#Xbox
36 article(s)
Halo Campaign Evolved: Layoffs Begin Before Launch Window Closes
Halo Studios has already cut contractor positions, including at least one producer who worked on the project since Halo Infinite. It's unsurprising in the Xbox ecosystem, but the speed of the move says something about how Microsoft manages headcount: ship the game, turn off the tap, never mind what's left to do.
Double Fine Cuts 23 Jobs Three Weeks After Xbox Independence
Twenty-three Double Fine Productions employees are out of work just three weeks after Tim Schafer's studio officially severed ties with Xbox to reclaim independence. The timing raises a hard question: was the studio's newfound autonomy purchased with a pre-planned restructuring, or is Double Fine now discovering the real cost of flying without Microsoft's safety net?
Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary on PS5: 25 Years Later, Is It Worth It?
Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary arrives on PS5, fifteen years after its first release on Xbox 360. The question isn't whether the original game still holds up — it does. It's whether this port brings enough to justify the purchase for PlayStation players who've never touched the franchise, and whether Microsoft truly invested in it or just phoned it in.
Xbox Tests Ad-Supported Game Streaming: Trap or Opportunity?
Microsoft is experimenting with an ad-supported game streaming model that doesn't require a Game Pass subscription. On paper, it's a low-cost entry point to the Xbox catalog. In reality, it signals that Game Pass alone isn't cutting it for acquiring new players—and it's a risky bet on how tolerant gamers are of ad interruptions.
Halo Campaign Evolved Hits Game Pass: Here's What Changes
The new Halo game joins the Game Pass catalog in July 2026 alongside fifteen other titles announced by Microsoft. This isn't a trivial addition: every Halo franchise entry on Xbox Game Pass redefines access to a series that remains the benchmark for console shooters. The stakes go beyond the catalog itself — it's about perceived value of Game Pass at a moment when Microsoft is fundamentally restructuring its gaming division.
Game Pass: Halo Campaign Evolved, Hell is Us, Beast of Reincarnation Added
Microsoft is bolstering its Game Pass catalog with several notable titles including Halo: Campaign Evolved, Hell is Us, and Beast of Reincarnation. For the Halo franchise, the arrival of an episode branded "Campaign Evolved" raises concrete questions about what Halo Studios is actually preparing, in a context where the license is undergoing deep restructuring following the cancellation of Project Ekur.
Halo 4 Nearly Got Microtransactions Back in 2012
Dan Callan, former developer at 343 Industries, just revealed that Halo 4 came close to integrating microtransactions at a time when the model was beginning to infect gaming. A confession that says a lot about the internal pressures development teams face from decisions handed down from above — and what Microsoft could have done to one of its flagship franchises.
Project Fantasy Reclaimed, Studio Shuttered: IO Interactive at a Crossroads
Xbox is pulling funding from Project Fantasy, returning full control to IO Interactive. On the surface, a win—except the studio must close one of its offices to absorb the blow. The maker of Hitman faces a precarious freedom: developing an ambitious fantasy RPG without a major publisher partner is a serious industrial gamble.
IO Interactive Loses Xbox Partnership on Project Fantasy, Announces Layoffs
IO Interactive is hitting serious turbulence. The Danish studio behind 007 First Light just lost its main backer for Project Fantasy — presumed to be Xbox — and is announcing layoffs in the same breath. A double blow for a studio that seemed to have found its footing post-Hitman. What this rupture reveals about the fragility of ambitious projects outside established franchises, and what it means for First Light's future.
Halo on PS5: No PS Plus needed, but Microsoft demands Xbox account
The correction is official: playing Halo Campaign Evolved co-op locally on PS5 doesn't require a PlayStation Plus subscription. Good news on the surface. But Microsoft slipped a condition into the fine print: an Xbox account and Gamertag will be required for each player. It's not a paid subscription, but it's an integration friction that Sony never imposes on its own games. The stakes go beyond the technical: it's PlayStation's sovereignty over its own experience that's in question.
Treyarch Loses Its Leader: Mark Gordon Exits Black Ops After 22 Years
Mark Gordon, Treyarch's head for over two decades, announces his departure from the studio behind the Black Ops franchise. His exit comes during a turbulent period for Xbox, which is slashing headcount and restructuring divisions. Behind the polished phrase "exploring other opportunities" lies a deeper question: can Treyarch remain Call of Duty's creative engine without the man who embodied it for so long?
Xbox Is Dismantling Its Studios: A Strategic Reckoning with Few Good Signs
Compulsion Games, Double Fine, Ninja Theory, Arkane Lyon: rumors of closures and massive restructuring at Xbox have accumulated major names for weeks now. This is no longer a series of isolated industrial accidents—it's a deliberate strategic choice taking shape. Microsoft appears to be concentrating resources on a handful of colossal franchises at the expense of creative diversity it purchased at premium prices. The human and artistic toll could prove lasting.