Blizzard halts development of mobile game Warcraft Rumble amid Microsoft's mass layoffs

Blizzard Entertainment has announced that it will stop developing new content for its mobile game Warcraft Rumble. Going forward, the company will focus solely on supporting the game through regular in-game events and bug fixes, as it has done for StarCraft II and Heroes of the Storm.

This decision comes amid massive layoffs at Microsoft, affecting up to 9,000 employees worldwide. According to Blizzard, despite several attempts to improve the game, the project has not shown enough momentum to warrant long-term support.

Warcraft Rumble was part of Blizzard's strategy to expand into the mobile market following the success of Hearthstone. The game launched in 2023 and combined Clash Royale-style strategy elements with the ability to compete in PvP and take on solo challenges.

An internal letter to employees obtained by Aftermath says that some of the team will be reassigned to other projects, while the rest will be laid off. Blizzard's public statement doesn't specifically mention the layoffs, but it does say it's "focused on supporting teammates." While the number of people laid off hasn't been officially announced, sources say it's over 100.

The closure of the active development phase of Warcraft Rumble coincided with the cancellation of new games from Microsoft, including Everwild and Perfect Dark, as well as an unannounced MMO from the creators of Elder Scrolls Online.