Was pretty irked by this when I first heard, but I guess many were contracted. MS added probably double the positions that they are letting go, so it's par for the course really.
Microsoft's recent layoffs seems to have impacted 343 Industries — makers of the popular Halo franchise — the most along with studios such as The Coalition and Bethesda. With several former employees voicing their opinion about leadership and the unwarranted need to cull workforce despite good cash flow, Halo fans fear these moves will have an adverse impact on Halo Infinite even while being assuaged officially that the game's development will go as planned.