Microsoft News
The latest Microsoft coverage curated for game developers.
GamesIndustry.biz reports PlayStation stepped away from Kojima Productions' Physint over budget, profitability, and exclusivity concerns. Bloomberg sources say the game had already missed deadlines and was trending far over budget. …
GamesIndustry.biz reports that nearly 1,900 Blizzard workers have ratified their first union contract with Microsoft after more than two years of bargaining. The deal covers AI safeguards, crediting, remote work, …
Gears of War: E-Day’s achievement list is now public, and it telegraphs a campaign-heavy launch with a deep Horde Siege grind on top. The set includes co-op clears, collectible hunts, …
GamesIndustry.biz reports that Tim Schafer says Double Fine avoided closure after Xbox layoffs by regaining its IP and funding, then shrinking back to a sustainable size. The studio is now …
GamesIndustry.biz reports Xbox will cap Game Pass cloud playtime starting in November 2026, with Essential at 5 hours, Premium at 10, and Ultimate at 15 per month. After that, players …
Ars Technica reports that Xbox is ending the “unlimited” era for Game Pass cloud play, with monthly streaming caps arriving in November. Ultimate gets 15 hours, Premium 10, and Essential …
GamesIndustry.biz reports that Sony and Microsoft are asking courts to toss consumer class actions over alleged tariff refunds tied to 2025 console price hikes. Both companies argue the increases reflected …
Xbox leadership is again pushing affordability as a core platform priority, with CEO Asha Sharma saying the brand still needs to be more accessible to players. For developers, that keeps …
GamesIndustry.biz reports Xbox is steering its next console toward efficiency and affordability alongside performance, as hardware and component costs keep climbing. Asha Sharma said the company wants more choice in …
Ars Technica reports that Xbox is adding a disc-to-digital program that lets owners of most Xbox One and Xbox Series X disc games claim a digital entitlement by inserting the …
GamesIndustry.biz reports Xbox will start testing a disc-to-digital entitlement flow with Insiders on August 31. Supported Xbox One and Series X discs can unlock a digital copy, while the disc …
Microsoft has opened pre-orders for the Xbox 25th Anniversary Collection, headlined by a numbered Xbox Series X25 Limited Edition console and matching Special Edition controller. The bundle ships with Halo: …
Playground Games has shown Fable’s combat in a first hands-on demo, and it leans hard into fast swapping between melee, ranged, and magic. The system is built around a small …
State of Decay 3 is widening its playtest program, with closed beta access planned before the end of 2026 after an alpha phase that began in April. Undead Labs says …
Gears of War: E-Day is leaning hard into what made the series work: readable combat, brutal enemy AI, and a squad that feels human under pressure. In a hands-on campaign …
Double Fine has regained ownership of its IP and publishing rights after splitting from Xbox Game Studios. The studio is using Amnesia Fortnight 2026 to kick off an indie reboot, …
Take-Two has subpoenaed Microsoft, Discord, and X over the ongoing GTA 6 leak campaign, seeking records tied to accounts posting and sharing stolen assets. The company is targeting the alleged …
Take-Two is moving to choke off a widening GTA VI leak tied to an entity calling itself Cyberleek, which may have access to a playable build. The company has subpoenaed …
Compulsion Games has spun out from Xbox and is now independently owned by management, with the studio and staff acquired in the deal. The team also regains its IP, including …
Hundreds of union workers across North America rallied against Microsoft after the company moved to cut 3,200 Xbox jobs this fiscal year. The protests keep pressure on Xbox leadership as …