According to a Bloomberg report, the layoffs are expected shortly after Microsoft’s fiscal year ends on June 30. While the number of affected employees has not been disclosed, the planned cuts are expected to go beyond staffing, with reductions also being considered across marketing and other operational budgets.

The restructuring will be the first major overhaul since Asha Sharma became chief executive of Xbox in February.

Sharma reportedly outlined the challenges facing the gaming business in an internal message to employees. She said Xbox’s accountability margin had fallen to just 3% despite the company spending more than $20 billion over the past five years on content, platforms and hardware subsidies. During the same period, annual revenue declined by almost $500 million.

The Xbox chief told staff the business would need to rebuild parts of its platform infrastructure and reassess its portfolio in the months ahead. Bloomberg reported that Sharma and Chief Content Officer Matt Booty have described the current period as an “Xbox Reset”, aimed at putting the division on a more sustainable path.

The planned changes come as Xbox works to overcome challenges across several parts of its business. Microsoft’s drive into subscription gaming and cloud services has not delivered the growth needed to offset weaker console sales.

At the same time, the company has faced complaints over a lack of major exclusive titles capable of driving hardware demand.

Growth in Game Pass subscriptions has also stalled. In April, Microsoft cut Game Pass prices and announced that future Call of Duty titles would no longer launch on the service on day one, marking one of the first major strategic changes under Sharma’s leadership.

The company is also dealing with high hardware costs. Reports say increasing component prices have significantly raised storage costs, creating additional pressure on Microsoft’s long-term console plans, including work linked to its next-generation gaming platform, codenamed Helix.

As part of the reset, Xbox is expected to place greater emphasis on its biggest gaming franchises, including Halo, Gears of War and Forza.

The company recently confirmed that upcoming titles such as Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution will not launch on competing platforms including PlayStation and Nintendo Switch, while it focuses on strengthening the Xbox ecosystem.

Microsoft has not publicly commented on the reported layoffs.

The shutdown took effect on May 26, 2026, and from that point, players could no longer access online multiplayer. Destruction Points, the game’s premium currency, stopped being sold, while the title also disappeared from the PlayStation Store.

Single-player content is not gone yet, as Sony has confirmed that owners can still access offline and Arcade modes until 25 November 2026 at 15:00 UTC.

After that date, full server support ends. Only offline Arcade challenges will remain, and even those may not work smoothly once servers go down completely.

Sony linked the multiplayer shutdown to “ongoing technical issues.” In the notice describing how services had already been taken offline before the final closure window, it was confirmed that remaining currency can still be used until November 2026.

Sony launched Destruction AllStars with high expectations, first positioned as a PlayStation 5 launch title in 2020, then delayed it to February 2021.

When it finally arrived, it moved from a full-priced release to a PlayStation Plus offering for a limited period, before settling at a lower price point later on.

Lucid Games developed the title, and Sony published it as a first-party project. The studio had previously worked on Geometry Wars and support work on Sea of Thieves. Despite that backing, the game found it difficult to hold attention after launch.

Reviews were mixed. It scored 62 on Metacritic, while user ratings fell below average. Many players criticised the limited content and heavy focus on in-game purchases.

The online base dropped within months, and reports suggested losses of nearly 80% early on. Sony tried to stabilise the game with bots in multiplayer and added only one content season in May 2021.

The shutdown also reveals Sony’s struggles in live-service gaming. Other projects have already faced similar outcomes, including Concord, which closed shortly after launch, and a cancelled The Last of Us multiplayer project that never reached release.

For players still holding trophies, some achievements tied to multiplayer will now be impossible to unlock. Refunds for unused currency are not being issued, although players can still spend remaining Destruction Points until the November cutoff.

The game, which will be exclusive to Netflix Games, is being developed and published by Delphi Interactive in partnership with FIFA. It is scheduled to arrive before the tournament kicks off in June next year, targeting fans who want a quick, social way to play rather than a complex console experience. 

The title will run on televisions, with players using their phones as controllers, keeping it within Netflix’s growing casual gaming ecosystem.

This looks like a calculated attempt to anchor Netflix’s gaming vision to an event that already commands global attention. Football is the most-watched sport in the world, and the World Cup offers built-in reach that few entertainment launches can match. 

FIFA itself said the partnership is meant to bring the “emotion and drama of the tournament” into a new interactive format.

This release sits within a gaming framework Netflix outlined earlier this year. In March 2025, the company said it would focus on four areas: story-led narrative games, multiplayer party titles, children’s games, and licensed mainstream properties. 

FIFA, alongside the upcoming James Bond game “007 First Light”, falls squarely into the licensed category, designed to attract audiences who already know the brand.

Despite years of spending and experimentation, Netflix’s games have largely failed to break through in the way its films and series have. Engagement has been low, prompting changes in leadership and a sharper focus on familiar names such as “GTA: San Andreas” and “Red Dead Redemption”.

The company’s vision may soon extend far beyond casual titles. Netflix is currently leading talks to acquire major assets from Warner Bros Discovery in a deal valued at $72 billion, or $82.7 billion including debt. The package includes some of the industry’s most respected studios, behind franchises such as “Mortal Kombat”, “Batman Arkham”, “Hogwarts Legacy” and LEGO games.

While Netflix co-CEO Gregory Peters has said the gaming studios are a “minor component” of the entire transaction, analysts argue their value could be strategic. Ownership of these teams would give Netflix a direct path into big-budget, premium game development, a space it has not yet fully entered.

Alongside this, Netflix has been building out cloud gaming technology and adding controller support, putting it closer to services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and PlayStation Plus. What began as a mobile add-on is gradually evolving into something more ambitious.

The FIFA game and the Warner Bros talks point to the same goal, which is keeping subscribers inside the Netflix ecosystem for longer. Games, unlike films, do not end after two hours.

If burnout were a disease, it would be an epidemic. Yet, instead of a cure, many professionals are stuck in an endless cycle of stress, exhaustion, and the occasional weekend nap that does little to restore sanity.

So, what’s the secret to avoiding professional combustion? From successful entrepreneurs, the answer lies in an unexpected mix of music, sports, and, in Elon Musk’s case, slaying digital demons.

1. Music: The Business of Beats

If you think corporate suits and DJ decks don’t mix, think again. David Solomon, CEO of Goldman Sachs, doesn’t just balance billion-dollar deals—he also mixes beats to keep burnout at bay. Science backs him up. Chronic stress increases cortisol, a hormone that can weaken the immune system and cloud mental clarity. Playing music helps counteract this by triggering dopamine release, offering a natural antidote to workplace-induced fatigue.

2. High-Adrenaline Sports: Racing Past Stress

When stress levels skyrocket, some entrepreneurs opt for extreme sports to reset their focus. Racing, skydiving, and other adrenaline-heavy activities demand full concentration, forcing the mind to temporarily forget about endless Zoom meetings. The result? A sharper, more strategic approach when returning to work. For professionals drowning in responsibilities, perhaps the solution isn’t another productivity hack but a literal leap of faith—preferably with a parachute.

3. Video Games: Elon Musk’s Mental Escape

Aside from meditation—Elon Musk swears by gaming as his go-to stress relief. The billionaire, known for launching rockets and rewriting the rules of transportation, turns to video games to combat mental fatigue. “Killing the demons in a video game calms the demons in my mind,” he once revealed. Scientific research discloses he might be onto something. High stress can lower vasopressin, a hormone essential for focus and emotional stability. Engaging in digital battles may offer a much-needed mental reset.

4. Tennis and Other Sports: Outrunning Burnout

For those who prefer a more traditional approach, physical sports remain a tried-and-true method for stress relief. Tennis, in particular, challenges both the body and the mind, improving coordination and strategic thinking. The repetitive motion of hitting a ball can serve as a metaphor for resilience—keep swinging, and eventually, you’ll score.

Finally: The Art of Knowing When to Pause

For many entrepreneurs, the key to long-term success isn’t working harder but knowing when to step back. Vahan Poghosyan, CEO of Linkee, captures this sentiment perfectly:

“Entrepreneurship is a constant balance between vision and exhaustion. In a world that always pushes for more, the real power comes from knowing when to pause, reset, and protect what drives you. It’s not about doing less—it’s about being intentional.”

In the end, whether it’s music, sports, or digital combat, the message is that burnout isn’t a badge of honour. Perhaps the real productivity hack isn’t found in another 5 AM routine, but in simply knowing when to log off—before the system crashes.