Latest Xbox, multi-platform Game News & Updates
☁ Xbox, multi-platform News
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🎮 PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, Multi-platform‘In Trusted Hands’ has you repairing phones and paying the price
In Trusted Hands is a management style game where you are running a phone repair shop. You run a pretty small outlet and it’s a pretty simple job; people come to you... The post ‘In Trusted Hands’ has you repairing phones and paying the price(https://indiegamesplus.com/in-trusted-hands-review/) appeared first on Indie Games Plus(https://indiegamesplus.com).
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformXbox May Shut Down Obsidian Entertainment, Too
As a massive layoff plan looms over Xbox's various subsidiaries, new reports suggest that the iconic RPG studio Obsidian Entertainment is on the chopping block, too. According to a July 2 The Game Business report(https://www.thegamebusiness.com/p/xbox-divided-over-its-future-and), it appears that Compulsion Games, Double Fine, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs aren't the only studios Xbox is looking to offload. Obsidian Entertainment--the studio behind games like Avowed, Fallout: New Vegas, Grounded, The Outer Worlds, and more--may get cut loose as well. As The Game Business noted, Xbox is looking to "reallocate where it spends money." Reportedly, the company wants to invest in its big franchises--presumably the likes of Gears of War and Halo--but it needs to trim the fat to do so. And doing so means either selling or shuttering a handful of Xbox Games Studios subsidiaries. Like many of these other studios, The Game Business clarified that these teams are "deep in negotiation" with Microsoft to avoid closure. This story is developing...
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformXbox Game Pass Is Removing A Lot Of Games Very Soon
Microsoft is removing more titles from Xbox Game Pass(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/upcoming-game-pass-titles/1100-6534406/), and it looks like there could be a lot of removals for July. The "leaving soon" page on Xbox's website(https://www.xbox.com/en-us/play/gallery/leaving-soon) lists off 11 titles set for removal on July 15. These include Golf With Your Friends, Stellaris, EA Sports FC 24, PowerWash Simulator, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider. You can see the full list below, as relayed by PureXbox(https://www.purexbox.com/news/2026/07/11-games-are-leaving-xbox-game-pass-in-early-july-2026). While PowerWash Simulator is leaving, PowerWash Simulator 2 is still on Game Pass. This is expected to be the first of two sets of removals for July, as Microsoft typically axes titles in the middle of the month and then again at the end. As a silver lining, Game Pass subscribers can save 20% on these titles before they leave. As for new additions for July, we know that Halo: Campaign Evolved (July 28) is among the new additions, but the rest have not yet been announced. For more, check out GameSpot's rundown of the best Game Pass games(https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/best-xbox-game-pass-games/2900-4001/). Game Pass removals for July 15 - Golf With Your Friends -- console, PC, cloud - Stellaris -- console, PC, cloud - EA Sports FC 24 -- console, cloud - My Friendly Neighborhood -- console, PC, cloud - Super Fantasy Kingdom -- PC - PowerWash Simulator -- console, PC, cloud - Whiskerwood -- PC - Techtonica -- console, PC cloud - Dungeons of Hinterberg -- console, PC, cloud - Back to the Dawn -- console, PC, cloud - Shadow of the Tomb Raider -- console, PC, cloud
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformXbox’s ‘reset’: all the news about Microsoft’s looming layoffs and studio closures
Xbox is making some big changes — again. On June 10th, a few months after Asha Sharma took over as CEO, she and newly-promoted chief content officer Matt Booty sent a memo to staff warning of an &8220;Xbox reset.&8221; The business, they said, is facing significant challenges, including a 3 percent &8220;accountability margin,&8221; massively higher &8230;
🎮 PlayStation, Xbox, Multi-platformXbox tests digitizing physical games ahead of Project Helix launch
Xbox is reportedly working on a way to make digital copies of your physical games. It's unknown whether or not Project Helix will have a disc drive.
🎮 PlayStation, Xbox, Multi-platformPS5 fans are in total shock over Sony putting an end to physical game releases
Sony fans have lots of strong feelings about PS5 games going all digital in 2028, especially after PlayStation executives mocked Xbox a decade ago
🎮 PlayStation, Xbox, Multi-platformNext-Gen Xbox May Not Have Disc Drive, Disc-To-Digital Feature Coming, Reports Say
Following Sony's announcement that it will not support PlayStation discs starting in 2028(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-confirms-playstation-disc-production-will-end-in-2028/) and conjecture that the PS6 won't have a disc drive(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-sony-is-killing-disc-based-playstation-games-and-the-implications-for-ps6-and-beyond/), it's now been reported that Microsoft's next-gen Xbox, Project Helix(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/next-xbox-release-date-specs-display-price/1100-6525379/), won't have a disc drive either. Jez Corden of Windows Central reported today(https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/playstation-kills-physical-games-as-xbox-and-sony-continue-making-poor-decisions) that Project Helix will not have a disc drive. The report did not include any further details, but this would not be a surprising development given the increasing percentage of games sold digitally compared to physical, along with existing precedent. The Verge(https://www.theverge.com/report/960173/microsoft-xbox-disc-to-digital-feature-physical-game-collection?viewtoken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJpZCI6IjRmOEljak1IR1IiLCJwIjoiL3JlcG9ydC85NjAxNzMvbWljcm9zb2Z0LXhib3gtZGlzYy10by1kaWdpdGFsLWZlYXR1cmUtcGh5c2ljYWwtZ2FtZS1jb2xsZWN0aW9uIiwiZXhwIjoxNzgzMzU5Njk2LCJpYXQiOjE3ODI5Mjc2OTZ9.oIfTRukq2XbJkjjtGK4EYmJ6Qm5KXSejNZwdcWqWf9U&utmmedium=gift-link), meanwhile, reported that Microsoft has not decided yet about if Project Helix will have a disc drive. The report also said Microsoft is working on a disc-to-digital feature that would allow users to transition their physical games to digital ones. This feature, which Xbox employees are now reportedly testing, will allow users to convert Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S discs to digital copies; there will apparently be no support for Xbox 360 and original Xbox discs. "Getting a digital copy of a game works simply by inserting a compatible disc and installing and playing the game. This will require a Microsoft account on an Xbox console and will grant a digital entitlement for physical games," the report said. "This digital entitlement is tied to the specific disc, and it will move from account to account if you swap the physical game with a friend or log in to a different Xbox profile and try to play a disc-based game." Not all existing discs will be supported, though, the report said. Supported discs for the disc-to-digital program will continue to work as discs even after being digitized, the report said. However, the entitlements are tied to specific consoles and the entitlements will end if people give away their discs. . !(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Helix.jpg?w=1024) Project Helix may not have a disc drive. Microsoft already offers a digital-only version of the Xbox Series X, while all Xbox Series S consoles do not have disc drives. Microsoft has been plotting a future for consoles with no disc drives for more than a decade, as the company considered doing away with the disc drive for the Xbox One.(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-considered-xbox-one-with-no-disc-drive/1100-6416883/) While many millions of games continue to be sold physically on discs(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstations-disc-based-game-sales-have-dropped-dramatically-in-recent-years/), the share of digital games compared to disc-based games sold continues to grow in favor of digital. Sony had its highest-ever quarterly digital game sales period(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-just-reported-a-new-record-breaking-high-figure-but-its-unsurprising/1100-6539856/) just before it announced it was abandoning discs. Companies like EA, Capcom, Nintendo, and others have reported increased shares of digital game sales, too(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstations-disc-based-game-sales-have-dropped-dramatically-in-recent-years/). Sony said it was ending support for discs because the majority of its users buy games digitally, and that's likely true for Xbox as well. Sony publishes this data in its quarterly reports, but Microsoft is much more secretive and doesn't share much in the way of concrete data for how its Xbox division is performing. Not much is known about Project Helix, apart from Microsoft touting it as a system that will "push the boundaries of rendering and simulation." At Summer Game Fest recently, Xbox's Matthew Ball said Microsoft remained committed to releasing Project Helix(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/is-xbox-fixable/), despite ongoing concerns about component and memory pricing due to the AI craze.
🎮 PlayStation, Xbox, Multi-platformXbox testing disc-to-digital feature that digitizes a physical game collection
Microsoft will likely soon follow Sony and stop the production of physical discs for Xbox games. But instead of leaving physical discs behind entirely, sources familiar with Microsoft's plans tell me the company has quietly been working on a disc-to-digital feature that will allow Xbox owners to digitize their existing physical game collections. Xbox employees &8230;
🎮 PlayStation, Xbox, Multi-platformWhat PlayStation's digital-only future means for PS6, explained
While Sony's end of disc games doesn’t mention PlayStation 6, there are several things we can infer about the its plans for a new wave of hardware.
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformXbox upheaval news: Rumors, changes, and cancelled games in 2026
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has implemented many changes over the past month. Here's every rumor, change, and game cancellation in our running news roundup.
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformIO Interactive Faces Layoffs After Xbox Ends Partnership For Its Upcoming Online RPG Project Fantasy
!Game Informer News(https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/bodydefault/public/2026/06/30/7d283510/project-fantasy-concept-IOinteractive.jpg.webp) In 2023, Hitman and 007 First Light developer IO Interactive announced a surprising new IP, an online RPG codenamed Project Fantasy. While that game is still on the way, it has hit a snag that will result in layoffs. IO posted an update(https://x.com/IOInteractive/status/2072005107797893315) on the game, stating that “A relationship with an external partner on our own IP, Project Fantasy, has come to an end. This means we have to adapt to this new reality and its short-term consequences, including staffing decisions, which is what is happening as we write this update, and we are fully committed to supporting those affected through this challenging transition.” Bloomberg(https://re-evaluates investment decisions) has reported that Xbox confirmed to the outlet that it was the "external partner" funding the project and that it has pulled out of the relationship as it re-evaluates its investments. An Xbox spokesperson told Bloomberg that despite the news, the company is not investing less in video games, but rather plans to invest the same amount as it did last year. "What's changing is where we're investing and the kinds of projects we're backing," said the spokesperson. Despite this setback, IO remains committed to continuing work on Project Fantasy, writing that it is “a game, a world, and an IP that we absolutely love and remain 100% committed to, now and in the future. This wonderful universe will see the light of day.” > Dear gaming community, > > For a good while, it has been all positive news from IO Interactive. We remain humbled and honored by the response to our latest outing with a young, unproven Bond. A bold new story and a take on one of the most famous characters in entertainment, which… > > — IO Interactive (@IOInteractive) June 30, 2026(https://x.com/IOInteractive/status/2072005107797893315?refsrc=twsrc%5Etfw) Project Fantasy was revealed in February 2023. At the time IO wrote of the game(https://ioi.dk/project-fantasy?utmsource=Twitter&utmcampaign=Spring23Rec&utmmedium=Social) that it is “A world and a game built from the core to entertain players and expand for many years to come. It feels familiar, yet at the same time IOI is going on a journey unlike any we have been on before.” “For many, this journey is also a deeply personal one that began long before we started making games for a living – and it started with the fantasy genre,” IO wrote in Project Fantasy’s announcement post. “From the “Fighting Fantasy” books compelling you to choose your path, alone, against wizards, lizards, and thief kings. To the togetherness, camaraderie, agony, and delight found around the tabletop. For some it meant taking the role of a game master: Part storyteller, part AI opponent, part guide, part villain. For everyone around that table it meant creativity, imagination, building a world together, and a shared goal in creating a great game experience.” Earlier this year, IO released 007 First Light to positive reviews and strong sales. You can read our review of that game here(https://gameinformer.com/review/007-first-light/cinematic-flair).
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformHideo Kojima’s OD Is Reportedly Safe From Upcoming Xbox Cuts
Hideo Kojima's Xbox console-exclusive horror game, OD(https://www.gamespot.com/games/od/), is reportedly safe amidst reports and rumors of studio closures, layoffs, and game cancellations at Xbox loom. According to a report from IGN(https://www.ign.com/articles/hideo-kojimas-xbox-horror-game-od-is-safe-from-microsofts-reset-plan-but-other-games-are-on-the-chopping-block), a source familiar with Microsoft's Xbox plans has stated OD remains in development at Kojima Productions and will still be published by Xbox. Not much is known about OD(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/hideo-kojimas-od-release-date-gameplay-and-everything-we-know/1100-6533769/), but it was announced during an Xbox showcase in June 2022, with only a few brief glimpses since. It is set to star three actors-- Sophia Lillis, Hunter Schafer, and the late Udo Kier--and is being made in collaboration with director Jordan Peele. Kojima said in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly(https://ew.com/xbox-25th-anniversary-hollywood-adaptations-cover-story-exclusive-12003252) that while pitching OD, most people didn't understand the concept. Former Xbox CEO Phil Spencer, however, understood, resulting in a partnership between Kojima Productions and Xbox. When OD will release is unknown, but news that its development will continue comes as Xbox seems poised to undergo a painful transition under new CEO Asha Sharma. It was just earlier today that 007 First Light developer IO Interactive announced layoffs(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/hitman-007-first-light-studio-begins-layoffs-as-its-fantasy-rpg-project-suffers-setbacks/) after it was confirmed by Bloomberg that Microsoft had pulled funding for the studio's upcoming Project Fantasy game. In a statement(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-focusing-on-highest-priorities-claims-its-not-cutting-back-overall-spending-on-games/), Microsoft said it would not be "reducing our overall investment in games," but changing "where we're investing and the kinds of projects we're backing." A number of Xbox studios and games are reportedly on the chopping block, with the possibility of some being spun out from under Xbox, being sold to other companies, or being closed entirely. One game said to be in danger of cancellation is Marvel's Blade(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-could-cancel-marvels-blade-and-close-its-developer/), from developer Arkane. Blade was announced in 2023 but no gameplay has been shown. In a quote(https://www.ign.com/articles/bethesda-boss-todd-howard-saw-marvels-blade-in-may-says-arkane-doing-a-really-really-great-job) from May, Bethesda's Todd Howard said he recently saw the game and that Arkane was doing a "really, really great job." According to a report from The Verge(https://www.theverge.com/report/959467/microsoft-xbox-cancel-blade-game-arkane-studios-closure?viewtoken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJpZCI6Inp0bjNNQk1pVm0iLCJwIjoiL3JlcG9ydC85NTk0NjcvbWljcm9zb2Z0LXhib3gtY2FuY2VsLWJsYWRlLWdhbWUtYXJrYW5lLXN0dWRpb3MtY2xvc3VyZSIsImV4cCI6MTc4MzI3MDkyMSwiaWF0IjoxNzgyODM4OTIxfQ.pOFMRE5pUQgOYGX0scwb6LrEhrfZuecr50Fysx3fd8&utmmedium=gift-link), at least five studios, including Arkane, Compulsion Games (which has already reportedly seen layoffs(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-layoffs-appear-to-be-starting-with-south-of-midnight-dev-compulsion/)), Double Fine, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs, are all in danger. Mass layoffs are said to be coming around July 6, according to the report, and will hit "most parts of Xbox."