Xbox unions represented by the Communications Workers of America are pushing for formal negotiations on potential layoffs before any announcements occur. External vendor contracts have already been terminated ahead of the company's fiscal year end. Employees at several studios remain uncertain about their future.
Unions at ZeniMax QA testers, Raven Software, and Blizzard Albany have secured collective bargaining agreements that outline severance and recall rights. Other Xbox unions continue to bargain individually over layoff impacts, including transfers between studios.
Morgan Goin and Alison Veneto spoke after a CWA press conference on June 29. They described ongoing efforts to secure recall rights and job transfers, noting that Microsoft has rejected some proposals in recent weeks.
Xbox ended contracts with external vendors supporting its June showcase as the fiscal year closed on June 30. Mass layoffs for full-time staff are expected in the coming weeks, though no official notifications have been issued yet.
Union leaders are also assisting non-unionized workers through resources on Discord and coordination with United Video Game Workers. They emphasize that annual layoffs have become a pattern at Xbox.
