Skip to main content
GameDev.net gamedev.net

First Party News

The latest First Party coverage curated for game developers.

"There has to be a reason for people to buy an Xbox" – Senior leadership reinforces commitment to console exclusivity

Xbox is doubling down on console exclusives again, with senior leadership saying the platform needs first-party games to give players a reason to buy hardware. Gears of War: E-Day and …

News GamesIndustry.biz · 2 months, 1 week ago
Can a top-down, focused software strategy save Xbox? | Opinion

Xbox is cutting 3,200 jobs and shrinking its studio network as new leadership tries to fix both costs and first-party execution. Five studios are being spun off or sold, while …

News GamesIndustry.biz · 2 months, 2 weeks ago
Xbox retreats again – but to where? | Opinion

Microsoft is cutting 3,200 more Xbox jobs and narrowing its studio portfolio around the biggest franchises. The move puts more pressure on Game Pass, the next Xbox hardware push, and …

News GamesIndustry.biz · 2 months, 3 weeks ago
Analysts attempt to make sense of Xbox's latest exclusivity pivot

Microsoft is reportedly rethinking Xbox exclusivity after years of letting some of its biggest brands stagnate. For developers, that signals a broader shift in platform strategy: fewer hard walls, more …

News Game Developer · 3 months ago
Report: PlayStation changed first-party single-player PC strategy due to lack of revenue

PlayStation is reportedly tightening its PC strategy for first-party single-player games after those releases failed to generate enough revenue. Hermen Hulst told staff the company wants those narrative titles to …

News GamesIndustry.biz · 3 months, 1 week ago
Report: Two former Rare execs are leaving Xbox

Xbox is losing two senior Rare veterans: Craig Duncan and Louise O'Connor are both departing Xbox Game Studios. For devs, the immediate takeaway is leadership churn at the top of …

News Game Developer · 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Xbox Game Studios boss Craig Duncan and Chief of Staff Louise O'Connor step down

Xbox Game Studios is losing its top leader after just 18 months, with Craig Duncan stepping down and Louise O'Connor also exiting. For teams shipping into Xbox's portfolio, the immediate …

News GamesIndustry.biz · 3 months, 2 weeks ago
PlayStation first-party game sales show a decline since 2020

PlayStation’s first-party game sales have fallen sharply, from 58.4 million in FY20 to 28.9 million in FY24. For studios, that kind of drop usually means tighter ROI pressure on exclusives, …

News Game Developer · 3 months, 3 weeks ago