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'I Saw How It Was Getting Damaged': Ex-Bethesda Exec Goes to Town on Xbox's Mistreatment
Former Bethesda executive Pete Hines has criticized Microsoft's management of the studio following its acquisition, stating that he witnessed the company being "damaged and broken apart and frankly mistreated." Hines, who left Bethesda in 2023 after a 24-year tenure, expressed disappointment that he was unable to protect the studio's efficient operations and authentic culture under Microsoft's ownership.
iBUYPOWER RDY Y70 R17 review - a fantastic RTX 5080 gaming PC
The iBUYPOWER RDY Y70 R17 is a high-end gaming PC featuring an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 and AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D, delivering excellent performance in games and general tasks. Housed in a stylish Hyte Y70 case, it offers good cooling and upgrade potential, though its large size and initial fan noise require minor adjustments. Despite a high price point, it offers good value for a pre-built system with a three-year warranty.
Amazon Luna is killing off third-party library support, with save files not ‘guaranteed’ to work on other platforms
Amazon is discontinuing third-party library support for its cloud gaming service, Amazon Luna, effective June 10. Players will no longer be able to stream games purchased on other platforms through Luna, and save file compatibility with external services is not guaranteed. While some games will still be available via Luna's Premium tier, this move signifies a significant reduction in the service's flexibility.
Xbox Game Pass’s Cryptic Tweet Has Gamers Guessing What’s Coming
Xbox Game Pass posted a cryptic tweet, 'they’re waiting for you (in the least creepy way possible),' sparking speculation among gamers about upcoming content. This vague message is part of Microsoft's evolving marketing strategy for its subscription service, which increasingly relies on ongoing community engagement and surprise announcements rather than traditional hype cycles.
French government says au revoir Windows, bienvenue Linux
The French government has announced its intention to replace Microsoft Windows with the open-source Linux operating system on its workstations. This move is part of a broader European effort to enhance digital sovereignty and reduce reliance on foreign technology companies. France is also migrating its videoconferencing tools and health data platforms.
Former Xbox exec thinks Naughty Dog's decision to cancel the 80% completed The Last of Us Online 'was the right call', but it shouldn't have greenlit it in the first place — 'The ambition was there, but the realistic upfront planning wasn't', she says
Former Microsoft executive Laura Fryer believes Naughty Dog made the correct decision to cancel The Last of Us Online, even though it was nearly 80% complete. She argues the real mistake was greenlighting the project without adequate upfront planning for a live service model, which would have strained the studio's resources and potentially compromised its focus on single-player narrative games.
Morning Tech Bits
France is reportedly planning to phase out Microsoft Windows in favor of Linux across its government systems. This move aims to reduce the country's reliance on US technology companies and enhance digital sovereignty.
Even the French government is switching to Linux now in a bid for 'digital sovereignty'
The French government is planning to transition away from the US-made Windows operating system to Linux as part of its digital sovereignty initiative. This move aims to reduce dependency on foreign technology and regain control over digital infrastructure and strategic decisions. The National Health Insurance Fund plans to migrate its 80,000 agents to 'sovereign solutions' by the end of 2026.
Look, 16 GB of RAM is absolutely fine for PC gaming in 2026. Though there are some caveats to that...
This analysis investigates whether 16 GB of RAM is sufficient for PC gaming in 2026, testing various memory-intensive games with both 16 GB and 32 GB configurations on high-end and mainstream GPUs. While 16 GB proved adequate for many titles, especially with ample VRAM, multitasking or playing extremely demanding games like Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and Star Citizen may still benefit from 32 GB.
Mozilla says 'Microsoft goes too far' with Copilot, right before reassuring that you can turn off…
Mozilla has criticized Microsoft's implementation of its Copilot AI features, calling it an example of the company going too far without user consent. The browser maker specifically pointed to the auto-installation of the M365 Copilot app and the dedicated Copilot key on keyboards. Mozilla also highlighted Microsoft's alleged pattern of deceptive design practices regarding its Edge browser distribution.
Get An ROG Xbox Ally For Only $500 Before The Inevitable Price Increase Arrives
The ASUS ROG Ally handheld gaming PC is currently available for $500 at Amazon and Best Buy, a $100 discount from its original price. This Windows 11-based device features a 7-inch 120Hz display, 16GB of RAM, and an AMD Ryzen Z2 processor, offering PC gaming on the go. The deal includes three months of Xbox Game Pass Premium.
Microsoft starts removing unnecessary Copilot buttons in Windows 11
Microsoft is removing unnecessary Copilot buttons and branding from Windows 11 applications like Notepad, Snipping Tool, Photos, and Widgets. This move follows criticism regarding the forced integration and inconsistent experience of the AI assistant. The company plans to be more intentional about Copilot's integration across Windows.
Microsoft is removing Copilot branding from Photos, Notepad, and more after promising to reduce 'unnecessary…
Microsoft is reducing the prominent branding of its Copilot AI assistant in several built-in Windows applications, including Photos, Widgets, and Notepad, following community feedback. This change aims to make Copilot integrations less intrusive and more intentional across the operating system.
Best Sports Games On Each Xbox Console
This article looks back at the best sports games released on each generation of Xbox consoles, from the original Xbox to the Xbox Series X/S. It highlights ESPN NFL 2K5 for the original Xbox, College Hoops 2K8 for the Xbox 360, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 for the Xbox One, and College Football 25 for the Xbox Series X/S.
Review - South of Midnight (Switch 2) | WayTooManyGames
South of Midnight is a captivating game with a beautiful soundtrack and a well-written story, but its Nintendo Switch 2 port suffers from significant performance issues. While the game's theoretical aspects are strong, the constant technical problems detract from the experience, despite the Switch 2's theoretical power being comparable to an Xbox Series S. A patch is hoped for to address these optimization concerns.
Review - South of Midnight (Switch 2) | WayTooManyGames
South of Midnight offers a captivating story, beautiful soundtrack, and decent gameplay, but this port for the Nintendo Switch suffers from significant performance issues. While the game is considered special, the constant technical problems detract from the experience, despite the Switch 2's theoretical power comparable to an Xbox Series S.
PlayStation State of Play May Drop April 16th, Insider Claims
Insider NateTheHate has suggested that Sony may host a PlayStation State of Play presentation on April 16th. These events are typically used to reveal new games and provide updates on upcoming titles. The timing would align with the lead-up to the summer gaming season, and the community is eagerly anticipating official confirmation.
Xbox exec who brought Bungie into Microsoft says it's "weird" to see Sony own the creators of Halo: "It was so weird to launch Marathon and see a PlayStation logo"
Former Xbox executive Ed Fries expressed his surprise at seeing Bungie, the creators of Halo, now owned by Sony and developing the game Marathon for PlayStation. Fries, who was instrumental in Microsoft's original acquisition of Bungie 26 years ago, found it surreal to play Marathon on his Xbox and see a PlayStation logo. He admitted he would not have believed this trajectory for Bungie if told 25 years prior.
PS6 Won’t Cost $1,000, Will Likely Cost Between $600 and $800 – Rumor
A rumor suggests Sony's PlayStation 6 console will likely be priced between $600 and $800, avoiding the $1,000 mark. Manufacturing cost estimates for various PS6 models, including a potential handheld and a lower-powered 'PS6S', place the main console's BOM around $743. These estimates are influenced by component costs and potential import tariffs, with the final retail price expected to be significantly higher than the manufacturing cost.
PS5 Consoles Only Sold 13,539 Units in Japan Last Week, Nintendo Switch 2 Sold 59,543 Units
PlayStation 5 console sales in Japan have significantly declined, with only 13,539 units sold in the week ending April 5th, dwarfed by the Nintendo Switch's 59,543 units. This downturn follows recent price increases for the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro in the Japanese market, making them more expensive than ever. Analysts speculate that Nintendo may also implement price hikes for the Switch 2 due to rising costs.
