Mentioned in this article
- At least six employees have been laid off from Microsoft’s Mixer and Inside Xbox teams as of June 21.
- Former employees, all related to Mixer and Inside Xbox content creation, announced their unemployment on Twitter, citing budget cuts.
- Microsoft reported a 5% gaming revenue increase in 2019 due to growth in Xbox software and services.
Microsoft 
has laid off at least six employees from its streaming platform Mixer, as well as Mighty Media Studios—a third-party production company responsible for creating episodes of Inside Xbox.
News of Microsoft’s layoffs surfaced on Twitter June 21 when several former employees shared their predicament using the hashtag #funemployoment. All those impacted appear to be directly related to Inside Xbox, the company’s live news program that was resurrected last year after a six-year hiatus.
Inside Xbox producer and co-host Kate Yeager posted a video from her personal account on June 21 saying that “quite a few” of the Mixer’s programming staff were gone.
“Fiscal year [20]20 is looking a bit different so unfortunately, we are out,” said Yeager. “But don’t worry, Mixer is still very much in.”
Xbox host and Microsoft community manager Rukari Austin, who spent nearly eight years at the company, revealed that his position was eliminated in May. Cuts also included broadcaster Tara May.
Related Article: Mixer Partners with Make.TV for Microsoft Store Tournaments
Mixer producer Mara Baker, who worked for Mighty Media Studios, claimed that her exit was due to budget cuts. Others laid off within the third-party company include producers Joshua Hnosko and Garth Avery, as well as Mixer streamer Terrance Thomas Jr.
While Inside Xbox aired as recently as June 10 during E3, written content had not been published on the official website since April.
Launched in 2016, Mixer is Microsoft’s interactive livestream platform that offers incentives to streamers and their audiences. The platform hosts weekly Mixer Matchups tournaments at Microsoft Store locations.
In April, Mixer partnered with developer Hi-Rez Studios to provide revenue sharing initiatives for the Paladins Premiere League and became the exclusive streaming platform for SMITE Esports.
Microsoft reported a 5% gaming revenue increase in 2019, attributing the growth to Xbox software and services. The tech giant just released an Xbox One S All Digital edition unit and announced its next-gen console, codenamed Project Scarlett, for a holiday release in 2020.
The Esports Observer has reached out to Microsoft, as well as recently laid off employees for comment. This article will be updated as information develops.
