Game Development
Ongoing coverage on Game Development.
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What the Hell is Going on With Halo and Xbox?
Xbox Game Studios has announced significant layoffs at Halo Studios, formerly 343 Industries, with 268 roles eliminated. A smaller team will continue to support existing Halo titles, while a new, separate team under Activision will develop the next mainline Halo installment. This move is part of a broader strategy to accelerate franchise output and streamline development, though it has led to widespread criticism regarding job security and studio management.
'Guardians make their own fate.' Destiny 2 players and creators celebrate following Bungie's shock U-turn, as the studio admits: 'Your voices mattered'
Bungie has reversed its decision to cease content updates for Destiny 2, following significant community backlash and a sustained campaign by players and content creators. The studio announced that Destiny 2 is once again considered foundational to its future, and work has begun on restoring previously removed content. This decision has been met with widespread celebration from the community, though some express caution about future expectations.
Xbox lays off more jobs and consolidates its studios in massive restructure
Xbox announced further layoffs, cutting 268 jobs and significantly restructuring its studios. Key developers like Bethesda and Activision will expand their remits, while Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios will merge. A dedicated team within Activision will now develop the next Halo game, and the futures of Ninja Theory and Arkane Studios remain uncertain.
Halo cinematic director "promoted and laid off in the same week" as Microsoft continues sweeping Xbox layoffs
Microsoft continues its significant layoffs across Xbox, impacting studios like Halo Studios, Ninja Theory, and Arkane. Former Halo Studios cinematic director Josh Daniels reported being promoted and laid off in the same week. Xbox CCO Matt Booty stated these cuts are part of a larger restructuring plan that will eliminate 3,200 employees in total.
Cairn and Furi creator’s games are all so different that ‘there’s a chance our next game is an MMO match-3 about friendship,’ jokes creative director, Emeric Thoa
The Game Bakers' creative director Emeric Thoa discusses the studio's philosophy of creating memorable and sometimes polarizing games, citing titles like Cairn, Furi, and Haven. He expresses a desire for their games to be loved passionately, even if by a smaller audience, and mentions the upcoming 'On the Trail' DLC for Cairn.
StarCraft Doesn’t Sound Like An Xbox Exclusive
Blizzard Entertainment's upcoming StarCraft shooter will not be an Xbox exclusive, though the exact platforms remain unclear. While Blizzard stated it's incorrect to call it an Xbox exclusive, they did not confirm PlayStation availability beyond PC. This announcement comes amidst Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard and a recent shift by Xbox towards console exclusives for some of its franchises.
The mythology of Gabe Newell now includes Mongolian throat singing
Former Valve employee Minh Le shared anecdotes about co-founder Gabe Newell's eccentricities, including a five-month phase of practicing Mongolian throat singing in the office. Le also recalled Newell's collection of medieval weapons and his habit of posing difficult questions to employees.
After Palworld and Valheim, more than half of Steam's top 10 best-rated 2026 releases are early access survivors…
Despite player cynicism towards the early access model, six of Steam's top 10 best-rated releases for 2026 are games that graduated from early access to a 1.0 launch. Titles like Palworld and Valheim, alongside others such as Scrap Mechanic and Timberborn, have achieved high ratings, demonstrating the continued success and viability of the early access development process.
Studio Behind PS3, PS4 Games on the Verge of Closure
Microsoft's Ninja Theory, the studio behind Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice and DmC: Devil May Cry, is reportedly on the verge of closure. An internal memo from Xbox CCO Matt Booty indicates that negotiations have fallen through, and the company will begin consultations with employees regarding a proposed closure, despite exploring other potential paths forward. This comes as part of a wider restructuring at Microsoft that includes significant job cuts.
After Microsoft's latest bloodbath, former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra offers "props to Xbox" for dismantling Halo Studios: "The best decision to reset Halo"
Following significant layoffs at Microsoft's Xbox division, former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra praised the company's decision to move the Halo intellectual property to Activision, calling it a positive reset for the franchise. The article notes that hundreds of Xbox employees were laid off, and Halo Studios has been reduced to a small support team as Activision takes over future Halo game development.
Activision’s Halo Game To Be A “Full-feature mainline installment”
Activision is taking the lead on the next mainline Halo game, with Halo Studios providing support. The article notes that the future of Halo remakes is now uncertain due to this development.
Star Citizen is opening itself up to player questions in a new video series
Cloud Imperium Games is launching a new video series called '10 From the Community' for Star Citizen, which will feature developers answering player questions about the game's development. The studio is also seeking broader community feedback through surveys to shape its content lineup. Alpha 4.11 remains on track for release.
Stellar Blade devs only had enough money to survive "for about 3 months" at one point, CEO says several major publishers rejected them before Sony
Shift Up, the developer of Stellar Blade, faced significant financial difficulties during development, with CEO Hyung-Tae Kim stating they only had enough funds to survive for about three months at one point. Several major publishers rejected the project, deeming it too risky, before Sony Interactive Entertainment eventually offered a publishing deal after seeing a playable build. The success of their other game, Goddess of Victory: Nikke, also provided crucial financial support.
Call Of Duty creators Activision to make next Halo game as Xbox confirm layoffs
Microsoft has confirmed significant layoffs and studio restructuring within its Xbox division, including the closure of Ninja Theory. Activision will now develop the next Halo game, while 343 Industries will focus on supporting existing titles. This move comes amidst broader industry trends of layoffs and consolidation, with other studios like Rare and Bethesda also undergoing shifts in oversight.
'We believe that this IP has a future' — Rayman Legends Retold brand producer wants to continue the series after the 3D remake 'if everything goes according to plan'
Ubisoft's Rayman Legends Retold brand producer, Loïc Gounon, expressed interest in continuing the Rayman series if the upcoming 3D remake is successful. The remake, powered by the Snowdrop engine, aims to restart the franchise with a new 3D side-scrolling approach. Gounon believes the IP has a future and that the development of 3D assets for the remake could benefit future projects.
Why Blizzard vet Rob Pardo is going all-in on Arkheron, the PvP dungeon crawler that's like dark-fantasy Backrooms:…
Bonfire Studios CEO Rob Pardo, a veteran of Blizzard Entertainment, discusses the nearly decade-long development of their PvP dungeon crawler, Arkheron. The game blends action-RPG combat with competitive knockout elements and is set to enter a crossplay beta on September 25 for PC, Xbox Series X, and PlayStation 5.
With "a dozen" music levels, Rayman Legends Retold doubles down on the best bit of the original game, and having played it I couldn't be happier
Rayman Legends Retold is expanding on the original's acclaimed music levels, aiming for a total of a dozen. Developers at Ubisoft Milan and Montpellier are carefully recreating and adding new musical stages, drawing inspiration from tracks like the Macarena and MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This." The game retains the core 2D platforming gameplay, now presented in a 2.5D visual style, with a focus on making the experience enjoyable for both long-time fans and new players.
Activision will develop the next Halo game
Xbox has restructured its Halo studios, rebranding 343 Industries as Halo Studios and pivoting its focus to community support. Activision will now develop the next Halo title. This change accompanies significant layoffs within Xbox's gaming divisions.
Hellblade developer Ninja Theory and Arkane Studios face closure in Xbox cuts
Microsoft has confirmed significant layoffs across its Xbox studios, leading to the potential closure of Ninja Theory and uncertainty for Arkane Studios. These cuts are part of a larger 'reset' for Xbox, impacting nearly 300 jobs and casting doubt on the future of projects like Hellblade 3 and Marvel's Blade.
Obsidian’s New Fallout Game Is Still Coming, As The Studio Moves Under Bethesda’s Umbrella
Obsidian Entertainment will now operate under Bethesda Softworks as part of Xbox's ongoing restructuring. This change aims to integrate Obsidian more closely with Bethesda's business unit while allowing Obsidian to continue its current projects, including Grounded and a new Fallout game.
