Ben Starr has accused Microsoft of relaying a number of “lies” ahead of mass layoffs. xbox. The award-winning actor made the comments as part of a broader critique of the strategy that got Xbox into its current predicament, with the company's own executives admitting the business is “unhealthy.”
On July 6, Xbox announced mass layoffs affecting 3,200 employees. Approximately half of these roles were terminated immediately and the remainder are scheduled to be terminated during the company's current fiscal year, which ends in June 2027. The cuts will reduce Xbox's 15,000-person workforce by about 20%, marking not only the division's most significant restructuring to date, but also the largest wave of layoffs in the gaming industry's history.
The actor claims it is now clear that integration is not a good thing.
final fantasy 16 and Claire Obsker: Expedition 33 star Ben Starr recently appeared on the Pause for Thought podcast and criticized the Xbox layoffs, accusing Microsoft of making multiple false claims years and even weeks before the historic job cuts. The actor traced the first of these claims to Microsoft's acquisition push in 2018 and 2019, claiming the company presented the consolidation as a way to protect its creative studios. “It may not have seemed like a lie at the time, but now it is known as a lie that integration is a good thing,” he said.
Starr urged viewers to revisit Microsoft showcases from that period, which he labeled “arrogant” and reconsider the implicit promise that joining a larger parent company would provide developers with the financial security to pursue ambitious projects. “Integration is good. Integration is protection,” he said, summarizing the company's message before rejecting it outright. “That’s not true.” For context, 2018 was when Xbox went on a shopping spree as it began developing games, acquiring Playground Games, Ninja Theory, Undead Labs, Compulsion Games, Obsidian Entertainment, and inXile Entertainment, in that order.
It may not have seemed like a lie at the time, but it is now known as a lie that integration is a good thing.
Ben Starr criticized the dishonest Senua 3 announcement at Xbox Games Showcase 2026.
The second issue Starr highlighted on the podcast was more immediate. He criticized Xbox for using the June 2026 showcase to announce a third showcase. Senua Despite developing Ninja Theory's game and having no intention of financing the project, they promote it as a day one release on Xbox Game Pass. His comments appear to be a reference to a recent Game File report that claims: Senua It was announced only to attract potential buyers for the developer. Xbox later said it had indeed found a buyer for the studio, but Starr labeled the announcement itself as dishonest. “Was it that difficult to accept that? [Senua reveal] He asked rhetorically, “In terms of communications, what you're saying is that we're willing to lie, but how much would you believe it if you went in front of it?” He added that it was not a “personal issue” but a broader “marketing issue”.
Starr also criticized Microsoft for portraying the independence of Compulsion Games and Double Fine as a positive development. The “Xbox Reset” memo sent to employees on July 6 stated that both studios would maintain their intellectual property and game catalogs while also receiving sufficient financial support to begin work on their next projects. “It’s amazing how they’re trying to change that,” Starr said, declining to characterize the company’s move as “good news” because so many people she knows are in difficult situations. “They’re losing their jobs and they don’t know why,” the actor said.
