#Studio

Gears of War boss says next game won't take seven years

Gears of War boss says the next game won't take seven years to make as he dances around the question of layoffs. https://bit.ly/4hKunr8

Multiversus devs on leaving AAA for indie

"We can't control what the publisher scene looks like, but we can control what we're making, and how we ship it, and how we communicate with an audience" – Why two of the developers behind Multiversus ditched AAA for indie https://bit.ly/4rNOmtG

Star Wars: Zero Company studio says it will bring back as many people as possible after furloughing most developers

The studio behind Star Wars: Zero Company says it will bring back as many people as possible after furloughing most of its developers. Eurogamer reported the news.

Undead Labs discusses split from Xbox, says it must make changes to State of Decay 3 after layoffs

Undead Labs has spoken about its split from Xbox. The studio said it has to make some changes to State of Decay 3 following layoffs.

Supermassive Games suffers layoffs as more than 70 developers appear to have left this week

Supermassive Games has suffered layoffs, with more than 70 developers said to have left the company this week. Eurogamer links to its full report.

Halo Studios Says It Still Intends to Release New Halo Book

Halo Studios says "it is absolutely our intent" to release new Halo book, despite layoffs and a rumored lore reboot from Activision. https://bit.ly/4hJL3PG

Dead by Daylight studio hiring for AAA sci-fi FPS

Dead by Daylight studio is hiring for a triple-A Sci-Fi first-person shooter with "a high realism bar". https://bit.ly/4yAydKG

Star Wars Zero Company studio rehires furloughed staff

The studio behind Star Wars Zero Company is hiring back some of its furloughed staff

Star Wars Zero Company studio Bit Reactor brings back some furloughed staff

Bit Reactor, the developer of Star Wars Zero Company, said this week on Bluesky that it has begun undoing the furloughs that affected over 80% of its staff. CEO Greg Foertsch said the move was a response to unexpected business developments outside the studio's control and was necessary to eventually bring as many people back as possible. Game File cited an unnamed source familiar with the situation saying payroll is back above half its pre-furlough level.

Grasshopper Manufacture splits from NetEase as Suda51 announces independence from October 1

Grasshopper Manufacture CEO Goichi Suda said on September 30 that the studio left NetEase Games by mutual agreement and became independent again from October 1. NetEase acquired the studio from Gung Ho in October 2021 with a goal of three high-profile original titles over ten years; the period produced a remaster of Shadows of the Damned and Romeo is a Dead Man, released on February 10, 2026, whose Steam sales were estimated at about 50,000. Apart from the self-running GPTRACK50 and Studio Flare, whose status is undisclosed, NetEase has now divested all the Japanese studios it founded or acquired, while its Japanese publishing and operations teams remain unaffected.

Gears of War: E-Day Missing Iconic Features

Gears of War: E-Day is missing iconic features like chainsaw duels and meat shields, but The Coalition says we shouldn't worry - they're "not gone from the franchise". https://bit.ly/4dQCUYl

Rockstar HR questioned over Discord mole and timing of GTA 6 dev firings at labor tribunal hearing

At the latest labor tribunal hearing, Rockstar HR was questioned about a Discord mole and the timing of the firings of GTA 6 developers.

Rockstar HR questioned over Discord mole and timing of GTA 6 dev firings at labor tribunal

At an employment tribunal in Glasgow, Scotland, Rockstar Lincoln co-studio manager and HR director Charlie Kinloch was questioned over why the company fired over 30 employees in October 2025 despite having information from a Discord server for years. Rockstar says the firings were for gross misconduct including leaking GTA 6 development details, while the fired developers argue the company wanted to stop the UK union IWGB from gaining a foothold. The fired developers say an informant known as AB sent screenshots of union activity to Kinloch for over two years, and Rockstar announced GTA 6's delay from May 2026 to November 2026 days after the firings; the hearing continues next week and AB is not among the witnesses allowed to be questioned.

Rockstar HR manager claims "little interest" in union status as GTA dev tribunal heats up

Rockstar HR manager claims he had "little interest" in staff's union membership status as fired GTA dev union-busting trial heats up

Rockstar HR manager claims "little interest" in staff's union status as fired GTA dev union-busting trial heats up

Rockstar HR manager claims he had "little interest" in staff's union membership status as fired GTA dev union-busting trail heats up

Report: Double Fine's union petition withdrawn amid miscommunication and culture clash

A Kotaku report says the union petition filed by Double Fine Productions employees in May 2026 was ultimately withdrawn, after the studio's loose organizational culture clashed with US federal union eligibility rules. Some employees reportedly cut off communication with coworkers, and tensions grew between union supporters and those who felt the studio did not need a union. Studio founder and CEO Tim Schafer told Kotaku he chose not to intervene in the discussions because of his role as CEO, and denied any link between the failed union drive and the 23 employees laid off in July 2026, eight of whom were union organizers.

Undead Labs boss discusses layoff numbers and employee-owned shift

The head of Undead Labs said he is reluctant to share how many people were affected by layoffs, saying he would hate to reduce their impact to a number or statistic. The State of Decay developer became an employee-owned studio following ongoing restructuring at Xbox.

Undead Labs boss discusses layoffs and employee ownership after leaving Xbox

Undead Labs studio boss Philip Holt said he is reluctant to share how many employees the studio lost as it became independent of Xbox, saying he would hate to reduce the impact on those individuals to a number or statistic. To gain independence, Holt set up a corporate entity called Full Measure that makes all employees shareholders, and said he submitted a management-led buyout offer that Microsoft thought was a good idea. Undead Labs was one of five studios divested in the initial round of Xbox layoffs, which affected 3,200 employees.

Our Interview With Tim Schafer About Unionization At Psychonauts Studio Double Fine

Kotaku interviewed Double Fine CEO Tim Schafer about the union petition filed at the Psychonauts studio this past May and withdrawn two weeks later. Schafer said he had only heard rumors until a letter with roughly 30 signatures appeared in Slack, after which management stayed hands-off per Microsoft's labor policy. Xbox declined to comment, while the Communications Workers of America provided a statement.

Inside Double Fine's Failed Union Bid: All 8 Organizers Laid Off Two Weeks After Petition Withdrawn

Kotaku spoke with 15 current and former Double Fine employees to reconstruct this year's failed union drive, in which 32 workers filed a petition with the NLRB on May 7 and withdrew it two weeks later. A month after the withdrawal, Microsoft spun Double Fine out as an independent studio and 23 people were laid off, including all eight organizing committee members who signed the withdrawal letter. Organizers say eligibility rules left out much of the studio, while Tim Schafer denied the layoffs were retaliation and said the studio's runway after the Xbox split is a matter of months.

Ubisoft says Rainbow Six Mobile will shut down on January 15, 2027, under eight months after launch

Ubisoft announced that Rainbow Six Mobile will officially shut down on January 15, 2027, less than eight months after its global launch in late February this year. Ubisoft did not attribute the decision to player numbers, saying instead that it aligns resources with the company's long-term strategic priorities; servers stay open until the shutdown date and the next season will still launch as planned, with refund and transition details to come in the coming weeks. The game has millions of downloads on Android and iOS, with Google Play showing over 10 million, and its development team members will move to other long-term strategic projects.

Avalanche to globally publish, market and distribute Supermassive Games titles

Nordisk Games announced a publishing agreement between its subsidiaries Avalanche Studios Group and Supermassive Games, with Avalanche handling global publishing, marketing and distribution of Supermassive titles, starting with Directive 8020, which launched earlier this year. Both studios will share operational support across finance, people and IT while remaining fully creatively independent and retaining ownership of their own portfolios and development plans. Nordisk Games acquired a 30% stake in Supermassive Games in 2021 and acquired Avalanche Studios in 2018.

Ubisoft is shutting down Rainbow Six Mobile in January 2027

Ubisoft is sunsetting Rainbow Six Mobile, with the game set to shut down on January 15, 2027, while the next season will still release as planned next week. Announced in April 2022 and soft-launched in 2023, the game only fully launched in February 2026, and the dev team said it will move on to other long-term strategic projects.

Microsoft's The Coalition largely survives wide-ranging Xbox layoffs

The Coalition, the Microsoft-owned studio behind Gears of War: E-Day, Gears 4 and Gears 5, has largely survived the wide-ranging cuts and layoffs at Xbox. The layoffs were initiated by Xbox CEO Asha Sharma in an attempt to bring the gaming division back to profitability.

Former Softon CEO Sued for Embezzling 450 Million Won Over No-Show Jobs for 4 Nightclub Women

Yoo Tae-ho, former CEO of Dark Eden developer Softon, has been indicted for embezzlement and breach of trust totaling 450 million won after arranging four women he met at nightclubs into no-show positions at Softon and affiliate One Tang Tang Games. One woman, Kang, held the title of "head of business planning" without ever working, receiving nearly 186 million won in salary plus a chauffeured Audi A6, while over 96% of the 429 million won in embezzlement flowed to the four women. Publisher Wemade, which had invested 2.5 billion won in Softon, filed a civil suit for return of funds and a criminal complaint for fraud; Yoo resigned as CEO in July 2025 and the case remains in court.

Gravity Well lays off more than 40 developers after losing its funding

Gravity Well has laid off more than 40 developers after losing its funding.

Xbox forms XP division to oversee film, products, live events and partnerships

Xbox announced a new division called XP that manages the non-video game side of its properties, grouping Xbox Pictures, Xbox Products, Xbox Places and Xbox Partnerships. It will be led by Kayleen Walters, current president of Mojang, with Maria Angelidou-Smith taking over Mojang; both report to Xbox CEO Asha Sharma. XP covers projects including the Minecraft movie sequel Minecraft Squared, the Amazon Fallout series, the newly announced Diablo animated series, and events such as BlizzCon and Minecraft Live.

Xbox gets into the movie business as it lays off developers and closes studios

Xbox is getting into the movie business while it lays off developers and closes studios. PC Gamer reported the move and linked to its article.

Former Activision CEO Bobby Kotick joins Skydance board

Former Activision CEO Bobby Kotick has joined the board of Skydance, the company formed by merging Warner Bros. into Paramount, as one of 13 board members, with former UK prime minister Tony Blair joining as an advisor. The merger also combined the two companies' games divisions, now led by Tony Driscoll, whose franchises include Mortal Kombat, Mission Impossible, Avatar and Hogwarts Legacy 2. Kotick stepped down as Activision CEO after Xbox's $68.7bn acquisition in 2023, and he continues to deny claims in a Wall Street Journal report about his knowledge of sexual-misconduct allegations.

Xbox forms XP division to expand franchises into film, TV, products, and live experiences

Xbox announced the formation of XP, a new division focused on expanding its franchises beyond games into film and television, consumer products, strategic partnerships, and live experiences. The division will be led by newly appointed president Kayleen Walters, who spent 13 years at Lucasfilm and most recently served as president of Mojang, where she helped oversee Minecraft's growth to more than 425 million units sold and its expansion into merchandising, film, and theme parks. XP formalizes four areas of investment: Xbox Pictures, Xbox Products, Xbox Places, and Xbox Partnerships.

Star Wars Zero Company studio brings furloughed devs back

After the release of Star Wars Zero Company, a report said about 80% of Bit Reactor's employees had been furloughed. The studio has now brought those furloughed developers back, according to Polygon.

Microsoft announces Xbox XP division covering film, TV, consumer products, and live events

Microsoft announced Xbox XP, a new division spanning film and television, consumer products, strategic partnerships, and live experiences, led by former Lucasfilm executive and Mojang president Kayleen Walters. XP has four investment areas: Xbox Pictures, Xbox Products, Xbox Places, and Xbox Partnerships, with Mari Angelidou-Smith taking over Mojang and both reporting to Xbox CEO Asha Sharma. Xbox already has a second Minecraft movie, a third season of Amazon Prime's Fallout, a Call of Duty film, and a Netflix Diablo animated series in the works.

Xbox launches licensing arm XP and hands Mojang to ex-Meta executive

Xbox announced a new division called XP, led by former Mojang president Kayleen Walters, with four areas of focus: Xbox Pictures, Xbox Products, Xbox Places and Xbox Partnerships, aimed at earning more revenue from franchises such as Fallout and Minecraft through licensing deals. Mojang also has a new CEO, Maria Angelidou-Smith, who spent nearly a decade at Meta working on Facebook groups, events, creators, search, profile and monetisation. Xbox is currently carrying out multiple rounds of layoffs that will ultimately cut 3,200 people.

Xbox forms XP division for film, TV, licensing and theme parks

Xbox announced a new XP business unit focused on transmedia brand extensions, including the Fallout TV series and the Minecraft World theme park. The division will be led by current Mojang Studios president Kayleen Walters, with Reddit chief product officer Maria Angelidou-Smith taking over at Mojang. XP covers four areas: Xbox Pictures for film and TV, Xbox Products for licensing and merchandise, Xbox Partnerships for sponsors and brand partners, and Xbox Places for broadcast, events and theme parks.

Xbox announces new Xbox XP division, with Kayleen Walters as president

Xbox announced a new division called Xbox XP, led by newly appointed president Kayleen Walters. Its scope covers film and television, consumer products, strategic partnerships and live experiences, according to the official Xbox news page.

Xbox announces XP entertainment division for film, TV, and more

Xbox announced a new film, TV, and entertainment division called XP, led by former Mojang president and Lucasfilm veteran Kayleen Walters. XP covers four areas: Xbox Pictures, Xbox Products, Xbox Partnerships, and Xbox Places, and Microsoft said it is not a production company but will seek partners across film, TV, physical experiences, and consumer products. Microsoft also named Maria Angelidou-Smith, previously Reddit's chief product officer, as the new CEO of Mojang.

Microsoft sets up Xbox XP division for film, TV and non-games partnerships

Microsoft announced a new Xbox division called XP, made up of Xbox Places, Xbox Pictures, Xbox Partnerships and Xbox Products, with a focus on cross-media work such as film and TV. It will be led by Kayleen Walters, formerly studio head of Mojang Studios and vice president of franchise development at Microsoft. Xbox Places will oversee the Minecraft theme parks opening in the US and UK, backed by over £85m of investment from Mojang and Xbox and expected to open between 2026 and 2027.

Xbox announces new entertainment division XP, led by Kayleen Walters

Xbox announced a new entertainment division called XP, headed by Kayleen Walters, who previously worked at Mojang and Lucasfilm. The division combines the company's existing film and TV, consumer products, strategic partnerships and live events businesses into four areas. Microsoft has said its long-term goal is to become the world's largest entertainment company.

Microsoft forms new Xbox division XP, names new Mojang and Minecraft CEO

In an internal note to Xbox employees, Microsoft said Kayleen Walters is moving from Mojang to become President of XP, a new Xbox division, while Maria Angelidou-Smith joins Xbox as CEO of Mojang and Minecraft on October 19. Both report to Asha. XP, a play on Experience Points, covers four areas: XBOX PICTURES, XBOX PRODUCTS, XBOX PARTNERSHIPS and XBOX PLACES. Maria previously led Facebook Groups and other products at Meta and served as Chief Product Officer at Reddit.

Same story, shown on the selected item Microsoft forms new XBOX division XP, led by President Kayleen Walters

Microsoft forms new XBOX division XP, led by President Kayleen Walters

Microsoft announced XP, a new XBOX division led by newly appointed President Kayleen Walters, covering film and television, consumer products, strategic partnerships and live experiences. The division consolidates capabilities previously spread across XBOX teams and formalizes four investment areas: XBOX PICTURES, XBOX PRODUCTS, XBOX PLACES and XBOX PARTNERSHIPS. Walters spent 13 years at Lucasfilm, and at Mojang Minecraft grew from 350 million units sold to over 425 million.