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Video game publisher Electronic Arts (EA) has cancelled another game in the Titanfall universe and laid off more employees, as part of a wider wave of job cuts in the gaming industry.

The cancelled project, known internally as “R7,” was reportedly an extraction-style shooter set in the Titanfall world, which blends fast-paced combat with parkour and giant mechs. Although EA’s Respawn studio did not name the game directly, it confirmed that two early-stage projects were being shut down.

This is not the first time a Titanfall title has been scrapped. Fans of the franchise have been waiting for a full sequel since Titanfall 2 released in 2016, but EA has continued to prioritise other more commercially successful properties.

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The studio said it will now focus on established franchises like Apex Legends and the Star Wars Jedi series. Earlier this month, EA announced Star Wars: Zero Company, a new tactical game, further signalling its commitment to proven IPs.

These changes come during a tough time for the company. EA cut over 1,100 jobs in 2023 and laid off an additional 5% of its workforce in 2024. “These decisions aren’t easy,” Respawn said, thanking team members who were let go and recognising their contributions to the studio’s growth.

The gaming industry as a whole is also feeling the pressure. Rising development costs and changing market trends have led many studios to downsize teams and cancel projects in an effort to stay financially stable.

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EA cancels Titanfall game again, lays off more staff as industry cuts grow

The latest controversy around the layoffs at Infosys is not the first time, the tech giant has faced several backlashes in the past, including delays in hiring and working hours.

Last year Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy faced criticism on social media for advocating a 70-hour workweek. The business tycoon expressed disappointment over India’s shift from a six-day to a five-day workweek, which occurred in 1986. “I don’t believe in work-life balance,” Murthy said.

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During the CNBC-TV18 Global Leadership Summit, Murthy said that hard work and dedication are crucial for India’s economic growth. He added that Indians should work 70 hours a week to contribute to the nation’s progress.

Further, Infosys was embroiled in another controversy regarding the delay in onboarding freshers. 

Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES), an NGO that works for the welfare of IT and ITES organizations, filed a request with the Ministry of labour & employment to investigate Infosys’ repeated delays in onboarding over 2,000 campus recruits in June 2024.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/infosys-debunks-layoff-claims-says-have-rigorous-hiring-process-56030.htm">Infosys debunks layoff claims, says 'have rigorous hiring process'</a>

The software company issued offer letters to 2,000 campus recruits in September after a wait of two years. At that time, Infosys said the delay was due to the training session that candidates underwent for two years.

Infosys has a rigorous hiring process in which freshers get three attempts to clear the assessment. If the recruits fail the assessment, their contracts are terminated.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/infosys-debunks-layoff-claims-says-have-rigorous-hiring-process-56030.htm">Infosys denies mass layoffs reports, says it has a 'rigorous hiring process'</a>

In the latest case, the company axed 300 trainees after they failed to clear the internal assessments. Infosys laid off just over 300 recruits who underwent training at its Mysuru campus for two years.

In the fiscal year 2024, Infosys' headcount decreased by 25,994, with the total workforce standing at 317,240, representing a 7.5 percent annual decline. In FY 2024, the company hired approximately 11,900 college graduates, and attrition decreased to 12.6 percent.

In Q1 FY 2025, the company announced that it was planning to hire 15,000 to 20,000 freshers in 2024. The company's employee count declined by 2000 on a quarterly basis. In Q2, the company added 2,456 employees and reaffirmed its plan to onboard more than 15,000 freshers in FY25.

A look at Infosys' controversies on hiring, work culture

Infosys has strongly denied allegations that it laid off 700 employees who were undergoing training at its Mysuru campus, offering a rebuttal to claims that have circulated in recently.

In a statement, the company clarified that the actual number of employees let go of 300 people, all of whom were trainees who had failed to pass the company’s internal assessments.

Additionally, Infosys refuted reports suggesting that bouncers or security personnel were involved in the termination process, describing such claims as unsubstantiated. The company emphasized that the dismissals were a result of standard procedure following unsuccessful performance in the required evaluations.

“At Infosys, we have a rigorous hiring process where all freshers, after undergoing extensive foundational training at our Mysuru campus, are expected to clear internal assessments. All freshers get three attempts to clear the assessment, failing which they will not be able to continue with the organization, as is also mentioned in their contract. This process has been in existence for over two decades and ensures a high quality of talent availability for our clients," Infosys said.

Infosys mentioned that the company added 5,591 employees in the third quarter FY25.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/infosys-under-fire-for-mass-layoffs-nites-plans-complaint-to-labour-ministry-report-56017.htm">Infosys under fire for mass layoffs; NITES plans complaint to labour ministry: Report</a>

According to Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES), an NGO that works for the welfare of IT and ITES organizations, has mentioned previously that silent layoffs have become a common practice among many tech firms.

In 2024 alone, about 2,000-3,000 professionals lost their jobs among the top IT services firms, NITES claimed.

This time, NITES has claimed that Infosys laid off nearly 700 employees who joined the company in October 2024. The NGO said that the company deployed security personnel, and bouncers to intimidate the trainees. 

Infosys denies mass layoffs reports, says it has a 'rigorous hiring process'

Software giant Infosys has reportedly laid off 700 freshers who joined the company in October 2024, according to a report by The Economic Times.

Citing the statement of the NGO Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES), the English daily said that a formal complaint will be filed with the Labour Ministry on this matter.

Storyboard18 could not independently verify the news.

NITES President Harpreet Singh Saluja said that Infosys forcefully fired around 700 campus recruits this week.

However, Infosys has refuted the allegations, saying that the compnay has a rigorous hiring process where all freshers undergo for the foundational training at its Mysuru campus to clear internal assessments. The IT company said the information on assessment has been mentioned in the contract and has existed for over two decades. 

"All freshers get three attempts to clear the assessment, failing which they will not be able to continue with the organization, as is also mentioned in their contract. This process has been in existence for over two decades and ensures a high quality of talent availability for our clients," Infosys told Storyboard18

However, the affected employees claimed that the assessment criteria and syllabus were modified during the process.

Further, the ET report mentioned that the affected employees are from the 2022 engineering batch who went for the training at the Mysuru campus. The recruits waited for two years before being onboarded in October 2023 with annual packages of Rs 3.2- Rs 3.7 lakh for system engineer roles. 

NITES alleged that Infosys deployed bouncers, and security personnel to intimidate employees. The NGO argued that such actions violate the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, and called for immediate action to protect IT workers' rights.

Infosys under fire for mass layoffs; NITES plans complaint to labour ministry: Report

For Microsoft employees, the start of 2025 has proved to be rather dim. The company has confirmed a small round of job cuts across various departments, according to a report by CNBC. Microsoft stated that these layoffs are performance-based, targeting employees who haven’t met expectations.

“At Microsoft, we prioritise high-performing talent,” a company spokesperson told CNBC. “We are constantly focused on helping people learn and grow. When individuals are not performing, we take the necessary action.”

The report suggests that around 1% of Microsoft’s global workforce is being let go in this latest round of layoffs. As of June 2024, Microsoft employed approximately 2.28 lakh people worldwide. This is not the first time Microsoft has reduced its workforce. In 2023, the company announced a large-scale layoff of 10,000 employees, marking the start of its restructuring efforts. While job cuts have continued since then, the pace has slowed compared to the initial wave.

The broader tech industry also saw significant layoffs in 2024, with lakhs of jobs lost globally. Companies like Google and Microsoft had already warned employees about job reductions. Although it’s still early days for 2025, Microsoft’s latest layoffs may signal further workforce adjustments in the months to come.

LAYOFFS