Xbox Game Studios
Xbox Game Studios business and news from across the web.
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Sea of Thieves is becoming a live-action movie, the Gears of War film apparently has a plot, and Microsoft's considering bringing the Halo TV show back
Microsoft is expanding its entertainment ventures beyond gaming, with a live-action Sea of Thieves movie in development and plot details emerging for the Gears of War film. The company is also considering reviving the Halo TV series. These projects highlight Microsoft's strategy to leverage its game franchises across various media platforms, even as the company faces potential restructuring and studio closures.
Netflix's Gears of War movie sounds like it will be set just before the events of the first game
Netflix's upcoming Gears of War movie will serve as a prequel, focusing on the origin story of Delta Squad and their fight against the Locust creatures. Xbox executive Matt Booty highlighted the 'Never Fight Alone' theme as a strong narrative starting point. The film's setting appears to precede the events of the original Gears of War game, potentially aligning with the timeline of the recently announced Gears of War: E-Day.
'They Said I'm Crazy': Kojima's New Single Player Horror Like Nothing Seen Before
Hideo Kojima described his upcoming single-player horror game OD as something unprecedented, aiming to push the boundaries of scariness. He hinted at a unique system designed to allow players to continue even if they find the game too frightening, a concept that initially led publishers to believe he was 'crazy'.
They're making a Sea of Thieves movie and the more I think about it, the more I'm into it
A movie adaptation of the video game Sea of Thieves is in early development, with Destin Daniel Cretton set to produce. While a director has not yet been attached, Xbox chief content officer Matt Booty highlighted the game's social and cooperative community as key elements. The article contrasts this with the announcement of a Call of Duty movie, suggesting Sea of Thieves has a stronger premise due to its less defined narrative.
Hideo Kojima says OD goes "beyond the limit of 'scariness'" for video games, but if you chicken out there's a system to help you "keep going"
Hideo Kojima stated that his upcoming game OD aims to surpass the scariness of existing video games, incorporating a unique system to help players persevere through intense fear. While details remain scarce, Kojima emphasized his desire to push horror boundaries in this single-player experience, drawing parallels to the fear-inducing nature of P.T. and contrasting it with games like Resident Evil Village and Resident Evil 7 Biohazard.
Xbox Is Working On A Dozen Movies And TV Shows, Including Sea Of Thieves
Xbox is developing over a dozen film and TV adaptations of its game properties, including a live-action movie based on Rare's Sea of Thieves. Matt Booty, Xbox's chief content officer, highlighted the social and cooperative nature of Sea of Thieves as key elements for its adaptation. Other known projects include adaptations for Death Stranding, Gears, Fallout, and Minecraft.
Gears of War: E-Day brings back a feature the series hasn't supported in over 10 years, and The Coalition says…
Gears of War: E-Day, launching October 6, 2026, for PC and Xbox Series X, will feature four-player campaign co-op, a feature not seen in the series for over 10 years. The Coalition is bringing back this mode to reflect the series' core DNA of squad-based storytelling, allowing players to experience the origin of Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago's bromance from multiple perspectives. This ambitious entry will also support two-player split-screen co-op.
Mojang says that Minecraft Dungeons 2 has more overt "callbacks to vanilla Minecraft" than the last ARPG it…
Minecraft Dungeons 2 aims to strengthen its connection to the core Minecraft experience with more "callbacks" and an expanded item rarity system. Design director Laura de Llorens highlighted changes like an interconnected world, four rarity tiers (Common, Rare, Special, Unique), and a more robust character customization system with four armor slots. The game is set to release on September 29, 2026, for PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X.
Active Reload may be an "iconic" Gears of War feature, but that isn't going to stop The Coalition from…
The Coalition is making significant changes to core mechanics for Gears of War: E-Day, including the iconic Active Reload system. The game will feature greater mobility and verticality, with unique Active Reload effects for certain weapons. Gears of War: E-Day is set to launch on October 6 for PC and Xbox Series X.
5 promising games recently cancelled by Microsoft
Microsoft has recently cancelled several promising game projects, including 'Odyssey,' 'Everwild,' 'Perfect Dark,' 'Contraband,' and 'Project Blackbird,' as part of a broader cost-cutting strategy under new CEO Asha Sharma. These cancellations have led to studio closures and significant layoffs, with former employees expressing disappointment over the loss of potentially exciting titles and the shift away from riskier, ambitious projects.
Halo Campaign Evolved's PS5 port has strict split-screen co-op requirements: both players need PSN memberships and…
The upcoming PlayStation 5 port of Halo: Campaign Evolved will require both players to have PlayStation Plus memberships for split-screen and online co-op, a stricter requirement than on Xbox Series X|S. Players on all platforms will need a Microsoft account and Xbox Gamertag for cross-platform progression. The game also features dynamic difficulty scaling based on player count.
3D Realms co-founder reveals more about Zenimax redundancies
3D Realms co-founder George Broussard revealed details about impending layoffs at Zenimax, suggesting that studios not directly working on Fallout or The Elder Scrolls are at risk. He indicated that new Microsoft management is prioritizing profitability, potentially leading to significant job losses across various Zenimax-owned studios like Arkane and Machine Games. While initial reports suggested closures, further information points to layoffs occurring after the fiscal year ends on June 30.
We spoke to three Xbox Game Studio teams about exclusivity, and got two very different answers
Developers from Xbox Game Studios have differing views on game exclusivity. Gears of War: E-Day creative director Matt Searcy believes it makes sense as an Xbox exclusive, while developers for Halo: Campaign Evolved and Fable are excited about releasing on multiple platforms to reach a wider audience.
Next Week on XBOX: New Games for June 22 to 26
Xbox announced a slate of new games coming to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, and Game Pass between June 22 and June 26. Titles include Age of Empires Mobile: PC Edition, DEAD OR ALIVE 6 Last Round, and EMPULSE (Game Preview), among many others. Specific release dates and optimizations for Xbox Series X|S are noted for several titles.
How to find the Forza Horizon 6 Evolving World Car Meet
This guide explains how to find the Evolving World Car Meet in Forza Horizon 6, located in the Hokubu Region. Players need to drive a 1980s car to this location to complete the 'Sweet Car O' Mine' Festival Playlist challenge. The guide also details the rewards for completing the challenge and notes its limited-time availability during the summer season.
How to find the Forza Horizon 6 Nangan Region Treasure Hunt
This guide details how to find the Forza Horizon 6 Nangan Region Treasure Hunt, which offers 100,000 Credits. The treasure is located on the eastern beach of the southern peninsula in Nangan, overlooking Tokyo City. This weekly challenge is part of the Horizon Decades Festival Playlist Series and will be available until June 25.
Rockstar's legal setback, Final Fantasy tax incentives, and PlayStation swaps 'PC' for 'AI' - Patch Notes #57
This week's gaming news includes Rockstar Games facing a trial date for union busting allegations, Sony Interactive Entertainment shifting its business strategy focus from 'PC' to 'AI' in SEC filings, and Microsoft's Xbox division reportedly preparing for studio closures. Additionally, Don't Nod is seeking new financing after Tencent withdrew short-term investment, Shibuya ward is offering Final Fantasy 14 in-game items for tax donations, and Epic Games is merging Unreal Engine 5 and UEFN into a unified Unreal Engine 6. The UK government is also set to implement a ban on social media for under 16s, impacting high-risk features in games.
70+ minuters gameplay från State of Decay 3
A gameplay video exceeding 70 minutes for State of Decay 3 has been released by YouTuber Brian Menard, offering a look at the survival gameplay. The game is slated for a 2027 release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, though the footage is from an early alpha build.
Forza Horizon 6 Festival Playlist Challenges Guide – Series 2 Summer
This guide provides tips and car recommendations for completing the Series 2 Summer Festival Playlist challenges in Forza Horizon 6. The challenges run from June 18th to June 25th and offer various reward cars, including the 1989 Volkswagen Golf Rallye and 1988 Lamborghini Countach QV. Players can earn points by completing events like Photo Challenges, Treasure Hunts, and Seasonal Championships.
Amid all the closures and layoffs, the global games market has apparently passed $200 billion in yearly revenue for the…
The global games market has surpassed $200 billion in yearly revenue for the first time, reaching $201.6 billion according to Newzoo, an increase of 9.1% year-on-year. Mobile gaming leads this growth, followed by PC and console gaming, despite widespread industry layoffs and studio closures. This financial success contrasts sharply with the recent difficulties faced by many companies and employees within the sector.
