xbox

Activision gets Halo, Obsidian becomes part of Bethesda, and more internal shake-ups.

XCP turns one-shot code generation into a continuous software lifecycle: create, execute on Xbox,...

This message was just sent to Team XBOX employees globally. Team, I’m writing to share several updates as part of the XBOX reset outlined earlier this year. First, we are eliminating 268 roles across Halo Studios,…

The news comes as part of a "reset" announced by Xbox in July, with 3,600 planned job losses overall.

The Xbox reset continues with major studio changes, layoffs, and more.

Xbox is already looking very different than it did a year ago

Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox video-game unit is laying off 268 employees and consolidating several studios under Call of Duty maker Activision.

ROG: Xbox Ally X20 at the Tokyo Games Show 2026, Improving Further, but no SteamOS in sight

Asha Sharma. | Image: The Verge, Microsoft Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has denied reports that Microsoft is considering selling off its Xbox business. The Information reported in June that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and CFO Amy Hood had been considering spinning out Xbox, and then reported earlier this month that both execs have "more recently supported Sharma's plans to overhaul the unit." "Xbox is not for sale," says Sharma in an interview with The New York times . "We will do whatever it takes to set the company up for success, and we will look at the right partnerships, the right operating model and everything needed to achieve that." It appears that Nadella and Hood have favored the … Read the full story at The Verge.

Microsoft is officially announcing its new Xbox Mythic Achievements today, and they're already available for Xbox Insiders to test. Mythic Achievements work a lot like Sony's PlayStation Platinum trophies and are unlocked once you've earned every original achievement for a game. "Mythic Achievements have already been added to eligible games you completed in the past, including Xbox 360 titles," says the Xbox team . "The next time you visit your profile, you may discover that some of your favorite games have already reached Mythic status." Xbox profiles will soon include a new gaming tab that lets you track Gamerscore milestones and Mythic A … Read the full story at The Verge.

It feels like Xbox has been in a permanent state of turmoil for at least two years now, and this week is no different. Microsoft cut 268 jobs across its gaming division this week, shuffled major studios and franchises around, and continued its Xbox "reset." Layoffs have become a way of life for Xbox employees, after Microsoft started cutting thousands in early 2024 and hasn't slowed down. The turmoil was particularly apparent when Microsoft started shutting down game studios , and the painful layoffs have had a lasting impact on morale, according to current and former Xbox employees I've been speaking to this week. At the same time, Xbox h … Read the full story at The Verge.

Xbox appears to be ready to launch its own version of PlayStation's platinum trophies. A new update to the Xbox PC app has revealed Mythic achievements, which according to data in the app will appear once a player completes all the achievements in a game. Mythic achievements appear on screen with a unique unlock sound, and players will reportedly be able to track them through the Xbox dashboard. Xbox players will also be able to display their Mythic count on their profiles. Some Xbox Insider testers have already started spotting references to Mythic achievements in early versions of the Xbox dashboard. A new update for the Xbox PC App re … Read the full story at The Verge.

When Xbox announced sweeping layoffs in July as part of a brutal "reset" for the gaming brand, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma said part of the pre-existing problem in the gaming unit was "teams, studios, and functions [that] often operate independently, [making it] harder to work toward a shared goal." Today, the company announced a radical restructuring of its internal studios that is seemingly designed to reduce that "independence" for the teams behind some of gaming's biggest franchises. The biggest apparent change is for the Halo franchise, which will now be under the remit of Call of Duty maker Activision. Halo Studios (formerly 343 Industries), which recently released Halo: Campaign Evolved , will remain as just a "small team" to support the player community, Microsoft said, with the remaining staffing roles eliminated as part of 268 newly announced layoffs. "For Halo, our goal is clear: make the greatest Halo game ever, worthy of its universe and legacy, while staying true to what made players love it in the first place," Activision President Rob Kostich said in a statement provided to Kotaku . "It is a bold ambition, one that this franchise deserves. We have already begun assembling a purpose-built team, unique in capability and talent, ready and excited to deliver this next chapter with the community." Read full article Comments

Xbox has become a shell of its former self - and things are only getting worse. As part of its planned cuts impacting around 3,200 workers , the company announced today more changes that will further dilute the brand. Studios are being consolidated, others are on the brink of being closed altogether, and Xbox's most iconic franchise, Halo , is being moved to a new developer. The future of Xbox looks more uncertain than ever. Today's news includes "eliminating 268 roles across Halo Studios, other first-party studios, and the [Xbox Game Studios] management and central functions layer." But there is also plenty of reorganization happening, parti … Read the full story at The Verge.

Microsoft is uniting its two Forza developers into a single studio today, as part of a massive restructuring of Xbox . Playground Games, which develops Forza Horizon , and Turn 10 Studios, creators of Forza Motorsport , are merging together to focus on Forza Horizon and Fable . "Playground and Turn 10 will come together as one studio focused on the Forza and Fable franchises," explains Xbox chief content officer Matt Booty in a memo . "These two studios have been technological, creative, and franchise partners for over a decade, and today's changes will formally move their work into one team." The closure of Turn 10 Studios leaves big unanswere … Read the full story at The Verge.

Microsoft is laying off around 260 Xbox employees today, as part of an ongoing "reset" of its gaming business. 1,600 Xbox employees were impacted by layoffs in July , with Xbox CEO Asha Sharma describing the cuts as "the most significant restructure in Xbox history." Today's layoffs are part of the 3,200 roles that were previously confirmed to be impacted over the course of Microsoft's 2027 financial year (which ends in June 2027). "We are eliminating 268 roles across Halo Studios, other first-party studios, and the XGS management and central functions layer," says Xbox chief content officer Matt Booty in a memo . "The actions completed since … Read the full story at The Verge.

Microsoft is announcing a massive restructuring of its Xbox studios today, months after laying off 1,600 Xbox employees and selling off studios. The latest changes will see Activision take on the Halo and Sea of Thieves franchises, as well as Age of Empires . Microsoft is also laying off around 268 Xbox employees as part of this restructuring, and likely closing Ninja Theory . Halo Studios will be significantly impacted by today's changes and layoffs. The studio will continue to support existing titles like Halo Infinite and Halo: Campaign Evolved , but the next flagship installment in the Halo franchise will come from Activision instead. "Ac … Read the full story at The Verge.

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