 2023 and the Ninth Circuit affirmed that decision on 7 May 2025, the FTC dismissed its administrative case, saying the public interest was best served by doing so.
US Federal Trade Commission - Labour
Cut about 1,900 gaming jobs after Activision Blizzard purchase
Three months after completing the Activision Blizzard acquisition, Microsoft cut about 1,900 roles across Activision Blizzard, ZeniMax and Xbox, and cancelled a Blizzard survival game. The FTC later cited the layoffs in its merger litigation; Microsoft said Activision Blizzard had planned cuts before the deal closed.
Kotaku - Privacy
Paid $20 million to settle FTC children's privacy charges over Xbox
The US Federal Trade Commission said Microsoft collected personal information from children signing up for Xbox without notifying parents or getting their consent, and kept some of it for years. Microsoft agreed to pay $20 million and to change its practices under a proposed order filed by the Department of Justice; the charges were settled rather than tried.
US Federal Trade Commission - Regulator action
UK competition regulator blocked, then cleared, Activision Blizzard deal
The UK Competition and Markets Authority blocked Microsoft's $68.7 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard, finding it would strengthen Microsoft's position in cloud gaming. On 13 October 2023 the CMA cleared a restructured deal in which Activision's cloud streaming rights outside the EEA were sold to Ubisoft.
UK Competition and Markets Authority - Good practice
Agreed labour neutrality with the CWA union
Microsoft and the Communications Workers of America announced a labour neutrality agreement covering Activision Blizzard once the acquisition closed. Microsoft has since voluntarily recognised several unions at its game studios under the agreement.
Microsoft
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Games in the guide
What Microsoft Gaming (Xbox) made or published
No games in the guide are linked to Microsoft Gaming (Xbox) yet.
Last checked 2 November 2026. Sources: blogs.microsoft.com, www.gov.uk, www.ftc.gov, kotaku.com, www.ftc.gov, www.gamesindustry.biz, news.xbox.com, www.gov.uk, kotaku.com, kotaku.com, www.gamesindustry.biz, www.gamesindustry.biz, www.gamesindustry.biz, kotaku.com, kotaku.com, www.gamesindustry.biz, en.wikipedia.org, www.gov.br. Spotted something wrong or missing? Send a correction.