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Xbox needs to make a choice, says former PlayStation leader Shawn Layden: be a publisher or a platform, but you can't be both
Former PlayStation leader Shawn Layden argues that Xbox must choose between being a major game publisher or a platform holder, stating it cannot effectively be both. He highlights the need for exclusive content to support a platform, contrasting it with the multiplatform approach required for a top publisher, a dilemma exacerbated by recent Xbox layoffs and strategic shifts.
QuakeCon 2026 will be a place for celebration, mourning, and outrage
Recent layoffs at Xbox and id Software cast a somber shadow over the upcoming QuakeCon 2026, turning what should be a celebration into a potential funeral. The article discusses the uncertainty surrounding id Software's future, the potential abandonment of their proprietary id Tech engine in favor of Unreal Engine, and the likely fan outrage at the event.
"We mean business" - Bethesda union members to march in protest of sweeping Xbox job cuts
Bethesda Game Studios union members are planning protests against recent layoffs impacting Microsoft's Xbox division. The union criticizes Microsoft's framing of the cuts and asserts their legal right to bargain over the impact of these layoffs, demanding preferential transfers, stronger severance, and recall rights for affected workers. The layoffs have reportedly caused plummeting morale and may significantly affect the development of The Elder Scrolls 6.
Can a top-down, focused software strategy save Xbox? | Opinion
Xbox has undergone significant layoffs and studio closures, impacting 20% of its workforce and five internal studios, including Compulsion Games and Double Fine. This strategic shift, led by Asha Sharma, aims to address financial issues and improve first-party development, though the article questions the effectiveness of these measures and criticizes the company's past spending and treatment of developers.
Unionized workers at Bethesda studios plan a nationwide protest against recent layoffs on July 15
Unionized workers at Bethesda Game Studios, known as OneBGS, are organizing a nationwide protest on July 15th against recent layoffs at studios like ZeniMax Online Studios. The union accuses Microsoft and Bethesda of attempting to circumvent their legal obligation to bargain over these decisions by reframing them as business scope changes. Separately, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has joined a Federal Reserve task force focused on the economic impact of new technologies like artificial intelligence.
Xbox CEO Joins Fed’s Task Force To Help With Price Stability And Employment After She Raised Xbox Prices And Laid Of Staff
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has been appointed to a Federal Reserve task force focused on the economic impact of AI, aiming to improve job creation and price stability. This appointment comes despite recent controversial decisions by Sharma, including Xbox price hikes and significant layoffs, which have negatively impacted public sentiment towards the brand.
Is Microsoft Teams really going to start tracking employee locations?
Microsoft Teams has rolled out a new feature called "Workspace Check-in" which has raised concerns about employee location tracking. The feature was released last month and is part of the Teams platform.
"They want us to accept this as a done deal and quietly disappear" – Bethesda union members organise protest in response to Xbox layoffs
Union members at Bethesda Game Studios, Id Software, and ZeniMax Online Studios are organizing protests and a strike in response to recent layoffs affecting 440 employees. The OneBGS union accuses Microsoft and Bethesda of attempting to circumvent bargaining obligations by framing the cuts as an 'entrepreneurial change.' They are demanding preferential transfers, stronger severance packages, and recall rights for affected workers.
Spyro: A Realm Beyond gets lots of details – flight mechanics, development, more
Toys for Bob developers Paul Yan and Lou Studdert shared details about the upcoming game Spyro: A Realm Beyond, which is planned for a Spring 2027 release on Nintendo Switch. The game will feature both ground and active flight mechanics, building upon the fluid movement of Spyro Reignited Trilogy. The studio also discussed their transition to independence and their decision to pursue Spyro as a business case, while clarifying that the game is a continuation of the original trilogy's tone and not a reboot.
'I find myself in the novel position of looking for a job' — 27-year Bethesda veteran who designed Skyrim's humanoid races and a Microsoft dev behind Xbox backwards compatibility have been laid off
Xbox has undergone a significant restructuring, leading to the layoff of thousands of employees, including industry veterans Christiane Meister from Bethesda Game Studios and Kevin LaChapelle from Xbox. Meister, who designed races for The Elder Scrolls series, and LaChapelle, a lead developer for Xbox's backward compatibility, are now seeking new employment. This wave of layoffs also affected studios like Compulsion Games and Ninja Theory.
Black Ops ports are 50% cheaper on PS5 but not Xbox as fans fume over price
Ports of Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops 2 are now available on PlayStation 4 and 5, featuring single-player, multiplayer, and Zombies modes without graphical updates or included DLC. While priced at £34.99 each, PS Plus members receive a 50% discount, bringing the cost down to £17.49 per game. This pricing is significantly cheaper than the Xbox versions, despite Microsoft's ownership of Activision, leading to fan frustration over the cost of older titles.
Report Shows Games Likely to Be More Expensive Once Physical Game Discs End Production
A report indicates that game prices are likely to increase with the cessation of physical disc production, as digital storefronts like the PlayStation Store are consistently more expensive than retail. This shift would give companies like Sony Interactive Entertainment and Microsoft greater control over game pricing, potentially eliminating the competitive pricing found in retail and the second-hand market.
"My 'Microsoft will probably be a good steward of the brand' statement isn't aging well" - id Software co-founder John Carmack speaks out after devastating Xbox layoffs
id Software co-founder John Carmack commented on the recent significant layoffs at his former studio following Xbox's restructuring. Carmack expressed sadness but not anger, suggesting id Software may have been a marginal business for Microsoft, with Minecraft revenues potentially subsidizing other studios. He reflected on the challenges of making games financially successful in a competitive market and questioned potential strategies for increasing revenue and reducing costs without alienating the existing player base.
Id Software co-founder John Carmack "can’t muster anger or outrage" over Xbox gutting the Doom studio, but does say it'll "dampen the mood of the founder reunion"
Id Software co-founder John Carmack expressed sadness but not anger over the recent layoffs at the studio, suggesting that the company may have been a marginal business for Microsoft. He believes games need to succeed financially to continue being produced and that executives aren't always the problem, though he acknowledges the possibility. Carmack hopes the studio can recover despite the uncertain future.
Update: Microsoft Says id Tech Expertise Survived id Software’s Brutal Layoffs
id Software is reportedly in disarray following significant layoffs, with only a small number of employees remaining who are familiar with the id Tech engine. Despite the staff reductions, Microsoft still intends to leverage the id Tech expertise.
Microsoft's AI drive saw its carbon emissions grow by 25 percent in 2025
Microsoft's commitment to becoming carbon negative by 2030 has been impacted by a 25 percent increase in its carbon emissions in 2025, largely attributed to its extensive artificial intelligence initiatives. The company's AI drive has significantly contributed to this rise in environmental impact.
id Software co-founder says "my 'Microsoft will probably be a good steward of the brand' statement isn't aging well" after the Doom maker lost 136 of its 185 staff to layoffs
id Software co-founder John Carmack commented on the significant layoffs at the studio under Microsoft, stating his previous belief that Microsoft would be a good steward of the brand is not aging well. He suspects id Software was a marginal business for Microsoft, with Minecraft's profits potentially subsidizing other studios. Carmack also reflected on game development needing to succeed financially, not just be beloved, and speculated on alternative strategies that could have improved id's financial performance.
'If not PS6, then PS7' — Analyst says PlayStation ending physical discs was bound to happen as 'the console ecosystem is nearly entirely digital at this point'
Analyst Daniel Ahmad believes Sony's decision to end physical PlayStation disc production in 2028 was inevitable due to the significant shift towards digital sales, which now account for around 80% on PlayStation and over 90% on Xbox. This move aligns with Sony's strategy to create a high-margin, closed digital ecosystem, controlling all software sales and eliminating the used game market.
Own goal specialist Xbox rifles another into the roof of the net - Patch Notes #60
Xbox announced significant layoffs, impacting approximately 3,200 employees across various studios including id Software, ZeniMax Online Studios, Double Fine, Compulsion Games, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs. Xbox boss Asha Sharma cited a need to eliminate management layers and create a flatter organization, though many of the affected employees are senior staff integral to game production. This marks the fifth major round of layoffs at Xbox in three years, with unions like CWA Canada criticizing Microsoft's handling of the situation.
Id Software founder John Carmack mourns layoffs: "Games need to succeed, not just be beloved"
Id Software co-founder John Carmack expressed sadness over recent layoffs affecting over half of the studio's workforce, attributing the cuts to increasing business pressures rather than executive malice. He reflected on the need for games to be commercially successful, not just critically acclaimed, to ensure long-term production, and pondered potential design or marketing changes that could have improved Id's financial standing.
