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Xbox Layoffs “Heavily Impact” The Accessibility Team, Too
As part of the 1,600 people being let go by Xbox during its big reset on July 6, it appears that the company's Accessibility division has been hit pretty heavily as well.
According to a July 6 Bluesky post, the senior user researcher for accessibility at ZeniMax Media, Elisabeth Whyte, shared that she was caught in the blast zone, too. Whyte also revealed that the "accessibility staff overall seems heavily impacted," with "multiple people on the Bethesda User Research Team" getting laid off.
On LinkedIn, Whyte reshared a post by Zach Clothier, the accessibility test lead for the Microsoft gaming accessibility testing service, who announced his departure after nearly three years in his role.
It's unclear how many other people have been affected, but according to Whyte, it sounds like the team has been decimated amidst these layoffs. This comes during Disability Pride Month, which is supposed to honor the history, achievements, and experiences of the disability community.
A Microsoft spokesperson told GameSpot over email that despite the restructuring, the company plans to continue its work in making gaming more accessible for all.
"Accessibility remains a priority for Xbox," the spokesperson said. "While we've made changes across the team, creating more accessible gaming experiences for players has not changed."
Xbox's Accessibility Team is responsible for some wonderful features and technologies that make gaming easier for all players. This includes things like the Adaptive Controller and its various attachments, as well as accessibility options in games such as Forza Horizon 6 to change everything from the way it looks to the way it plays.
1,600 people will lose their jobs on July 6, while another 1,600 will lose their jobs over the next 12 months. These cuts make up about 20% of Microsoft's staff. Some studios have been cut loose, with Ninja Theory and Undead Labs being sold to a mysterious buyer. Meanwhile, the fate of Arkane Studios is still unknown, and both Id Software and ZeniMax have lost staff so that those studios could shift toward focusing on bigger franchises.
