Gaming

Xbox Game Pass falls short of targets, prompting layoffs at Microsoft studios

• Xbox Game Pass has underperformed, reaching ~30 million subscribers far below Microsoft's targets
• The subscriber shortfall has prompted layoffs across Xbox-owned studios including Obsidian Entertainment
• Job cuts affect staff at all career stages, from veteran employees to recently hired workers

Xbox Game Pass has underperformed significantly against Microsoft's expectations, with the service reaching only approximately 30 million subscribers—a substantial gap below the company's targets. The gap has prompted co

Obsidian hit by Microsoft Xbox layoffs despite avoiding earlier cuts

• Obsidian Entertainment, previously spared from Xbox layoffs, has now been affected by Microsoft's latest round of staff reductions
• The cuts impacted artists, designers, engineers, and writers across experience levels—from a 21-year veteran to employees hired just weeks prior
• Affected staff include notable developers who contributed to franchises like Fallout, Mass Effect, and Dragon Age

No news was not, in fact, good news.

Xbox restructuring axes 3,200 jobs and cuts four studios loose

• Xbox restructuring cuts 3,200 jobs across the division.
• Four studios spun off into independent operations.
• ZeniMax Online and id Software survive but face deep cuts.

Microsoft's Xbox division carried out a sweeping restructuring that eliminated 3,200 jobs and separated four studios—Compulsion Games, Double Fine Productions, Ninja Theory and Undead Labs—into independent operations. The scale of the cuts and the loss of established studios marks one of the most significant shake-ups in Xbox's history,…

Microsoft says ‘cryptographically relevant quantum computers could arrive sooner than previously expected’ as it bumps its QSP timeline to 2029

As attacks get more advanced, security must follow.

Chinese-made YMTC SSDs have been spotted in Lenovo’s latest ThinkBook laptops, as the memory crisis continues to bite

That's one way to cut costs.

Google’s AI Studio lead has vibe coded a port of Command & Conquer for iOS

And it even has touch controls.

Meccha Chameleon celebrates 15 million sales by teasing a ‘collaboration with a famous Japanese star’

• Indie game Meccha Chameleon sold 15 million copies in under a month
• Developer announced a surprise collaboration with a famous Japanese celebrity launching next week
• The rapid success illustrates the unpredictable nature of indie gaming popularity and market timing

Place your bets now.

PlayStation Discontinues Physical Game Production Amid Industry Criticism

• Sony halts PlayStation physical game production this week, accelerating industry shift to digital-only distribution
• Major studios including Baldur's Gate 3 developer Larian publicly criticise the decision
• Industry concerns focus on game preservation, consumer choice, and permanent access to digital titles

Sony announced this week that it will cease manufacturing physical PlayStation games, marking another milestone in the industry's shift toward digital distribution. The decision reflects the company's broader strategic m

One of the Biggest Video Game Movies Ever Is Making a Streaming Comeback

• Video game adaptations have improved significantly in recent years, with Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) overcoming early design criticism to become a major commercial success
• The film, which received audience backlash prompting a character redesign before release, now appears in streaming platform charts five years after its debut
• Sonic spawned multiple sequels, spin-offs, and a television series, cementing its status as one of the most successful video game adaptations

Sonic the Hedgehog, the successful sci-fi video game adaptation, is making a comeback on free streaming.

Pulse is waiting to be discovered on free streaming

• Kiyoshi Kurosawa's 1997 J-horror film 'Pulse' is now available to stream free on Philo
• Film explores isolation and disconnection as a metaphor beneath its supernatural surface
• Demonstrates prescient commentary on how technology erodes human connection rather than strengthening it

Kiyoshi Kurosawa's Pulse is still one of the most terrifying depections of internet horror and it's available to stream for free on Philo.