Förra veckan nåddes vi av det dystra beskedet: 10 000 sägs upp från Microsoft, då jätteföretaget förbereder sig för sämre tider med lägre vinster. Också Xbox drabbas, däribland Bethesda och Halo-studion 343 Industries – som dock vill understryka att de kommer fortsätta utveckla Halo.

I ett internt mail (tack, Kotaku) säger Xbox-toppen Phil Spencer att det varit "en svår vecka", och att besluten som fattats varit "smärtsamma". Men likt Microsoft-vd:n är "säker" på att Microsoft kommer starkare ur det här, säger Xbox-Phil att man i långa loppet kommer vinna på detta.

Spencer hymlar dock inte med att de individuella effekterna är "påtagliga" för de drabbade.

The Gaming Leadership Team had to make decisions that we felt set us up for the long-term success of our products and business, but the individual results of those decisions are real. I know that hurts.

Brevet i sin helhet läser du undertill, vars äkthet ska vara bekräftad.

I oktober sa Microsoft upp "hundratals" anställda, och även då ska Xbox-divisionen ha drabbats. De som sagts upp i den här vändan förväntas alla ha lämnat företaget innan 1 april. 10 000 kommer alltså att drabbas, men det är oklart i vilken utsträckning Xbox-anställda berörs.

This has been a difficult week across Microsoft, and here, inside our teams. Now that many of the 1:1 and team conversations have happened, I want to take a moment to reiterate the message that you heard from your leaders.

This is a challenging moment in our business, and this week’s actions were painful choices. The Gaming Leadership Team had to make decisions that we felt set us up for the long-term success of our products and business, but the individual results of those decisions are real. I know that hurts. Thank you for supporting our colleagues as they process these changes.

Over the coming weeks we will have many opportunities to connect and answer your questions, including the Monthly Gaming Update next week for teams who attend that meeting, and I am in close contact with teams at ZeniMax to provide support. The GLT and I are committed to being as transparent as we can. Moving forward with ambiguity is challenging, but I am confident that together, we will get through this difficult moment in time.

Xbox has a long history of success thanks to the work you do in service of players, creators, and each other. Your work is so deeply appreciated and valued in these times of change and is integral to our business momentum. I am confident in our future and proud to be part of this team, but also conscious that this is a challenging time and I want to thank you for everything you do here.

Phil