April Fools Day can be a particularly trying time for anyone, especially given the fact that absolutely no one – and I mean no one – can be trusted for a solid 24 hours, and that includes game developers and publishers. Many companies within the gaming industry have had quite a bit of fun with April Fools Day in the past, though now it appears that Microsoft has decided to sit this year out.

The news comes by way of an internal memo obtained by The Verge, wherein Microsoft’s marketing chief Chris Capossela tells employees not to engage in any hoaxes or pranks on the first of next month. Capossela offered an explanation as to why, stating that “data tells us these stunts have limited positive impact and can actually result in unwanted news cycles,” also referencing the “headwinds the tech industry is facing today.”

I appreciate that people may have devoted time and resources to these activities, but I believe we have more to lose than gain by attempting to be funny on this one day.”

Capossela likely isn’t wrong in his assessment, either, as for the most part company-led large-scale April Fools Day pranks have been met by naught but derision. Activision Blizzard, for example, took a serious hit to its stock values after Diablo Immortal was revealed last year, which many assumed was a joke. April Fools Day for the most part hurts rather than helps anything, so it only makes sense that Microsoft is attempting to do away with it.

So, thoughts on Microsoft’s decision to distance itself from April Fools Day? Do you agree with the decision? Let us know in the comments section below, and as always, stay tuned to Don’t Feed the Gamers for all the latest gaming and entertainment news! Don’t forget to follow DFTG on Twitter for our 24/7 news feed!