Microsoft Extends Voluntary Exit Offer to 60,000 Employees, Including Xbox Team

Microsoft has launched a Voluntary Exit Offer program available to 60,000 employees, over 25% of its workforce, including teams in Xbox, Windows, Copilot, and finance. The program allows eligible staff to leave with a severance-like package, following a similar offer in April where about 33% of eligible workers accepted. This move comes amid massive AI investments and ahead of Microsoft's earnings report on October 28, where revenue hit $90 billion (up 18%) and profit $35.8 billion (up 22%) last quarter. Xbox is undergoing a strategic reset under CEO Asha Sharma, with prior layoffs in July affecting nearly 5,000 people and further cuts expected later. CEO Satya Nadella calls the juxtaposition of record profits and workforce reductions 'the enigma of success.' The tech giant continues to navigate investor concerns over AI spending while reshaping its divisions for future growth.