Tech News Deep Dive: Microsoft’s Turbulent Restructuring, Interstellar Mysteries, and the Next Wave of Devices / Updated: 2025, July 3rd, 00:17 CET
Microsoft laid off over 9,000 employees (about 4% of its global workforce) across Xbox/Microsoft Gaming, King, Bethesda, Rare, Undead Labs, Turn 10 Studios, as part of a shift toward AI and cost optimization. The layoffs were accompanied by cancellations and studio closures, including Perfect Dark reboot cancellation and The Initiative closure, Everwild scrapped, and ZeniMax Online Studios’ unannounced MMO canceled with Matt Firor stepping down. Rumors that Phil Spencer would retire after the next-generation Xbox launch (expected 2026–2027) circulated, with Sarah Bond named as a potential successor, though Microsoft publicly denied the retirement claims. A11pl3Z, detected near Jupiter by NASA’s