The day we were anticipating word from Microsoft cutting jobs has sadly arrived. After hearing last week that Microsoft would be cutting jobs across all its divisions, including in Europe for Xbox, we've begun to learn what sections of the gaming division will be affected.

Bloomberg has reported that King Division's Barcelona office has cut 200 jobs, which is about 10% of its workforce. King is most known for the mobile hit Candy Crush which was a significant reason why Microsoft bought ABK in the first place.

Additionally, cuts have begun at Zenimax Media's marketing offices in London, U.K. as well as Rockville, Maryland in the U.S. The current number of employees affected is unknown at this time.

Before today all of Microsoft's Gaming division totalled around 20,000 employees. According to Spencer Hakimian of Tolou Capital Marketing Microsoft is expected to cut 9,000 jobs across all its divisions today. It is estimated that Microsoft has 228,000 employees before today.

Window's Central has obtained a copy of the e-mail sent out by Microsoft Gaming Head Phil Spencer that was sent out to employees. It reads:

Today we are sharing decisions that will impact colleagues across our organization. To position Gaming for enduring success and allow us to focus on strategic growth areas, we will end or decrease work in certain areas of the business and follow Microsoft's lead in removing layers of management to increase agility and effectiveness. Out of respect for those impacted today, the specifics of today's notifications and any organizational shifts will be shared by your team leaders in the coming days.

I recognize that these changes come at a time when we have more players, games, and gaming hours than ever before. Our platform, hardware, and game roadmap have never looked stronger. The success we’re seeing currently is based on tough decisions we’ve made previously. We must make choices now for continued success in future years and a key part of that strategy is the discipline to prioritize the strongest opportunities. We will protect what is thriving and concentrate effort on areas with the greatest potential, while delivering on the expectations the company has for our business. This focused approach means we can deliver exceptional games and experiences for players for generations to come.

Prioritizing our opportunities is essential, but that does not lessen the significance of this moment. Simply put, we would not be where we are today without the time, energy, and creativity of those whose roles are impacted. These decisions are not a reflection of the talent, creativity, and dedication of the people involved. Our momentum is not accidental"”it is the result of years of dedicated effort from our teams.

HR is working directly with impacted employees to provide severance plan benefits (aligned with local laws), including pay, healthcare coverage, and job placement resources to support their transition. Employees whose roles were eliminated are encouraged to explore open positions across Microsoft Gaming, where their applications will be given priority review.

Thank you to everyone who has shaped our culture, our products, and our community. We will move forward with deep appreciation and respect for all who have contributed to this journey.

This is a fluid situation with more cuts expected to be announced soon in the US. As we learn more we will continue to update this article. It's always a sad day when we have to talk people losing their jobs.