Nike, airBaltic, and Microsoft's Ninja Theory Announce Broad Workforce Reductions

Workforce reductions are impacting multiple global industries, with Nike, European carrier airBaltic, and Microsoft-owned gaming developer Ninja Theory detailing new downsizing measures.

Nike Expands 'Pace' Restructuring Sportswear giant Nike is widening employee cutbacks under its Pace restructuring framework originally introduced in March.

• Financial Targets: The restructuring is projected to generate roughly $2.5 billion in cumulative operational savings through fiscal 2031.
• Timeline & Scale: While total headcount figures remain undisclosed, staff notifications are scheduled to begin in 2027.
• Regional Consolidation: The operating model is shifting from four geographic divisions to three: the Americas; Asia Pacific and Greater China; and EMEA.
• India Expansion: Simultaneously, Nike plans to establish a new operational campus in India to tap into local capability and talent pools.

Microsoft's Ninja Theory Faces Game Developer Cuts Following broader Xbox workforce reductions—including 268 positions cut last month and around 1,000 earlier this year—developers at Cambridge-based Ninja Theory have reported layoffs and redundancies.

• Gameplay programmer Katrin Mair confirmed her departure after four years, noting that the team will not finish the unannounced project they were developing.
• The reductions have raised industry questions regarding the production pipeline of Senua, the third installment in the Hellblade franchise announced during last June's Xbox showcase.

European Airline airBaltic Considers Up to 700 Job Reductions Latvian carrier airBaltic is reviewing plans to eliminate between 500 and 700 positions across its organization.

• President and CEO Erno Hilden stated that consultations and negotiations are actively underway in compliance with applicable legal frameworks before individual decisions are finalized.
• Specific impacts on operating bases, functions, and work groups will be disclosed later this month.