What is actually reported
- Timing: three more rounds, in October 2026, November 2026 and January 2027. No exact dates, teams, locations or per-round headcounts have been published.
- Status: these are plans described by anonymous sources. They are not a Microsoft announcement. Notebookcheck notes that Microsoft has yet to confirm the plans or disclose how many additional jobs could be cut. One roundup of Fortune's report also says the report includes no company comment.
- Source quality: Fortune's reporting rests on people familiar with the plans. That is a normal basis for corporate scoops, but it carries more uncertainty than an official memo. Treat the schedule as a strong lead, not a calendar.
The numbers so far
The background figures come from several places, so it helps to keep them apart.
| Item | Figure | Who reports it |
|---|---|---|
| July 2026 plan | 3,200 roles over Microsoft's fiscal 2027 | Verge, Notebookcheck |
| Cuts at announcement | 1,600 | Verge, Notebookcheck |
| September 2026 layoffs | Around 260 employees | Verge, Notebookcheck |
| Cut so far | 1,868 | Fortune |
Fortune says Sharma has cut 1,868 people so far under the plan to reduce headcount by 3,200 over the next year. It also says she has cut several management layers.
The open question is whether the three new rounds sit inside the 3,200 total or on top of it. Notebookcheck says the report does not specify how many people the upcoming rounds will affect, or whether they are all included in the previously announced total. Don't assume either answer.
The arithmetic is suggestive, but only that. If 1,868 is the running count against a 3,200 target, about 1,300 roles would remain. That would fit three further rounds. It is my own inference, though, and no source says so. Fortune also doesn't say how the 1,868 relates to the 1,600 and 260 figures.
Context: the broader Xbox "reset"
The layoffs are one part of a larger overhaul under Sharma, who took over in February 2026.
- Studios: Double Fine and Compulsion Games have been allowed to become independent again, while Ninja Theory, the developer behind the Senua games, may face closure. A separate year-in-review entry on Wikipedia describes some other studio outcomes differently, so the studio picture is still moving. These outcomes are not confirmed by the layoff report itself.
- Strategy: Fortune describes a shift of money away from smaller studios and toward Xbox's biggest franchises. It says studios now need a clear, commercial business case rather than blank-check funding.
- Finances: Fortune puts the Xbox unit's profit margin at around 3%. It also says current-generation Xbox consoles have sold a little over a third as many units as the PlayStation 5, citing third-party estimates, and that memory-chip shortages are raising hardware costs. These points come from Fortune's wider feature. They are not Microsoft's stated reason for the layoffs.
The human side
Fortune says the multi-wave approach has a cost. Some staff are demoralized and feel they are sitting under a yearlong cloud, waiting to see if their roles will be eliminated next. It also says some of those laid off had worked at Xbox for decades, which could mean lost institutional knowledge. It found at least one employee who was laid off and then offered a chance to stay.
There is a fair counterpoint. Fortune says some employees appreciated Sharma's transparency. Announcing a long timeline can also spare a company the surprise of repeated unannounced cuts. Whether staff experience a published schedule as honesty or as a slow drip is a matter of opinion.
Sale or spinoff speculation
Fortune reports that several current and former staff believe Xbox could be prepared for a sale, spinoff, outside investment or conversion to a subsidiary. Some of them knew of a high-level presentation that explored such scenarios. The company's answer is on the record. The Verge says Judson Althoff downplayed the idea to Fortune. He said, "We would not have put her on a business we intend to sell." The Verge also notes that Sharma told The New York Times that Xbox is not for sale. None of this proves what Microsoft will do. It does show that the layoff story and the ownership story are separate questions, and neither is settled by this report.
Why Windows and PC readers should care
This is gaming news with Windows implications.
- Windows and Xbox friction: Fortune reports a turf dispute over what software should run Project Helix, the next-generation hardware. Windows leaders wanted an upcoming handheld to use a trimmed-down version of Windows Home, while Sharma's team wanted to build its own software. Xbox now largely controls the direction of the operating system, though Sharma stressed the two teams still work closely.
- Hardware roadmap: Fortune says Sharma plans a next-generation handheld by the 2027 holiday season and the next console by the 2028 holidays. The Helix console has internally been projected to cost consumers between $1,200 and $1,800 unless Microsoft subsidizes it. Fortune also says engineering deadlines for Helix have been moved up by at least several months.
- Layoff risk: Cuts and fast deadlines at the same time are a real execution risk for any platform team. That is my own reading, not a finding from the reports.
What to watch next
- Microsoft's quarterly earnings report. Fortune calls it the next test of Sharma's moves. Executives may be asked about restructuring costs.
- Any confirmation of timing or size. Layoff news at Microsoft often surfaces through employee reports and state filings. Whether this round follows that pattern is not yet known.
- Whether the 3,200 figure is revised. If the new rounds fall outside the original plan, that would be a meaningful change.
- Studio announcements. Ninja Theory's fate and other consolidations are separate stories to track.
Bottom line
The supported claim is narrow. Fortune, citing people familiar with the plans, says more Xbox layoffs are coming in October, November and January, and that the plans could change. Microsoft has not confirmed it, and no per-round numbers are public. The Verge and Notebookcheck add context on the July plan and September cuts but no independent confirmation. Until Microsoft says more, treat the timetable as reported, not official.