It was recently revealed that Microsoft is planning a massive round of layoffs at its Xbox Gaming division, with several studios allegedly already on the brink of closure shortly after the news of layoffs broke. Now, according to Wccftech , who attended a virtual press conference by the Communications Workers of America (CWA), over 3,500 unionized Xbox employees are preparing to fight back against the rumored layoffs. Right off the bat, Frank Arce, vice president of CWA District 9, kicked things off by declaring that workers at Xbox, unionized or not, "will not be treated as disposable," with developers and former developers from ZeniMax Online, Activision-Blizzard, and Arkane Austin contributing their experiences and hardships in the gaming industry, with everyone in agreement that Xbox employees needed protections against layoffs, including advanced notice, hiring freezes to allow former employees an opportunity of internal transfers, and strong severance packages where layoffs are necessary.

The union will wait until Microsoft announces the Xbox layoffs before calling Microsoft to the negotiations table—although there have apparently already been hushed internal discussions about the future of the aforementioned studios facing closure. Members who spoke at the meeting were adamant that Xbox workers needed certainty, with Blizzard editor, Alison Veneto, saying that "Everyone at Xbox deserves long-term certainty on where they stand should layoffs happen," and others emphasizing the importance of knowing that, in the event that layoffs are necessary, every other avenue has already been exhausted. CWA higher-ups spoke on the discrepancy between Microsoft's announced intentions and its actions, such as lamenting recent AI-inflicted RAM price hikes when announcing the Xbox Series X|S price increases while simultaneously pouring money into AI investment.