microsoft-games-for-windows posts

The poor economy is hitting every company, including one of the biggest involved in PC gaming Microsoft. This morning the company behind the Games for Windows brand and Games for Windows Live announced that 5,000 team members will lose their jobs. 1,400 of those folks will be laid off today while the rest will be stretched out over an 18 month period. The amount of job cuts announced were smaller than some of the first rumors that hit the Internet late in 2008.

It's currently unknown if that number includes any members of Microsoft Games Studios and Games For Windows team. The company has been downsizing its games business for some time, shutting down Shadowrun's internal developer FASA Interactive in 2007 and allowing its star developer Bungie to become independent once again. Last fall, the company announced it was shutting down Dallas based Ensemble Studios after the completion of their Xbox 360 game Halo Wars.

Microsoft made the job cut announcements as part of its quarterly financial report where it said it received $16.63 billion for the quarter that ended Dec. 31, a 2 percent increase from the same period a year ago. However, the company had net earnings of $4.17 billion for the quarter, an 11 percent drop from the same period a year ago.