Microsoft’s recent layoffs have received heightened scrutiny, particularly because Phil Spencer touted how the company’s gaming division had never been stronger while announcing that 9,000 employees would be laid off and numerous game projects were canceled.

As reported by EA Japan’s general manager, Shaun Noguchi, on X, he expressed frustration regarding the current atmosphere in corporate gaming. He articulated that traditional perspectives in Japan treat organizational ‘restructures’ as synonymous with layoffs. This cultural difference means that Japanese companies often retain their workforce for longer periods, protecting valuable institutional knowledge.

Noguchi further described the growing trend among foreign companies to insist on immediate results from investments that require time to mature. He lamented that such pressure could lead to hasty decisions that do not allow time for strategies to bear fruit.

Consequently, as someone deeply invested in the gaming job market, he felt empathy for everyone affected by these cuts, recognizing the profound implications for both developers and the gaming community awaiting their products.