Xbox
Grand Theft Auto VI Launches November 19 With 30 FPS On All Consoles, PS5 Pro Gets Enhanced Visuals
Grand Theft Auto VI will launch on November 19 with 30 FPS on all consoles, while PS5 Pro users will receive improved clarity via PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution and ray-traced shadows, according to Rockstar Games.
4 outletsGamesXbox PC App Redesign Launches With Up To 60% Faster Launch Times
Microsoft has rolled out a redesigned Xbox PC app to insiders, claiming up to 60% faster launch times and improved navigation, according to sources.
2 outletsBusinessUbisoft and Multiple Firms Explore Arkane Acquisition, Report Says
Ubisoft and at least two other companies are reportedly in talks to acquire Arkane Studios from Microsoft, according to Bloomberg reports.
2 outletsBusinessUbisoft Reportedly in Bid for Arkane Lyon, per Schreier
Ubisoft is among at least three companies reportedly bidding to acquire Arkane Lyon from ZeniMax, according to Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, with a consultation deadline set for December 13.
2 outletsBusinessUbisoft reported to have bid for Arkane Lyon acquisition
Ubisoft has reportedly offered to buy Arkane Lyon from Xbox, according to Bloomberg sources cited by multiple outlets.
2 outletsBusinessXbox Leader Asha Sharma Notes High Demand Amid 14% Hardware Sales Drop
Xbox leader Asha Sharma stated that 'more demand than consoles available' as hardware sales fell 14% year-on-year, according to Eurogamer.
2 outletsBusinessXbox COO Helen Chiang departs Microsoft after three months
Helen Chiang, Xbox's first chief operating officer, left Microsoft three months after assuming the role, according to an internal memo cited by The Verge.
2 outletsGamesResident Evil: Requiem Sales on PlayStation May Exceed Xbox Total, Report Says
Resident Evil: Requiem generated 1.8 times more revenue from PlayStation physical copies than all Xbox sales combined, according to a report by Alinea Analytics.
2 outletsBusinessXbox Reportedly Plans Three Layoff Rounds in 2026-2027, First This Month
Xbox is reportedly planning three more rounds of layoffs, with the first wave starting this month, followed by November and January 2027, as part of CEO Asha Sharma's restructuring efforts.
2 outletsHardwareAMD Expands FSR 4.1 to RX 6000 GPUs, Xbox Consoles, and Handhelds
AMD announced the expansion of FSR 4.1 upscaling technology to Radeon RX 6000 Series GPUs, Ryzen APUs, gaming handhelds, and Xbox Series X/S consoles, according to sources.
2 outletsBusinessStudio Blocks Game Sale in Israel to Support Palestinian Cause
A game studio has restricted sales of its new title in Israel, citing solidarity with Palestinian communities and highlighting industry inaction on the conflict.
2 outletsHardwareMicrosoft Posts Job Listing for Xbox Games Supply Strategist, Raising Hopes for Physical Discs on Future Console
Microsoft has posted a job listing for an 'Xbox Games Supply Strategist' focused on physical games, sparking speculation about potential continued support for discs on future consoles. The role involves coordinating physical game launches across platforms, amid Sony's plan to stop producing new PlayStation discs in 2028.
2 outletsGamesShrek 2 Remaster Leaked with New Features and Co-Op Options
Shrek 2 Remastered, featuring improved graphics and co-op play, was leaked with a Microsoft Store page and a pre-order trailer, according to sources.
3 outletsGamesBig Walk Developer Explains Xbox Exclusion Due to BDS Boycott
Australian indie developer House House confirmed Big Walk will not launch on Xbox due to the BDS boycott targeting Microsoft. The co-op puzzle game's creators stated their decision aligns with the pro-Palestinian movement's goals, citing Microsoft's alleged complicity in Israel's actions. The game, released on PC, PS5, and Switch 2, has sold over one million copies since its August launch.
4 outletsBusinessXbox Announces New Labs Division in Response to Game Recompilation Trends
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma announced the formation of Xbox Labs on October 13, 2026, a division focused on exploring emerging game development ideas, including recompiling classic titles for modern platforms. The initiative follows reports of community-driven game recomps and AI-powered modifications, though the term 'artificial intelligence' was not explicitly mentioned in official communications.
3 outletsGamesGears of War: E-Day DDoS attacks cause server issues, studio confirms
The Coalition confirmed that Gears of War: E-Day experienced distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks over the weekend, leading to intermittent disconnects and login problems for players. The studio stated it was actively mitigating the attacks, which targeted the game's online services during its first weekend of release.
3 outletsBusinessCyberpunk: Edgerunners Season 2 Teased, World of Warcraft: Forever Unveils Rule-Breaking Items, Xbox Cuts 268 Jobs Amid Studio Consolidation
Netflix reveals a sneak peek for Cyberpunk: Edgerunners season 2, set for October 20, featuring new characters and a violent storyline. Blizzard introduces rule-breaking items in World of Warcraft: Forever, with a November 4 release. Xbox announces 268 layoffs and studio restructurings, including Halo moving to Activision and multiple studios being merged or sold.
6 outletsBusinessMicrosoft Restructures Xbox, Transfers Halo Development to Activision Amid Layoffs
Microsoft has announced further layoffs and studio reorganizations as part of its ongoing 'reset' of Xbox Game Studios. Halo Studios will transition to a support role for existing games, while Activision takes over development of the next Halo title. Additional layoffs affect 268 employees across multiple studios, with further consolidations involving Rare, Obsidian, and others.
6 outletsBusinessKojima Productions Addresses Physint Publisher Shift and Development Concerns
Kojima Productions has responded to reports about Physint's development challenges, stating the studio is 'healthy and profitable' and urging skepticism toward unverified claims. The studio confirmed development continues with Xbox as publisher, while maintaining a strong relationship with PlayStation.
4 outletsBusinessReports: PlayStation Dropped Kojima's Physint Over Budget, Schedule and Exclusivity Concerns
New reporting from Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, cited by TechPowerUp and Wccftech, says PlayStation's cancellation of Hideo Kojima's Physint stemmed from missed deadlines, ballooning costs, underwhelming Death Stranding sales, and Sony's reluctance to fund a game without permanent exclusivity. Kojima Productions has since partnered with Xbox to continue the project.
2 outletsBusinessSony Reportedly Dropped Kojima's Physint Over Budget, Deadlines and Death Stranding Sales
A Bloomberg report, cited by multiple outlets, says PlayStation canceled Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear successor Physint due to missed deadlines, ballooning costs, and disappointing returns from the Death Stranding series. The project has since moved to Xbox.
4 outletsBusinessXbox Signs Kojima's Physint After PlayStation Steps Away From the Project
Hideo Kojima's stealth-action title Physint, once a PlayStation exclusive, is now set to be published by Xbox after Sony informed Kojima Productions in June that it planned to cancel the project.
4 outletsGamesLeaker Releases Alleged Prototype of Project Dream, the Canceled SNES RPG That Became Banjo-Kazooie
A prototype build of Rare's canceled SNES RPG Project Dream, an early ancestor of Banjo-Kazooie, has surfaced online. The leaker says they released it now to protest Microsoft's treatment of Rare and the games industry at large.
2 outletsBusinessSteam's New Age Verification in Australia Requires a Credit Card, Excluding Many Adults
Valve has rolled out mandatory 18+ age verification for Australian Steam users, but unlike PlayStation and Xbox, it currently accepts only one method: owning a credit card, leaving some adults unable to access R18+ content.
2 outletsBusinessSony Clarifies PlayStation Disc Production Won't Fall to 10 Percent, Just by That Much
Sony has pushed back on reports that PlayStation disc manufacturing would be slashed to just 10 percent of current output, clarifying the real figure is a 10 percent decline by 2028 — as debate continues over the platform's disc-free future.
2 outletsGamesKamiya Talks Scalebound Revival, Then Threatens to Sue Fans Over Funding Rumors
Hideki Kamiya says he'd love to bring back the canceled Xbox project Scalebound, but he's also been sparring online with users who accuse him of diverting its budget to fund Bayonetta 2.
3 outletsBusinessTim Schafer Explains How Double Fine Survived Leaving Xbox
Double Fine founder Tim Schafer opened up to Bloomberg about the studio's departure from Microsoft, the layoffs that followed, and why he believes the studio's niche games could still find an audience.
3 outletsHardwareXbox CEO Calls Next-Gen "Project Helix" a "Family of Devices," Still Won't Confirm Elder Scrolls 6 Exclusivity
At Gamescom 2026, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma described the company's next-generation hardware plans, codenamed Project Helix, as a "family of devices," while remaining vague on whether The Elder Scrolls 6 will be an Xbox exclusive.
3 outletsGamesRockstar's GTA 6 Gameplay Reveal Shows Series' Evolution and First Confirmed Returning Character
Rockstar Games unveiled a nearly 30-minute gameplay trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6 on Thursday, prompting comparisons to past GTA titles and confirming the game's first character carried over from GTA Online.
3 outletsGamesGTA 6 Extended Look Reveals Major Car-Theft Overhaul and Other Gameplay Changes
A newly released Netflix extended look and accompanying hands-off previews of Grand Theft Auto 6 detail sweeping changes to car theft, the Wanted system, combat, side activities and more, alongside new soundtrack details and questions about the game's frame rate.
2 outletsBusinessXbox Launches Disc-to-Digital Program, Signaling Path to All-Digital Next-Gen Console
Microsoft has confirmed a long-rumored disc-to-digital attestation program for Xbox One and Series X, letting players convert physical game discs into digital entitlements ahead of testing with Xbox Insiders on August 31.
2 outletsHardwareXbox CEO Won't Confirm Whether Next-Gen 'Project Helix' Console Will Have a Disc Drive
Asha Sharma declined to say if Xbox's next-generation console, known as Project Helix, will include a disc drive, instead pointing to affordability and efficiency concerns as PlayStation moves to end new disc production by 2028.
3 outletsBusinessTake-Two Seeks Broad User Data From Discord, Microsoft in Hunt for GTA 6 Leaker
Take-Two has filed subpoenas against Discord and Microsoft seeking personal data on potentially hundreds of thousands of users as it hunts for the leaker behind recent Grand Theft Auto 6 footage. Discord says it has not yet been formally served.
5 outletsBusinessGTA 6 Leak Fallout: Rockstar and Take-Two Pursue 'Cyberleek' as Netflix Reveal Stays on Track
A wave of Grand Theft Auto 6 leaks from a source calling itself Cyberleek has prompted subpoenas from Take-Two, a public statement from Xbox, and reports of frustration inside Rockstar—though the studio says its planned Netflix reveal won't change.
4 outletsBusinessGTA 6 Leaks Continue Despite Take-Two's Legal Push Against Anonymous Leaker 'Cyberleek'
An anonymous source known as Cyberleek has released a string of Grand Theft Auto 6 gameplay clips since August 18, prompting Take-Two to subpoena Microsoft and Discord. A website and Telegram channel tied to the leaks went offline, but new footage kept surfacing.
6 outletsGamesOblivion Remastered's Surprisingly Solid Switch 2 Port Pushes Bethesda to Promise Fixes for Other Platforms
The Nintendo Switch 2 version of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered launched running better than expected, prompting frustration from PS5, Xbox, and PC players who have waited a year for fixes. Bethesda has now promised to bring some of the Switch 2 optimizations to other platforms.
3 outletsBusinessXbox CEO's Elder Scrolls 6 Preview Coincides With Layoff Protest Outside Bethesda HQ
As Xbox CEO Asha Sharma toured Bethesda's Rockville office and previewed The Elder Scrolls VI, unionized workers staged a protest outside featuring a giant inflatable rat and rows of red flags representing employees laid off during Xbox's ongoing restructuring.
4 outletsBusinessid Software Developer Says Microsoft's Cuts Make Making Games Like Doom 'Impossible'
A lead developer at id Software, speaking on the Well Played podcast, says the studio's staff cuts under Microsoft have gutted entire departments and left morale at an all-time low, disputing official statements that the studio is unchanged.
2 outletsBusinessBlizzard Named Xbox's Top-Performing Studio Amid Overwatch and Diablo 4 Resurgence
A leaked internal email from Blizzard President Johanna Faries reportedly shows the studio ended its fiscal year as Xbox's top performer, driven by Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred and a major Overwatch comeback — even as Microsoft's Xbox division undergoes sweeping layoffs.
4 outletsBusinessid Software Developer Says Xbox Layoffs Have Cut Studio in Half, Questions Whether It Can Still Make Games Like Doom
Chris Hays, a 16-year veteran and lead services programmer at id Software, has publicly criticized Xbox following mass layoffs that hit the Doom studio, saying Microsoft doesn't understand art, games, or the business model it operates in.
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