Ori creator urges Xbox to slim down and back creative leads

Thomas Mahler, founder of Moon Studios and creator of the Ori series, posted on social media urging Xbox to “radically slim down, refocus” and give more authority to creative leaders in response to recent rumours of layoffs and studio closures at Xbox Game Studios.

Mahler wrote that the reports are “heartbreaking” and noted many people are being affected. He warned the current wave of cuts “may just be the beginning of a much larger reset across the industry,” and added that such a reset “could be good for games and good for gamers.”

The Moon Studios chief criticised Xbox leadership for what he described as a long-term failure to identify, empower and protect the creative teams that could sustain franchises. He recalled that while developing Ori, Xbox’s main attention remained on Halo, Gears and Forza even as public enthusiasm for those series cooled after their original developers departed. He wrote that new entries in those franchises “simply didn’t reproduce the same cultural impact those series once had.”

Mahler urged Microsoft to prioritise people over intellectual property, writing, “great games are not made by IP. They’re made by people.” He named creators such as Miyamoto, Tezuka and Sakurai as examples of the type of visionary talent he believes should be found, supported and trusted. He suggested Xbox should place those leaders in charge rather than relying solely on existing brands.

Mahler also pointed out that Microsoft already owns a large catalogue of franchises and said the company has “enormous” potential if it assigns the right people to develop them. He acknowledged that attempting a major organisational reset would be “brutally difficult” but stated leadership could make it work by betting on creative teams.

Additional context: Moon Studios developed Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisps, which launched as Xbox console exclusives before later releasing on Nintendo Switch. Mahler previously discussed positioning Ori as a family-friendly title and encouraged Xbox leadership to “deliver magical experiences for kids.” His current project, No Rest For The Wicked, is scheduled to launch on PlayStation 5 before arriving on Xbox and Switch 2, reflecting his independent position relative to Microsoft.

Mahler framed his comments as his view as an industry insider rather than a representative of Xbox. He repeated that many people are being affected by the restructuring rumours and called on Xbox to refocus on creative leadership as a way forward.