Xbox's new chief strategist is a metaverse true believer Matthew Ball was hired to help fix Xbox. Will gamers like what he prescribes? PC Gamer · Jul 10
'Surprised there was anyone left to post this': Fans react as The Elder Scrolls Online debuts seasonal content days after hundreds laid off from studio Bad timing, or the worst timing? PC Gamer · Jul 10
Microsoft responds to racist Xbox layoff conspiracy theory, says CEO Asha Sharma is 'American born, raised, and educated' There are a lot of good reasons to criticize the people responsible for Xbox layoffs, but racism isn't one of them. PC Gamer · Jul 10
Microsoft comms lead says Xbox layoffs "were not made to replace employees with foreign workers" in response to "bad information" "The H-1B figures being referenced are Microsoft-wide visa renewals" GamesRadar · Jul 10
"We still have the crew we need": Xbox's DOOM dev id Software responds to layoffs, assures fans "we're going to keep building the great games and tech" Xbox's DOOM studio id Software has officially responded to cuts at the developer, promising players that it will go on and continue working on new games. Windows Central · Jul 10
id Software provides proof of life, says it 'still has the crew we need to build the games and tech we're known for' after massive layoffs "The team today is about the same size we were when making DOOM (2016)." PC Gamer · Jul 10
"Our next steps are to mobilize": Bethesda union members are protesting Xbox's layoffs with a 'Save Our Devs' march next week after 440 ZeniMax cuts Union workers at Bethesda are marching against Xbox layoffs at ZeniMax studios next week during a protest that will be held across four cities. Windows Central · Jul 10
Microsoft discovers new multi-malware package 'GigaWiper' capable of deploying wipers and ransomware One wiper can destroy a computer in different ways, but it can also spy on users. TechRadar · Jul 10
Congressman Buys SpaceX Stock After IPO: Trade Could Be Down 23% Already Another member of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee has disclosed buying shares of SpaceX (NASDAQ:SPCX) after the company’s highly anticipated IPO. Benzinga · Jul 10
Bethesda's last Skyrim concept artist has been laid off after "almost 18 years of dedication to The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and Starfield" amid Xbox cuts: "It has been my honor" Ray Lederer contributed to several of the studio's biggest games GamesRadar · Jul 10
Microsoft’s emissions just jumped 25% because AI datacenters are exploding in size, and dropping renewable credits finally exposed how much power the company is burning to fuel its AI ambitions While some claimed Microsoft emissions hit 34 million metric tons, the raw data shows actual emissions were much less. It was still a 25% increase, but there's important context missing. Windows Central · Jul 10
Summary: what's happening at Xbox? Everything we know about the "Xbox Reset," from Compulsion and Double Fine going independent to Bethesda layoffs and what it means for future Xbox games GamesRadar · Jul 10
Mistral Vibe review Mistral Vibe packs agentic work automation and cloud coding into one assistant, with strong privacy guarantees and API pricing that undercuts most rivals. TechRadar · Jul 10
Bank of England handed powers to regulate key tech firms including Amazon and Google Direct oversight of ‘critical third parties’ such as Oracle and Microsoft given to ensure resilient cyber-defences and help safeguard UK economy The Guardian - UK · Jul 10
GamesRadar · Jul 10 Xbox confirms there isn't just "1 person left in Texas" working on id Software's engine following mass layoffs, but "dozens" across "multiple locations" A former dev claims the VFX team is down to one artist, however
Evening Standard · Jul 10 UK to regulate cloud service providers to protect financial system The move is designed to protect the country’s financial system and make sure they have measures in place to support outages or disruption.
TechRadar · Jul 10 'I find myself in the novel position of looking for a job' — 27-year Bethesda veteran who designed Skyrim's humanoid races and a Microsoft dev behind Xbox backwards compatibility have been laid off Thousands of Xbox staff have been laid off, including two industry veterans who worked at Microsoft and Bethesda for decades.
PC Gamer · Jul 10 Bethesda union staff to march outside studios over Xbox layoffs: 'The company wants us to accept this as a done deal and quietly disappear' "We need to show management right now that we mean business."
Windows Central · Jul 10 As physical media fades, Windows 11’s Cloud rebuild shows how tech giants should handle user choice Windows 11 is testing a new Cloud rebuild feature to reset your PC without a USB drive. Microsoft added the feature to Windows 11 rather than forcing a cloud-first future on us. I wish Sony would get the memo.
The Times of India · Jul 10 'Critical third parties': UK puts Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Oracle under financial oversight Major cloud providers like Microsoft and Google are now critical third parties. This designation brings their cloud operations under direct regulatory oversight. The new framework aims to safeguard the country's financial system resilience. This move addresses increasing reliance on cloud services by financial firms. The regulations take effect on July…
Windows Central · Jul 10 The Windows Central Podcast breaks down the Copilot OS leaks, the latest Microsoft layoffs, and what all of this means for the future of Windows and the company’s AI strategy On this week's episode: Daniel, Zac and Jez discuss the Microsoft's big wave of layoffs and how it impacts Xbox, the recent Copilot OS leaked, and a recap on where things stand with Surface.
GamesRadar · Jul 10 id Software co-founder says "my 'Microsoft will probably be a good steward of the brand' statement isn't aging well" after the Doom maker lost 136 of its 185 staff to layoffs "You can't rule out the possibility that executives are idiots, but that shouldn't be your default belief"
TechRadar · Jul 10 The dangerous myth of the ‘best’ AI model Which AI model is best? The answer isn't one provider, it is a combination through model-independence.
Windows Central · Jul 10 What's going on with Xbox's id Software? Here's why rumors of the DOOM studio's impending demise are completely premature. While brutal, the cuts to id Software have been aggressively exaggerated in the wider discourse. From what I've learned, I'm confident the legendary DOOM studio will endure — id Tech as well.
The Economic Times · Jul 10 Starbucks taps tech's wonder kid and serves Microsoft, IBM a cold brew Starbucks is developing artificial intelligence tools internally to replace existing software. These new applications could replace systems currently bought from Microsoft and IBM. The coffee chain aims to reduce significant annual spending on software licenses. Some of these AI-powered tools may be implemented by the end of next year. This…