A second round of layoffs hit Microsoft on Tuesday and it looks like this latest cutback has taken out the majority of workers at the company's Massive in-game advertising division. According to VentureBeat.com the amount of people cut from the division was as much as 75 percent although exact figures are not known. Update: VentureBeat has now updated their story with Microsoft informing them that the layoff numbers are closer to 28 percent of Massive.

Microsoft bought Massive in 2006 for between $200 million and $400 million at a time when many thought in-game ads were a sure thing for revenue growth. Since then some of the excitement has worn off, partly because the entire ad industry is suffering due to the recession. This new round of layoffs at Microsoft total around 3,000 people. Last January Microsoft cut 1,400 people off their job list and caused their ACES Studio (home of the Microsoft Flight Simulator series) to close shop.