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Newly Independent Compulsion Games Is Looking to Work With Other Studios
Compulsion Games has become an independent studio following Microsoft's acquisition and is now seeking new collaborations with other game development studios. The company aims to leverage its creative talent by forming partnerships.
Microsoft is making the Windows Search Box more streamlined and useful
Microsoft is working to make the Windows Search Box more streamlined and useful within Windows 11. This update aims to improve the overall user experience by enhancing the functionality of this key operating system feature.
Fallout: New Vegas director Josh Sawyer reveals his optimal outcome for the Mojave Wasteland
Fallout: New Vegas director Josh Sawyer shared his personal preferred 'best of a bad lot' endgame outcome for the Mojave Wasteland, favoring independence despite its inherent dysfunction. Sawyer discussed the drawbacks of factions like Caesar's Legion and the NCR, ultimately concluding that an independent New Vegas, while flawed, represents the least worst option. The article also briefly touches on Sawyer reportedly leading a new Fallout project at Obsidian amidst recent studio layoffs.
After "incomprehensible" Xbox layoffs, id Software producer says worker-owned studios are "the only path…
id Software producer Andrew Willis criticized Microsoft's recent Xbox layoffs, calling them an "incomprehensible decision" and suggesting that worker-owned studios are the only viable path forward for the game industry. Willis, who was involved in id Software's unionization efforts, believes that large publishers have proven to be poor stewards of the industry and that value should be owned by those who create it.
One week after going independent in the Xbox bloodbath, South of Midnight developer Compulsion Games is looking for work
Compulsion Games, the developer of the BAFTA and Peabody Award-winning title South of Midnight, has announced it is seeking new collaborations after becoming independent following recent layoffs at Xbox. Microsoft, which acquired Compulsion in 2018, allowed the studio to go independent rather than closing it. The studio is leveraging its experience in creating original intellectual property to partner with other companies in the games and entertainment industry.
More Windows security updates to come as Microsoft leverages AI vulnerability detection, but 'only the highest-confidence findings reach the engineering team'
Microsoft is enhancing Windows security by deploying AI to accelerate vulnerability detection and risk prioritization. The company utilizes a multi-model agentic scanning harness (MDASH) to scan for issues, with only the highest-confidence findings reaching the engineering team for fixes. This AI-driven approach aims to reduce the time between vulnerability discovery and customer protection, leading to more frequent security updates.
Id Software fortsätter att utveckla nästa Doom-titel
Despite recent mass layoffs at id Software following Microsoft's Xbox reorganization, the studio has confirmed it is continuing development on new games and technology. The current staff size is comparable to when DOOM (2016) was in development, and the studio remains focused on creating its own games and proprietary engine technology. Reports indicate that work on a new DOOM title has already begun.
Halo: Campaign Evolved best pre-order deals and how to get early access
Halo: Campaign Evolved, a remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved, is set to launch on July 28 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The game features a graphical overhaul using Unreal Engine 5, redesigned missions, and new content, but will not include competitive multiplayer. Pre-order deals are available, with a premium digital edition offering up to five days of early access.
A gamer successfully sued Microsoft for telling him to rebuy his Xbox games after his account was hacked
A Brazilian court has ruled in favor of an Xbox gamer whose account was hacked and who was subsequently told by Microsoft that he would need to repurchase his games. The court ordered Microsoft to restore the gamer's account within 15 days and pay approximately $400 in damages.
As Elder Scrolls Online fans fear for the MMO, Bethesda reportedly confirms its team is the same size it was when it…
Despite recent layoffs impacting Microsoft's Xbox division, the development team for The Elder Scrolls Online remains at a size comparable to its early successful years. Community figures report that key personnel are focused on the game's future roadmap, suggesting it is not entering maintenance mode. While the layoffs are upsetting, this news offers reassurance about the MMO's continued development.
More people are playing 14 year old Black Ops 2 over Black Ops 7 suggests stats
Ports of the 14-year-old Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2 are outselling the latest entry, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, on PlayStation consoles. Despite complaints about pricing and missing DLC, these older titles are topping sales charts and have more active players than the current-generation game across all platforms.
Warframe creative director says Destiny 2's end is tragic, because even with hard work 'the business side of this industry always gets the last remark'
Warframe's creative director Rebecca Ford expressed that the recent layoffs at Bungie and cessation of updates for Destiny 2 are tragic, highlighting how the business side of the industry often dictates outcomes despite developers' hard work. She noted that such decisions are existentially threatening to developers, as seen with Microsoft's closure of Tango Gameworks and other industry-wide cuts.
Former PlayStation head tells Xbox to either be a good publisher or make a good platform with exclusives: "Nintendo…
Former PlayStation head Shawn Layden advises Xbox to commit to either being a competitive platform with exclusive content or a major multi-platform publisher. He argues that trying to be both is a flawed strategy, citing Nintendo and PlayStation's reliance on exclusives. Layden also points to Microsoft's frequent layoffs and the confusing decision to acquire major franchises only to release them on rival platforms.
A new Copilot feature tells you what might be slowing down your PC—while gorging itself on a fair chunk of your…
Microsoft Copilot is rolling out a new 'PC Insights' feature for Windows 11 users that analyzes system hardware to help identify performance issues. While useful for diagnosing problems, the Copilot app itself can consume a significant amount of RAM, potentially contributing to slower PC performance on some machines.
game Charts: The most successful new games of the first half of 2026 in Germany
Resident Evil Requiem has topped Germany's game charts for the first half of 2026, followed by Forza Horizon 6 and 007 First Light. The rankings, based on physical and digital sales across PC and consoles, also feature Pragmata and LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight in the top five.
Games Inbox: Will there ever be a Nintendo Switch 2 Lite?
Readers discuss the potential for a Nintendo Switch 2 Lite, with concerns about component costs and Nintendo's future hardware strategy. The discussion also touches on the high cost of AAA game development, the future of Sony and Microsoft, and skepticism surrounding the release of The Elder Scrolls 6 and Grand Theft Auto 6.
MMO Week in Review: 213
Microsoft's significant layoffs have heavily impacted the Elder Scrolls Online live team, reducing its size to that of 2015-2018. This week also saw Warframe's TennoCon, Aion 2 previewing its monetization, Tencent acquiring the PlanetSide franchise, Star Trek Online launching Undiscovered, and Gamigo porting Fiesta Online to consoles.
Call of Duty Black Ops 1 + 2 PS5 Are a Complete Mess
Activision has released Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops 2 on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 for $39.99 each, with Season Passes costing an additional $29.99. These ports are criticized for their high price, lack of modern features like FOV sliders or 120fps support, missing original game modes, and technical problems including input delay and server issues. The situation is particularly notable as Microsoft, which owns Activision, has not released comparable native versions for Xbox players.
Xbox Does Not Plan to Replace Laid-Off Roles With H-1B Visa Hires, Says Microsoft
Microsoft communications lead Frank Shaw clarified that recent layoffs at Xbox, totaling around 1,600 roles, were part of a necessary restructuring and not an effort to replace employees with H-1B visa hires. He stated that H-1B visas represent a small percentage of Microsoft's overall workforce and are not specific to Xbox. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma also confirmed the layoffs and the closure of four studios, emphasizing that the decisions do not reflect the talent of the affected employees.
Xbox Rolling Out Disc-to-Digital Conversion for Insiders This Week – Rumor
Microsoft is reportedly testing a "Disc to Digital" feature for Xbox Insiders that would allow users to convert physical game discs into digital licenses. This feature, codenamed "Positron," is expected to support Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S titles, but not older console generations. The move could be a way for players to maintain access to their libraries if future Xbox consoles omit disc drives.