Microsoft intends to put its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard to use by releasing the next Call of Duty game directly on its Game Pass subscription service, the Wall Street Journal reports. The WSJ says the plan will be announced at Xbox’s annual summer showcase on June 9.
Ex-Blizzard boss says Phil Spencer will be ‘hurting as much as anyone else’ over Xbox studio closures
07.05.2024 - 21:55 / videogameschronicle.com / Phil Spencer / Arkane Austin / Mike Ybarra / Bethesda Softworks / Matt Booty / Tango Gameworks / Arkane Studios / Arkane Lyon / Dinga Bakaba / Tom Ivan / Will
Former Blizzard boss Mike Ybarra has claimed that Xbox head Phil Spencer will be hurting “as much as anyone else” following the closure of four first-party studios.
On Tuesday, news broke that Microsoft is planning to close Redfall developer Arkane Austin, Hi-Fi Rush maker Tango Gameworks, and fellow Bethesda studios Alpha Dog and Roundhouse.
News of the closures leaked via an internal email from Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty, before being confirmed on official social media channels for some of the studios, as well as through the personal accounts of affected employees and their unhappy colleagues.
The latter included Arkane Lyon studio director Dinga Bakaba, who publicly criticised Microsoft executives for their decision to close several studios, calling the news “a fucking gut stab”.
With no official acknowledgement of today’s events from Xbox itself, the company’s leadership has faced a wave of online criticism from members of the gaming community who feel that mismanagement and corporate greed are to blame for the studio closures.
But Xbox boss Phil Spencer has received a show of support from ex-Blizzard president Ybarra, who recently left the World of Warcraft studio as part of mass layoffs at Microsoft’s gaming division that were announced in January, and which today’s studio closures are likely part of.
I see a lot of shots at Phil over today’s Xbox announcements. I get it. But knowing him as a human, I know this hurts him as much as anyone else. I can’t speak for all of the leadership there, but I do know him and I do know what he is likely going through.
I’m not trying to…
— Mike Ybarra (@Qwik) <a target="_blank" rel=«noopener» class=«link-external» href=«https://twitter.com/Qwik/status/1787914959541911727?ref_src=» https:>May 7, 2024
“I see a lot of shots at Phil over today’s Xbox announcements,” he wrote on X. “I get it. But knowing him as a human, I know this hurts him as much as anyone else. I can’t speak for all of the leadership there, but I do know him and I do know what he is likely going through.
“I’m not trying to defend the decisions. I think we all get ourselves into situations that are tough and unexpected (certainly I have). It’s part of the job, as is the accountability for the outcomes. But he’s a good human and he cares deeply for the creative process and developers. That’s my first hand experience in working closely with him for 8+ years and knowing him for 24+.
Unfortunately, you learned absolutely nothing, Xbox. pic.twitter.com/3WLPXRTzFC
— Klobrille (@klobrille) <a target="_blank" rel=«noopener» class=«link-external» href=«https://twitter.com/klobrille/status/1787894632577114298?ref_src=» https:>May 7, 2024
“I 100% understand the anger and confusion, and I feel deeply sorry for
The website gametalkz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
Top Authors
Popular Topics
ign.com
17.05.2024 / 14:41
Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Reportedly Set to Launch Straight Into Xbox Game Pass
Microsoft will soon announce its intention to release this year’s mainline Call of Duty game straight into Game Pass, according to a new report.
pushsquare.com
17.05.2024 / 00:34
Fans Positively Review Bomb Hi-Fi Rush in Wake of Xbox’s Closure of Tango Gameworks | Push Square
In a development you don't see every day, following the closure of Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks, swarms of fans have expressed their outrage by positively review bombing the game on Steam. This reverse review bombing campaign has resulted in several thousand Positive new reviews rising to the top since the news of Bethesda's Microsoft-mandated restructure broke last week.
pushsquare.com
17.05.2024 / 00:31
Vengeful Fallout 76 Players Keep Nuking Xbox Boss Phil Spencer's Camp | Push Square
Following a devastating week of Bethesda studio closures, which coincides with the Fallout franchise's recent bump in popularity (thanks to Amazon's excellent adaptation), it was only natural for the pressure to erupt somewhere. In a legitimately hilarious turn, vengeful Fallout 76 players have been venting their spleens on Phil Spencer's in-game encampment, repeatedly detonating nukes on top of it, reducing the surrounding landscape into an (even more) uninhabitable wasteland.
gamingbolt.com
16.05.2024 / 18:07
Hi-Fi Rush Gets Final Update After Studio Closure
While developer Tango Gameworks has been shut down by Microsoft, the studio’s most recent title—Hi-Fi Rush—is getting one more update. Out today, the update is available on PS5 and PC, and brings with it a host of smaller bugs throughout the game. Check out the complete patch notes below for more details.
gamesindustry.biz
13.05.2024 / 15:51
Let's talk about those Xbox studio closures... | Microcast
The latest episode of the GI Microcast is now available in podcast form, delivering your weekly dive into the biggest stories of the past week. The video will be available tomorrow.
gamingbolt.com
10.05.2024 / 18:03
Xbox President Responds to Studio Closures: “Our Commitment is to Make Sure That the Business is Healthy”
Xbox president Sarah Bond has responded to some of the criticisms faced by the company in the wake of its recent decisions to shutter a bunch of development studios, laying off employees in the process. In an interview with Bloomberg, Bond referred to the decision as one made to ensure the health of Xbox as a business.
gamesradar.com
10.05.2024 / 12:53
Fallout 76 player who nuked Phil Spencer says it was nothing personal: "He was the final boss in my eyes - In an RPG I prefer to be the bad guy"
The Fallout 76 player who nuked Phil Spencer's in-game camp wasn't protesting the recent closure of Bethesda studios but had instead been planning the attack for weeks.
videogameschronicle.com
10.05.2024 / 08:37
Xbox president says studio closures were made to keep business ‘healthy for the long term’
Xbox president Sarah Bond has spoken more about the company’s decision to close four Bethesda studios earlier this week.
ign.com
09.05.2024 / 21:59
Limited Run Says Hi-Fi Rush Physical Edition Is Still a Go After Tango Gameworks Closure
After Microsoft unexpectedly announced it closed Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks, some wondered whether the previously announced physical version of the game would ever see the light of day. But don't worry — despite Tango Gameworks' closure, Limited Run Games is still planning to release a physical edition of the studio's final project.
gamerant.com
09.05.2024 / 18:32
May 14 Will Be a Big Day for Overwatch 2 D.Va Fans
Overwatch 2's collab with Porsche, which will add a white Macan Turbo Electric skin for D.Va, is finally happening next week. The tenth season of Overwatch 2 introduced an interesting Mirrorwatch theme which sees some of the franchise's heroes and villains swap roles and abilities in a limited time mode. Additionally, the latest DPS hero, Venture, joined the roster, giving players the ability to burrow underground, become invincible, and set up surprise attacks on opposing players from below.
gamerant.com
09.05.2024 / 18:32
Big Redfall Update Was in the Works Before Studio Closure
It seems Redfall was gearing up to release a big update for May 2024 before Arkane Austin was suddenly shuttered by Xbox. Redfall got off to a very rough start when it first launched last year. The game released to overwhelmingly negative reviews and was quickly abandoned. Despite this, there were still plans to release Redfall DLC characters and updates to improve the experience.