Microsoft to lay off 1,900 from its gaming division

(Sharecast News) - Microsoft is set to reduce its workforce in the gaming division by approximately 1,900 employees, it emerged on Thursday, according to an internal company memo reported by CNBC. The decision came at the same time as the announcement that Blizzard president Mike Ybarra would be stepping down from the company.

According to CNBC, Microsoft Gaming chief executive officer Phil Spencer said in the memo that the layoffs were designed to minimise redundancies, describing the decision as "painful."

The layoffs came shortly after Microsoft's acquisition of gaming giant Activision Blizzard in a mammoth $69bn deal.

In a post on Twitter, Ybarra thanked those impacted by the layoffs for their contributions to Blizzard and players' lives.

Activision Blizzard and Microsoft had not officially commented on the redundancies.

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.