People with the mobile Xbox app started to receive test popups because that's how their new provider works. LOL 😆

PS. That was AI marketing tool by the way...

#Xbox@GameDEV
#Microsoft@GameDEV

Laura reveals she was kicked out after an unnamed executive handed her a bathrobe to put on at GDC 2004. She refused, left immediately, and was reorganized out of her role the following week. Even with the support of several colleagues, the HR team gave up on her.

Phil Spencer then stepped in, bringing her onto his team where she contributed to titles like Gears of War.

Phil is generally praised by everyone who speaks of him as a colleague and boss.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKUq3zDa0wc
#Xbox@GameDEV

Bloomberg says that PlayStation is turning away from PC for the next few years to improve their own brand. They are concerned by poor sales of a few recent ports, they no longer want deals with Microsoft, and so on.

Multiplayer and Live Service games will be available on PC, but the story-driven paid games will stay exclusives.

The biggest change happened when PlayStation forced people to use PSN accounts on PC. It was their plan to move people from PC to PS5, but it backfired. Even when restrictions were lifted sales never returned.

#PlayStation@GameDEV
#Consoles@GameDEV
#Xbox@GameDEV

The new Xbox in one image
(Not showing the Xbox)

#Xbox@GameDEV
#Hardware@GameDEV

That's cake

#Xbox@GameDEV
#WTF@GameDEV

Quantum Break is 10 years old now. The game was exceptional but suffered from Xbox attitude:

- Released on Xbox One only and was supposed to be a flagship of new media (Game + TV Series inside the game)
- Moved to PC over a year later into broken then Microsoft Store and with messed up graphics (a lot of effects were forced to be 720p at any output resolution)
- Moved to Steam another year later without any real marketing for the port
- Was mostly purchased at huge discounts on sale (I got it for $3)

Also, the series part was very good but at least on PC there were no controls. One accidental tap on space key and you skip the whole episode 🫡

#Xbox@GameDEV
#Remedy@GameDEV

GamePass got cheaper (as promised) but some upcoming titles will be excluded from it. Which is, in my opinion, a better deal for both sides.

It's still more expensive than before Call of Duty, but they have to account call of duty in the price anyway, just a year later.

#Xbox@GameDEV
#Microsoft@GameDEV

Microsoft is planning to fire about 15% of its current workforce, according to rumours. They came from the special forum where workers can make protected reports (RDT).

- The gaming division is affected
- The official news on 05.06.2026
(May or June)

The same user already reported in January that layoffs are in discussion and 2026 numbers will exceed the 2025 ones. He never mentioned the exact date before but keep a grain of salt just in case.

It's also unclear from his statement if 15% of gaming division is affected or 15% of the whole Microsoft and gaming division is affected.

#Microsoft@GameDEV
#Xbox@GameDEV

Same city by the way

#Xbox@GameDEV

How curious: Microsoft is losing money on nearly everything. Numbers in () are negative values.

Xbox lost 7% of revenue, content and services by 5%, and Xbox devices sales plummeted by 33%. The department is in decline for years in a row. The only 3% boost was back in 2023.

#Microsoft@GameDEV
#Xbox@GameDEV
#Business@GameDEV

Asha Sharma just said that Copilot for games is no longer in development.

It was the idea that the AI can assist you in games, nearly play for you, guide you through tough moments, and such. Asha kinda confirmed that not a single gamer asked for it or supported it.

But she hired her ex-colleagues from AI department to take certain leading roles in the new Xbox. So, I'm not sure if she's doing a good thing or what.

#Xbox@GameDEV
#Microsoft@GameDEV
#AI@GameDEV

Just found out that since 2023 Xbox bans "unauthorized gamepads", i.e. grey market, refurbished units, and even simply "not certified devices".

LOL!

#Xbox@GameDEV
#Microsoft@GameDEV

Meanwhile, the expensive Forza Horizon 6 premium edition already gathered 177K CCU on Steam alone... which is more than FH4 and FH5 peaks COMBINED.

#Microsoft@GameDEV
#Xbox@GameDEV

In the meantime, Xbox is now officially XBOX (all caps). Which was decided from the internal poll.

Funny enough, I remember 14 years ago we've had to write XBOX and NVIDIA all caps and if we didn't, their reps pinged me and asked me to fix that shit.

#Xbox@GameDEV
#Microso@GameDEV

XBOX moved Fable to 2027

1. Buy too many studios
2. They all release on Christmas
3. ???
4. Suffering from success

#XBOX@GameDEV
#RPG@GameDEV

And now XBOX made a huge step to support Godot Engine users:

https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/games/articles/2026/06/building-xbox-games-with-godot/

#GodotEngine@GameDEV
#XBOX@GameDEV
#Microsoft@GameDEV

Hmm, why?!
(Source)

UPD: according to the discussion, the issue goes deeper into the foundation of XBOX. As a "fammily console" it always required all games and their marketing to be "appropriate".

#XBOX@GameDEV

XBOX was hit by the new internal announcement, stating that the profit margin of the gaming department is now at 3% (the healthy one is at least 20%). To counter that, Asha is planning the major reboot and restructuring.

About 1000 people will be fired this summer from the whole XBOX structure, according to the reports.

UPD: news outlets misinformed me — it's "down BY 3% Y2Y", not down to 3%.

#LayOffs@GameDEV
#XBOX@GameDEV

Fable walking animation is still made for female characters, despite half a year of reworks

#Animations@GameDEV
#RPG@GameDEV
#XBOX@GameDEV