Built the AI, Got Replaced by It: Candy Crush Developer King Fires 200 Staff — Are Devs Now Building Their Own Replacements?

Laid Off By The Very Tools They Built: Game Developers At King Replaced By AI

At King, the studio behind the iconic Candy Crush, hundreds of employees are facing an unsettling reality: jobs once secured by years of experience are now being quietly replaced by artificial intelligence — AI systems they themselves helped build.

Recent reports reveal that roughly 200 staff members, about 10% of King’s workforce, have been cut amid wider Xbox-related layoffs, with many roles absorbed by internal AI tools designed to speed up tasks like level design, narrative writing, UX research, and quality assurance.

AI Tools Replacing The Very Teams That Created Them

Multiple sources within King describe a bitter irony.

Developers who spent months crafting AI-driven tools to accelerate their workflows are now seeing those same systems supplant their roles.

One insider said,

“Most of level design has been wiped, which is crazy since they've spent months building tools to craft levels quicker.”

The copywriting team is also being dramatically reduced, with AI tools developed internally handling the workload.

Another employee added,

“The fact AI tools are replacing people is absolutely disgusting but it’s all about efficiency and profits even though the company is doing great overall.”

This wave of layoffs hits across various departments, including user experience, narrative, and research teams, plus the London-based Farm Heroes Saga unit, which reportedly lost half of its staff.

Some leadership figures there have been placed on gardening leave ahead of their official departure this September.

More Than Just AI The Role of HR and Morale at King

Beyond AI-driven cuts, staff point to a toxic internal culture, especially with HR playing a controversial role.

Anonymous voices describe King’s HR department as prioritising company interests over employee welfare.

One developer shared,

“King HR is an absolute shitshow and has been for years.”

Furthermore, some programmers faced dismissal for expressing dissatisfaction or speaking out on internal forums.

This atmosphere has left morale severely damaged, long before the layoffs, and now “in the gutter” as teams watch colleagues vanish.

A Broader Pattern Within Microsoft’s Gaming Division

King’s troubles are part of a wider purge affecting Microsoft’s gaming studios, with reports of layoffs at Halo Studios and elsewhere.

Employees at Halo described the situation as “super pissed” following job cuts announced shortly after Microsoft’s public celebration of Xbox’s profitability.

The push to replace human roles with AI agents and automation tools, such as Microsoft’s Copilot, has sparked growing unease.

King’s internal memo, shared with staff and obtained by MobileGamer.biz, reveals the company’s plan to “simplify the organisation” by cutting layers, reducing meetings and stakeholders, and accelerating AI adoption.

The stated goal is to get the business “back to growth,” alongside increased marketing investment.

However, this strategy has left many staff “in limbo,” uncertain if they will keep their jobs during ongoing union talks expected to conclude by September.

Are AI Layoffs the New Normal in Gaming?

King’s experience marks the third AI-related controversy linked to Microsoft’s gaming layoffs this year, following incidents involving Xbox Graphics job promotions and unusual advice from executives encouraging dismissed employees to discuss their exit with AI.

One employee summed it up bluntly:

“If we’re introducing more feedback loops then it’s crazy to remove the developers themselves, we need more hands and less leadership.”

As AI takes over routine work, the tension between technology-driven efficiency and human creativity in game development grows ever sharper.

Is The Industry Sacrificing People For Efficiency Without Considering The Human Cost?

The rapid deployment of AI to replace skilled roles raises serious questions about the future of work in creative industries.

When companies cut jobs to boost profits using tools crafted by the very people displaced, it exposes a cold calculation that values efficiency over livelihoods.

Are we entering a new era where technological progress is weaponised against workers?

Or is there a way to balance innovation with respect for those who fuel it?

This moment demands scrutiny — not just from corporate leaders but from the entire gaming community.