In a shocking turn of events that has sent ripples through the gaming industry, Microsoft has officially canceled development on Perfect Dark, the long-awaited reboot of the beloved spy-action franchise. As part of the fallout, Xbox has dissolved The Initiative—the Santa Monica-based studio founded to lead the project—and has reportedly ended its collaboration with Crystal Dynamics.

Just weeks after launching Splitgate 2, developer 1047 Games has confirmed a small round of layoffs—citing the need to redirect development resources and perfect the post-launch experience. The studio also revealed that co-founders Ian Proulx and Nick Bagamian are temporarily forgoing their salaries as part of the effort to stabilize and support ongoing development

In a move that has sent fresh shockwaves through the tech industry, Microsoft is reportedly planning another round of mass layoffs, just months after eliminating over 6,000 positions earlier this year. According to internal reports and sources familiar with the matter, the company is preparing to cut “thousands more” jobs across multiple divisions, citing ongoing restructuring and economic realignment.

The long-simmering controversy surrounding Ubisoft is now in the spotlight as a major sexual harassment trial has officially begun in France. This landmark case sees several former Ubisoft employees testifying against current and former executives, alleging a culture of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation at one of the gaming industry’s biggest publishers.

In an industry increasingly shaped by services and subscription models, one of gaming’s most respected voices has raised a red flag. Shuhei Yoshida, the head of Sony’s Independent Developer Initiative and former president of PlayStation Studios, has publicly criticized the growing reliance on subscription-based game models—calling some approaches “dangerous” and unsustainable for the future of gaming.