A year ago, Microsoft made a decision whose consequences continue to affect the Xbox division. The cancellation of the new Perfect Dark and Everwild development became the starting point for massive changes within the company.
The closure of The Initiative studio and the thousands of employee layoffs announced at the time were the beginning of cost optimization and a deep restructuring of Microsoft's gaming division.
Problems surrounding Perfect Dark led to personnel changes among Xbox leadership. The management of large internal projects revealed weaknesses in the previous model, which caused the company to change its development strategy.
A year later, it is clear that these events marked the beginning of the ongoing Xbox overhaul. To preserve key franchises, Microsoft abandoned a number of projects.
Afterwards, personnel changes occurred at Xbox, and now the company may close or sell Ninja Theory, Compulsion Games, and Double Fine studios. The fate of Arkane's Blade also remains uncertain.