Tag: Microsoft - Page 15
News Phil Spencer Responds To Xbox Layoffs, Calls It A 'Difficult Moment In Time' For Microsoft
"This is a challenging moment in our business..."
This week has been dominated by the news that 10,000 people are being laid off from Microsoft's workforce, and Xbox boss Phil Spencer has responded to the news in an internal email that was shared by Kotaku earlier today. In the email, Spencer acknowledged it had been a "difficult week" for...
News Halo's Joe Staten Provides Update Following 343 & Microsoft Layoffs
"I’m 100% focused on helping people who lost their jobs"
It's been a bit of a wild week for Microsoft so far, with the company announcing it would be cutting 10,000 jobs. This has also surprisingly hit the Xbox division within the tech giant - including Halo Infinite developer 343 Industries. Apart from layoffs, it was announced that Halo...
Talking Point Should Microsoft & 343 Carry On With Halo Infinite?
What's next?
Yesterday, Microsoft confirmed its plans for roughly 10,000 layoffs throughout the company, with Halo developer 343 Industries reportedly "hit hard" by the job losses. While the company restructure hasn't been fully detailed by Microsoft, and some of what's coming out regarding 343i are just reports right now, the whole situation does...
News Xbox's Phil Spencer Wants To 'Inspire Joy' Amid 'Culture Of Criticism And Cancellation'
"We’re all part of creating this echo effect of joy"
Yesterday, we brought news that Xbox boss Phil Spencer had formally accepted his New York Game Award; a prize that recognises industry figures who "have exhibited a significant, sustained body of work that shows exceptional artistic achievement and innovation." We believe Phil's award is well...
Talking Point Who Would You Cast As 'Delta Squad' In The Upcoming Gears Of War Movie?
Let's hear your suggestions!
Our new Video Producer Craig has been over on the Pure Xbox YouTube channel laying out some of his top casting suggestions for the upcoming Gears of War movie, which is being produced by Netflix. You can check out his picks in the video above, which include a perhaps surprising choice for Marcus Fenix; a character many...
News Microsoft Confirms Plans For 10,000 Layoffs Across The Company
"These decisions are difficult, but necessary"
Update: It appears as though Halo studio 343 Industries has been "hit hard" by the Microsoft layoffs. <related ids="143761"> Original story: Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has confirmed today that the company plans to reduce its workforce by 10,000 jobs through the end of FY23 Q3, which he says...
News 'The Last Of Us' Ads Have Started Appearing On Xbox This Week
Hey, it's free real estate
HBO's 'The Last of Us' TV show is proving incredibly popular right now, as PlayStation brings its exclusive post-apocalyptic game series to the TV network. While we can't play the games themselves on Xbox, we can of course watch the show there, and Microsoft & HBO seem to be taking advantage of that fact. Adverts for...
News Xbox Boss Phil Spencer 'Honored' To Receive New York Game Award
"It was an honor to attend"
Xbox's Phil Spencer just celebrated his 55th birthday last week, and the New York Game Awards show has delivered quite the birthday present for the Xbox boss. Phil attended last night's award show and walked home with the "Andrew Yoon Legend Award" - a prize that the boss is clearly proud of!
News 'Xbox Play Anywhere' Will Benefit Age Of Empires 2 Owners Later This Month
Get the console version for free!
Age of Empires 2 is making its long awaited console debut later this month, and as it's a Microsoft published title, it'll be a part of Xbox Game Pass on day one. However, if you own the PC version already, you won't even need Game Pass to play the console version at no extra cost! Yep, we often forget about Xbox's...
Deals All 40+ Backwards Compatible Games In Xbox's 'Lunar New Year' Sale
Huge discounts on a selection of classics!
Microsoft has put a huge new digital sale live on the Xbox Store to celebrate the Lunar New Year, with more than 400 games on offer right now. As part of the promotion, there's a hefty selection of backwards compatible games from the original Xbox and Xbox 360 eras that have been discounted at up to 75%...
News Konami Is Open To More 'Silent Hill' Pitches After Announcing PS5-Exclusive Remake
Could we see these on Xbox?
After years and years of waiting, Konami finally brought Silent Hill back into the conversation with the recent announcement of multiple series projects, including a PlayStation-exclusive remake. However, Konami is also presenting the opportunity for even more Silent Hill projects to get going. In a new interview with
Report EU Commission Preparing 'Statement Of Objections' Over Xbox Activision Blizzard Deal
We should hear more soon
A number of authorities around the world are currently investigating Xbox's Activision Blizzard acquisition, to ensure a fair and open market in the gaming industry is retained post-deal. One of those authorities is the European Commission, which is reportedly preparing a statement on the matter. According to Reuters, the...
Rumour A Potential 'Scalebound' Revival Is Being Spoken Of, Again
Will it ever happen?
Scalebound just won't go away, will it? The now-cancelled Xbox exclusive from PlatinumGames captured the imagination of the Xbox community when it was first revealed, and once again, its revival is being spoken about among Xbox journalists, insiders and fans. Let's all take this particular rumour with a truckload of salt...
News Head Of Xbox Phil Spencer Celebrates His 55th Birthday Today
Happy birthday, Mr. Spencer!
It's fair to say we're pretty big fans of Xbox boss Phil Spencer here at Pure Xbox, especially the way he and his team have transformed the brand ever since he took over the Head of Xbox role back in 2014. Today, January 12th, marks Phil's 55th birthday, so we thought we'd just take a minute to say Happy Birthday to the...
News Xbox Exec Confirms Overall Length Of January's 'Developer_Direct'
"Our goal has been to be as transparent as possible"
When the Xbox showcase rumours began showing up late last year, we heard suggestions that the January event would be a smaller scale affair than a typical Xbox live show. Well, Xbox exec Aaron Greenberg has confirmed the overall runtime following yesterday's official Developer_Direct announcement,...
News Xbox Series X|S 2022 Console Sales Grow In Europe, Other Platforms Down On 2021
It's been a good year for Team Xbox
2022 current-gen console sales data is now coming out of Europe as we head into the new year, and the numbers provide some pretty interesting reading. According to GamesIndustry.biz, Xbox Series X|S sales in 2022 were up 4.4% over 2021, making it the only platform to grow last year. It's worth noting that these...
Talking Point What Would You Like To See From Xbox's 'Developer_Direct' Livestream?
Game Pass reveals? Release dates? Let us know!
Well, well, well! Xbox has finally unveiled its much-rumoured upcoming showcase, officially dubbed 'Developer_Direct'. While the initial announcement goes over most of what we'll see at the showcase, we're still intrigued by Xbox's new format, and we're curious whether the team has any surprises in...
News Microsoft Increases Sustainability Efforts By Announcing Xbox As 'First Carbon Aware Console'
Clever little thing
Last year, Microsoft made a number of changes to its energy usage modes on Xbox consoles, as a way to grant users more options and ultimately, try and save on power consumption. Well, those efforts are continuing into the new year, and this next update is a pretty interesting one - Xbox consoles are about to become "carbon...
Talking Point Are Games Announced Too Far In Advance?
Microsoft, CDPR, we're looking at you
Today's 10-year anniversary of the teaser trailer for Cyberpunk 2077 got us thinking about about game announcements and how long we often have to wait between reveals and releases. CD Projekt Red's almost eight-year gap between teaser trailer and launch might be
News Digital Games Are Dominating In The UK At Almost 90% Of Overall Sales
New age tech
We've known for a long time that digital games are growing in popularity, especially as we move into an era where multiple console manufacturers are releasing digital-only systems like the Xbox Series S. In the UK, the overall percentage of digital game sales now sits at 89.5% according to new figures from the entertainment and retail...
Deals All Backwards Compatible Games In This Week's Xbox Sales (January 10-17)
Original Xbox and Xbox 360 classics
Alongside the huge selection of new Xbox sales this week, we've once again been treated to a variety of discounts for some classic Xbox 360 games (and one original Xbox title), available at up to 85% off. Below, you'll find a list of every single backwards compatible game on sale on the Xbox Store from January...
News Another Title Is Leaving Game Pass Soon, And It's From An Xbox-Owned Studio
Update: Microsoft makes it official
Update (Tue 10th Jan, 2023): As part of today's Xbox Game Pass roundup, Microsoft has indeed confirmed that We Happy Few is leaving the library on January 15th. The team hasn't provided any info on a potential re-release or replacement version of the game, but the announcement post does close out with a message...
News Xbox Is Releasing New Halo Infinite, Forza Horizon 5, Sea Of Thieves Skins Thanks To Oreo
Tasty treats for all
This isn't something we expected to read today but nevertheless, it's real! As part of a new promotion with famous cookie brand Oreo, Xbox is bringing some brand-new skins to some of its biggest first-party titles including Halo Infinite, Forza Horizon 5 and Sea Of Thieves. The in-game rewards are tied to new Xbox-themed Oreo...
News Halo & Minecraft Co-Developer SkyBox Labs Has Been Acquired By NetEase Games
Another acquisition sweeps through the industry
As Xbox continues to try and push its mammoth Activision Blizzard deal through the door, a number of smaller scale acquisitions are still going on throughout the gaming industry. Today, January 6th, Chinese company NetEase Games has announced its purchase of Canadian development studio SkyBox Labs...
Feature Our Top Deals From The Xbox 'Last Chance' Sale
Some big new releases are heavily discounted
Xbox's ongoing 'Last Chance' promotion is running for the next 10 days or so, and there are some pretty good deals scattered throughout its 300+ game selection. We've already highlighted the steepest discounts available, but some recent releases are sticking out to us as real highlights as well. So, in...
News Microsoft Reveals New Forza Horizon 5 Xbox Series X Bundle
Complete with the game and every add-on
More than a year after the open world racer's official launch, Microsoft has revealed a brand new Forza Horizon 5 bundle featuring an Xbox Series X console, the game, and every single DLC pack planned by Playground Games. The bundle will begin rolling out this week in the US, Canada, and "select" Asian...
Report Microsoft, ActiBlizz & The FTC Yet To Begin 'Substantive' Settlement Talks
The deal could end up in court
Earlier this month, the US Federal Trade Commission formally announced its intentions to try and block the Xbox Activision Blizzard deal, pointing at Microsoft's Bethesda exclusivity plans as a big reason for doing so. Ahead of a potential legal trial both parties could engage in settlement talks to sort this thing out...
Pick One Which Xbox Game Studios Title Are You Most Excited For Right Now?
Looking at the upcoming slate
It's no secret that Xbox's first-party developers have had a quiet year, especially when it comes to the big AAA experiences we all expect from a platform holder like Microsoft. Recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic certainly hasn't helped, with game delays largely contributing to such a barren year on Xbox. However, the...
Talking Point What's The Most Underrated Xbox Game Of 2022?
Come yell at us about your hidden gems!
It's the final day of 2022, and we're sure most of you have already thought long and hard about your favourite games that've launched over the last year or so. Despite the narrative of a quiet year for AAA gaming, we've seen some real bangers launch in that space (cough Elden Ring), and of course, plenty of...
Talking Point Is It Time For Xbox To Sunset The 'Games With Gold' Program?
Diminishing returns
Back in October 2022, Microsoft decided to pull the plug on, well, half of its Games with Gold program. From that month onwards, the company opted to start delivering just two Xbox One or Series X|S titles, forgoing Xbox 360's inclusion within Games with Gold. In theory, cutting the monthly selection down to just two games could...
News Xbox Activision Blizzard Deal Approved By Chile Authority
Progression
Xbox may well be battling hard with UK and US authorities over its purchase of Activision Blizzard, but the acquisition is proving a smoother process in other counties around the world. We know that Brazil and Saudi Arabia have already approved the deal, and now a second South A
News Microsoft Causes Confusion With Statement About Sony 'Excluding' Games From Xbox
Is it timed or permanent?
Earlier this week, we pointed out that Xbox fans wanted to know what was going on with Square Enix in 2023, and that article ended up being shared far and wide, creating an entirely new story of its own! Xbox News for Koreans on Twitter responded to the article by sharing a Microsoft response to the
"The FTC ignores the significant benefits of the Transaction..."
Strap yourselves in, folks — here we go again! Earlier this month, the US Federal Trading Commission announced it was filing a suit against Microsoft's attempted takeover of Activision Blizzard, and now Microsoft and ActiBlizz have revealed their responses in court documents. The...
News Xbox Unveils Job Listing For 'Director Of Japan Creator Partnerships'
Another major hire in the region
Microsoft has made a big deal about the need to grow Xbox's presence in Japan over the past couple of years, and it seems like that's still a major focus for the team right now, as a major job role has just opened up at the company. The ad, posted on the Microsoft website, is for a "Director of Japan Creator...
News Hideo Kojima Reveals More About His 'Unusual' New Xbox Project
He's been thinking about it for "five or six years"
We've known that Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima has been working on a project with Xbox Game Studios for a little while, but both parties have remained largely quiet about what we can expect from it. However, speaking to IGN in an interview this week, Kojima
Report EU Regulators Send 91-Page Survey To Xbox Rivals About Activision Blizzard Deal
As part of an extensive investigation
It's hard to keep up with all this Activision Blizzard news, but you may remember that the latest status with the European Commission is that it's conducting a deeper investigation into the acquisition with a deadline of March 2023. We haven't heard much since then, but it's being reported by
News CMA Reveals Public Feedback Has Been Mostly In Favour Of Xbox's ActiBlizz Acquisition
Based on around 2100 responses
The UK Competition and Markets Authority is currently conducting a "Phase 2" investigation into Microsoft's attempted acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and you may remember that a couple of months ago, the authority also began asking the general public for their views on the takeover. Well, those results are now in,...
Talking Point Could Microsoft Be Interested In Acquiring Netflix?
Who knows at this point
Of all the acquisitions we thought we might see from Microsoft in 2022, Activision Blizzard wasn't one of them. The announcement was made all the way back in January, although issues have placed the deal in doubt in recent months. So, what happens in 2023? Aside from the ongoing challenges surrounding the ActiBlizz takeover,
Deals All Backwards Compatible Games In This Week's Xbox Sales (December 20-27)
Original Xbox and Xbox 360 classics
The latest set of new Xbox sales went live earlier this week in the form of Deals with Gold and Spotlight offers, which sit alongside the massive ongoing Xbox Countdown Sale. We also got treated to a few extra reductions on backwards compatible OG Xbox and Xbox 360 games, including for the likes of Assassin's...
News 10 Random 'Gamers' Are Suing Microsoft Over The Activision Blizzard Deal
An antitrust suit filed in San Francisco
This latest update on the Activision Blizzard saga is not one we were expecting! As highlighted by Bloomberg this week, a group of "videogamers" have decided to file a federal antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft's attemp
News What's All This About A Cheaper, Ad-Filled Version Of Xbox Game Pass?
Is Microsoft considering it?
You may have noticed over the weekend that there was a bunch of chatter on social media about a potential cheaper, ad-filled version of Xbox Game Pass. This all started because of a screenshot posted to ResetEra appearing to show an official Spanish-language Microsoft survey, asking users whether they'd be interested in...
News Xbox Cloud Gaming App Extends To More Samsung TVs
Controller rumble is also available!
Back in the summer, Xbox announced that it was beginning to bring its Xbox Cloud Gaming tech to select Smart TVs, starting with manufacturer Samsung's 2022 lineup. In late June the app arrived, allowing gamers to enjoy Xbox on their televisions, and now the team is extending its partnership with Samsung to...
News Microsoft Refers To Lack Of Xbox Exclusives As Why ActiBlizz Deal Should Be Approved
In comparison with PlayStation
Yesterday, we highlighted a Bloomberg report in which Microsoft President Brad Smith revealed his disappointment with the US Federal Trade Commission for not sitting down with the company to discuss a proposal related to Call of Duty. According to the report, this was an offer for
News Microsoft President Talks 'Disappointment' With FTC Over Call Of Duty Proposal
Report says Microsoft's offer was "shrugged off"
The latest update on the Activision Blizzard deal has arrived this Wednesday courtesy of a report from Bloomberg, along with some comments from Microsoft President Brad Smith at the Microsoft Annual Shareholders Meeting 2022. According to the report, Microsoft offered to sign a lega
News Hey Microsoft, Could We Please Get Our Xbox 'Year In Review' Stats For 2022?
Nintendo and PlayStation have theirs!
You may have noticed earlier this week that the PlayStation "Wrap-Up 2022" and Nintendo "Year in Review 2022" stats were officially made available, allowing players to view information about their gaming habits over the past 12 months. We've seen a lot of people asking the question about whether there's an...
Talking Point Should Xbox Start Doing Its Own 'Nintendo Direct' Style Showcases?
Times are changing
The Game Awards 2022 has now come and gone, with long-time host Geoff Keighley delivering another huge in-person event following the digital efforts of the pandemic times. While the show itself brought some great early looks at some of our now-most anticipated games (Judas, we're looking at you), there's no denying that things...
Deals All Backwards Compatible Games In This Week's Xbox Sales (December 13-20)
Original Xbox and Xbox 360 classics
Update: You'll also now find more backwards compatible offers in the Xbox Countdown Sale 2022: <related ids="142699"> Original story: This week's Xbox sales have now gone live, and although the current selection of deals is somewhat limited, there are some really good backwards compatible games from the...
News Xbox Game Pass Is Adding A Bunch Of Riot Games Content Today (December 12)
Perks of the sub
Back at the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase last summer, the team announced another big collaboration in the form of a selection of Riot Games content coming to Game Pass. Today, the first bunch of those goodies arrives, granting PC Game Pass players some nice bonuses for some of Riot's biggest titles. Here's the full list of...
News EU Responds To FTC's Concerns Over Microsoft's Acquisition Of ZeniMax & Activision Blizzard
Update: New report sheds more light on the story
Update: Stephen Totilo of Axios has also been in touch with the European Commission today, shedding a bit more light on this story. You can some of the key information in the tweets below: Totilo goes on to explain that "if you look back at the EU report on the ZeniMax deal, it did state that...
News Gabe Newell: Valve Trusts Microsoft, 10-Year Call Of Duty Offer 'Wasn't Necessary'
"Phil and the team have always followed through..."
Yesterday, Microsoft announced it had "committed to continue to offer" Call of Duty on Steam after the planned acquisition of Activision Blizzard. As reassuring as it is, it seems Valve co-founder and CEO Gabe Newell was never really worried in the first place. Speaking to Kotaku, Gabe revealed...
