As part of Microsoft's restructuring announcement today for Xbox that is resulting in mass layoffs, the company also announced that it is selling off two of its development studios: Undead Labs and Ninja Theory.

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma said those two studios have "entered terms to join new ownership with funding" to help finish Senua (Ninja Theory) and State of Decay 3 (Undead Labs). Microsoft did not name the mystery buyers, however.

Senua is a brand-new Hellblade action game that was only just announced at the Xbox Games Showcase in June. State of Decay 3, meanwhile, has been in the works for a very, very long time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoLOzgHvKxQ

Additionally, Microsoft announced that Compulsion Games and Double Fine are becoming independent studios again and will retain their own IP and catalogs. Additionally, Microsoft is giving those teams "runway" funding for their "next games," Sharma said.

What's more, Microsoft's Arkane studio in France is "beginning required consultation" as part of labor laws in the country. This is being done to "review potential strategic options," Sharma said.

Beyond the changes to the Xbox studio structure, Microsoft announced that it is laying off 1,600 Xbox employees today and another 1,600 people in the next year. On top of those cuts, Microsoft is enacting layoffs beyond Xbox for a total of 4,800 layoffs across the entire company; that's about 2.1% of Microsoft's total workforce.

Why is Microsoft doing this?

Microsoft executive Amy Coleman said Microsoft is enacting these mass layoffs because of the changing business landscape.

"The way technology is built, deployed, and used is transforming faster than at any point in my time here. Our customers’ needs are shifting, the business models that serve them are shifting, and that means the work itself--what we do, where we focus, and how we’re organized--has to transform too," she said. "Companies don’t get to choose whether their industry changes; they only get to choose whether they change with it. That means we will need to adjust resources and roles and shift how we operate so we can have the greatest impact for our customers."

She also clarified that the jobs being cut "are not being replaced by AI." Microsoft is making significant investments into AI, with many believing it's a bubble that's set to burst, leading to further pain down the road.

For her part, Sharma said the Xbox business is "not healthy," with Xbox operating at lower margins compared to its peers. She said Microsoft made a bet on Xbox Game Pass and multiplatform releases, along with a "broader portfolio" of content, but these efforts "did not grow at the pace we expected."

"As that happened, our core business weakened, and we added more teams, more investment, and more time, hoping for a better outcome. And now the industry is facing the most severe hardware crisis in its history. We must reset Xbox," she said.

Microsoft has made billions in profit this year

Microsoft is the No. 4 biggest company on earth with a market cap of more than $2.8 trillion. That's down significantly over the past year, as Microsoft's share price has fallen, but the company remains truly gigantic, with revenue and profit levels reflecting that.

For Microsoft's latest quarter that ended April 29, the company pulled in $82.9 billion in revenue (up 15%) and made a profit of $31.8 billion (up 23%).

Microsoft stockholders might not have been happy with the company's share price falling, but for the past quarter alone, Microsoft paid out $10.2 billion to shareholders via dividends and share repurchases.

These are signs of strength and health for Microsoft. Xbox is a very small piece of Microsoft's overall business, but seeing such strong numbers coupled with the mass layoffs at Xbox is not sitting right with many.

Despite promises of a reset, the unveiling of a fancy new logo, and a charm offensive for its new leadership, the news at Xbox has been getting increasingly worse throughout 2026. Between massive price increases for Xbox hardware--and possibly another one soon--the fluctuating price of Xbox Game Pass, and the cancellation of funding on several collaborative projects, it has been a tough time to be a fan of Xbox. Can the news get any worse? Yes, if you're an employee of the company--or a fan of its studios, really.

In recent weeks, Microsoft has been talking about how the Xbox division needs to start pulling its financial weight, and it has long been rumored that Xbox layoffs will start on July 6. Following a buying spree in the late 2010s and early 2020s, Xbox amassed a sizable portfolio of studios and employees, but it looks like many of them will be in the crosshairs as the gaming division aims to slim down. Several studios are reportedly up for sale, but if a buyer isn't found, it could be the end of the road for them.

On what could be the bleakest Monday in Xbox history, we'll be keeping an eye on all changes hitting the various studios today.

Xbox is losing 20% of its employees

Microsoft has officially announced that 3,200 people at Xbox will be let go throughout the current financial year. Of that number, 1,600 layoffs will start today and the rest of the affected staff will be phased out during a "restructuring" process at Xbox.

"Our business today is not healthy. We are operating at margins that are 3-10x lower than comparable platform and publishing businesses," Xbox boss Asha Sharma wrote. "We entered Gen 9 with a smaller install base and a higher cost structure. To grow, we bet on Game Pass, multi-platform, and a broader portfolio of content. While those businesses have created meaningful value, they did not grow at the pace we expected. As that happened, our core business weakened, and we added more teams, more investment, and more time, hoping for a better outcome. And now the industry is facing the most severe hardware crisis in its history. We must reset Xbox."

Compulsion Games

South of Midnight developer Compulsion Games will be leaving Xbox Game Studios and will once again become an independent studio. Compulsion Games will keep its IP and catalog of games when it exits.

"Today, we're sharing that Compulsion Games will return to independent management following our time as part of Xbox," the studio wrote in an update.

"As part of this transition, we will retain the rights to Contrast, We Happy Few, and our award-winning South of Midnight. We're grateful for the years we spent with Xbox, for the support they provided our team, and for the opportunity to bring these games to players around the world. As an independent studio, we're excited to continue building the distinctive games that define Compulsion while taking the next steps in our journey."

Double Fine Productions

Double Fine Productions is also exiting Xbox and will transition back into an independent game studio. The studio will retain its IP, catalog, and runway for its next game.

"Once again, Double Fine Productions will be an independent studio," studio head Tim Schafer wrote. "We're thankful to everyone at Xbox for seven great years together, and for working with us to reach an outcome which preserves our history and culture, and returns ownership of our games to us. To everyone who has reached out to us these past few weeks: Thank you so much for all your kind words, we've been deeply touched by all your messages. We will share more news soon on what comes next."

Ninja Theory

Discussions for a new owner of Ninja Theory are underway, and the studio will continue to work on the Senua franchise.

Undead Labs

State of Decay 3 developer Undead Labs is also in talks to find a new owner and continue working on its open-world zombie apocalypse series.

Arkane

Microsoft says that Arkane’s management has started consultation with its Works Council in France to review potential strategic options. Labor laws could see this potential sale of the studio delayed for some time. The future of the studio's next game, Marvel's Blade, remains unclear.

Bethesda/ZeniMax

Bethesda and Zenimax will face layoffs across the companies, and investment will shift to higher-priority games. According to Bloomberg, Bethesda will be overhauled and will focus on its biggest IP--Doom, Fallout, Quake, Wolfenstein, and The Elder Scrolls.

Blizzard

Blizzard will also be hit with layoffs, and like Bethesda, Microsoft is tasking the veteran developer to shift toward producing higher-priority games.

King

King will report directly to Asha Sharma, and it will also be hit with layoffs.

Mojang

Like King, Minecraft studio Mojang will also have to deal with layoffs and will report directly to Sharma.

"These two studios have increasingly become platforms and are our largest by monthly active players," Sharma said. "They bring critical geographic, demographic, and differentiation to Xbox."

Sales of CD Projekt Red's 2020 RPG Cyberpunk 2077 continue to grow, as the game has now passed 40 million copies sold.

This counts copies sold through July 3, including sales of the base game and copies sold through the game's ultimate edition.

"Thank you all for helping us reach this amazing milestone," the developer said.

The big new sales milestone came after Steam's latest sale saw the game's price fall down to $18, representing a discount of 70%. It's on sale for that price until July 9.

https://twitter.com/cyberpunkgame/status/2073001445666734085?s=46

The game had sold 35 million copies when CD Projekt Red last made an announcement about its sales numbers in November 2025. The game is selling at a faster rate than The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which sold more than 60 million units to become one of the top 10 best-selling games of all time.

Cyberpunk 2077 had a well-documented disastrous launch in December 2020, but the Polish developer steadily supported, updated, and improved the game over the years. Many are calling it one of the best comeback stories ever for a high-profile game. Things culminated in the Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 release in 2023 and the launch of the stellar Phantom Liberty expansion.

A sequel, Cyberpunk 2, is now in the works at the company’s new office in Boston alongside teams in Warsaw and Vancouver.

CD Projekt Red is also working on The Witcher 4, which will be followed by The Witcher 5 and The Witcher 6--all three games will release within a six-year period, according to the developer.

Following Sony's announcement that it will no longer support physical game discs starting in 2028, Microsoft has confirmed that Halo: Campaign Evolved's physical editions will include discs, including on PS5. Microsoft's announcement likely doesn't have anything to do with Sony's, however.

In a Q&A, Microsoft said people who buy a copy of the game will get a physical game case and disc "so that you have tangible items to add to your collection." This applies to the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S editions of the game.

The timing of Microsoft's announcement about Campaign Evolved coming on a disc is conspicuous given it happened just after Sony confirmed its all-digital plans. But Microsoft no doubt had been planning to release Campaign Evolved on a disc for a very long time now given the logistics involved.

Sony's announcement that PlayStation will no longer support game discs starting in January 2028 might make business sense for the company, but it's also causing much consternation. While Sony's own data shows an increasing share of digital game sales, the company still sells many millions of physical, disc-based games every year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZFVVcEM38c

A lot of people still enjoy and seek out physical media. The decision has also led to even more concerns about game preservation and fears that Sony will make gaming even more expensive by eliminating the secondhand market.

For what it's worth, some are saying the next-gen Project Helix console from Microsoft may not have a disc drive in its own push toward digital. It's also been reported that Microsoft may soften the blow with a "disc-to-digital" program that will allow people to convert their discs to digital copies.

Campaign Evolved is a remaster of Halo: Combat Evolved, and if that sounds familiar, it's because Microsoft already released a remaster of the original Halo in 2011 with Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary. Campaign Evolved is a campaign-only remaster of the original game, featuring brand-new prequel missions and a variety of graphical and technical improvements.

The game launches on July 28 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, but if you pay more, you can start playing early. For more, check out GameSpot’s Halo: Campaign Evolved buying guide.

One of Ubisoft's most underrated games, Watch Dogs 2, is on a super steep sale on Steam right now. So steep, in fact, that it seems to have inspired a new crop of folks to trawl through the technocratic world of digitized San Francisco to put an end to the surveillance state at a time when we're all under some sort of surveillance IRL.

Over on the game's Steam store page, you can pick Watch Dogs 2 for just $2.50 until Thursday, July 9. That's a 95% discount for a game that normally retails for $50. And that's just the base game! If you wanted to grab the DLC--which includes new cars, co-op adventures, outfits, weapons, world missions, and more--then you can snatch up either the Deluxe Edition for $3 or the Gold Edition for $4. Really, no matter how you look at it, this is a steal for the game.

Likely as a result of this nearly five-finger discount for a game that launched in November 2016, Watch Dogs 2's player count has soared. According to player tracker SteamDB, over 10,000 people are playing it right now, and it saw a 24-hour peak of over 16,000 people. These numbers are steadily encroaching on Watch Dogs 2's all-time concurrent high of 18,138 players. That's impressive for a nine-year-old game.

The game's surging popularity also makes a lot of sense considering the themes it tackles. As the Oakland-native Marcus Holloway, you get racially profiled and wrongfully accused of a high-tech robbery. This incident causes Marcus, an up-and-coming hacker, to join the hacker group DedSec--an Anonymous-esque collective hellbent on dismantling the technocracy ruling Ubisoft's San Francisco Bay Area. Through a series of hijinks, all meant to raise DedSec's clout, you confront the billionaires and the technology that's making life hell for the digital city's population. It's a riveting narrative with a protagonist that's very Black and very fun.

There are a lot of debates around whether we're in a surveillance state at the moment. However, given the rampant use of AI, the overreliance on systems that all communicate with one another--think of smart homes--and the infrastructure that makes all of this technology run, it's not hard to conclude that someone could be surveilling you. A cyberattack can occur in which a hacker gains access to, say, your webcam to watch you, making your "private" home much less so. In any event, it makes for good gameplay opportunities

In GameSpot's Watch Dogs 2 review, we awarded the game an 8/10, calling it an "effortless mix of covert and action-oriented gameplay [with] a likeable cast that knows how to have fun in their own way." That's exactly what you get when you play Watch Dogs 2, which is one of those games that's hard to put down despite some conflicting narrative decisions.

Now's a great time to pick it up, especially if you hate the government surveilling you.

Sony recently announced that it will stop supporting PlayStation game discs in January 2028. Even though Sony continues to sell many millions of discs, the share of digital game sales continues to rise as physical falls, and Sony cited this shift as the reason why it's going all-digital in the future. Now, Alinea Analytics analyst Rhys Elliott has weighed in with his thoughts on the matter, saying there is more to the story, and it's not necessarily a consumer-friendly decision.

"This is all about control," Elliott wrote.

He pointed out that physical game discs hold value for a company like Sony only until they're sold--rentals and resales of the same disc do not put any more money into Sony's pockets.

"Every resale and rental is value flowing to players and retailers instead of to the platform. Without discs, that converts into a fresh full-price digital sale or it doesn't happen at all, and both outcomes obviously suit Sony better than a thriving second-hand market," he said.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FatSqS3VYY

Elliott went on to say that physical retail pricing is "elastic" and is based on supply and demand. This leads to an environment where pre-owned games are regularly sold for less than what Sony charges itself on digital stores. In killing discs, gamers on the fence about buying a game can no longer "just wait and buy it used," Elliott said.

"This move is all about profitability and control for PlayStation, at the expense of consumer choice," he said.

On the more positive side, Elliott said developers stand to gain from the shift away from discs. Developers need to submit "gold master" copies of their new releases for certification, and this can happen about three months before launch.

"On paper, that means a finished, cert-ready build of a game a quarter of a year before anyone's meant to play it," he said. "The reality is that already-stressed devs throw together a rough, held-together-with-tape build whose job is to survive cert, get it stamped, and then actually ship the game via a mandatory day-one patch."

"Assembling those builds pulls the team's attention onto cert box-ticking tasks that should come after the core development, like controller-disconnect handling, storefront compliance, edge-case plumbing, and all that," he said. "Polish can be the difference between a clean release and a rocky one, so technically a digital-only title can punt the 'final' build much closer to launch.
For a studio up against the wall (read: all of them…) that flexibility could mean the world. So that’s one silver lining."

Elliott also predicted that, should others embrace Sony's all-digital policy, then times might get even tougher for brick-and-mortar retailers. Rockstar's GTA 6 will be sold at physical retailers, but players are getting a code in the box, not a game disc.

"A code-in-box has none of the things that made physical worth choosing: no resale value, no lending, less collectability. The physical channel has no reason to exist, so it's the end for most dedicated games retailers. The nail in the coffin," he said.

It's not just Sony that has reported an increased share of digital games compared to physical games, as Nintendo, Capcom, EA, and others have as well.

Many expected Sony's announcement about ending support for PlayStation discs to be bad news for video game retailer GameStop, but the company's smallest business unit today is software.

A whole bunch of games are shipping out in July, but if you're in the mood for some treachery and leaps of faith on the high seas, then you're likely looking forward to Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced this month. Out on July 9, Ubisoft has revealed the official times for when you can expect to start playing, as well as the preload times in case you've preordered the game already.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced - Standard Edition (PS5, Xbox Series X)

$60 | Releases July 9

Preorder at Amazon View at other stores Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at Target Preorder at GameStop Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced Digital Deluxe Edition (PS5, Xbox Series X, PC)

$70 | Releases July 9

Preorder at Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced Collector's Edition (PS5, Xbox Series X, PC)

$200 | Releases July 9

Preorder at Amazon View at other stores Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at Target Preorder at GameStop Preorder at PS Direct

Xbox Series X|S players have had the option to preload the Black Flag remake for over a week, while PS5 and PC players will have to be patient until July 7 before they can prepare for the return of Edward Kenway--the wait might be worth it on PS5 Pro, for extra-realistic hair effects.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag: Resynced aims to modernize the original game with a whole host of improvements, but it might have created a few new problems in the process.

Other Upgrades include an overhauled combat system, craftier enemies, social stealth, and various options to customize the Jackdaw, Kenway's vessel for his trip across the Caribbean.

To get you in the mood for the swashbuckling adventure, you can sing along to the game's sea shanties and check out how some of the game's daredevil moves were recreated in real life.

Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced preload times

• Xbox Series X|S: June 22 at 2 PM UTC
• PS5: July 7 at 12 AM local time
• PC: July 7 at 2 PM UTC

Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced launch times (July 9)

Los Angeles

• 7 AM PT (PC, Xbox Series X|S, PS5)

New York

• 10 AM PT (PC, Xbox Series X|S, PS5)

Montreal

• 10 AM (PC)
• 12 AM (Xbox Series X|S, PS5)

Mexico

• 8 AM CST (PC)
• 12 AM CST (Xbox Series X|S, PS5)

Sao Paulo

• 11 AM BRT (PC)
• 12 AM BRT (Xbox Series X|S, PS5)

London

• 12 AM BST (Xbox Series X|S, PS5)
• 3 PM BST (PC)

Warsaw

• 12 AM CEST (Xbox Series X|S, PS5)
• 4 PM CEST (PC)

Paris

• 12 AM CEST (Xbox Series X|S, PS5)
• 4 PM CEST (PC)

Abu Dhabi

• 12 AM GST (Xbox Series X|S, PS5)
• 6 PM GST (PC)

Johannesburg

• 12 AM SAST (Xbox Series X|S, PS5)
• 4 PM SAST (PC)

Shanghai

• 12 AM CST (Xbox Series X|S, PS5)
• 10 PM CST (PC)

Tokyo

• 12 AM JST (Xbox Series X|S, PS5)
• 11 PM JST (PC)

Seoul

• 12 AM KST (Xbox Series X|S, PS5)
• 11 PM KST (PC)

Sydney

• 12 AM AEST (Xbox Series X|S, PS5)
• 12 AM AEST (PC) | July 10

10 Ways Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Differs From Ubisoft’s Original Pirate Adventure View Images

The next batch of games for Amazon Luna has been revealed, and this July, you can look forward to superhero workplace drama, turn-based RPG action, and some escape room fun. In total, there will be 12 downloadable games for PC to check out, and five games to stream through Luna Standard.

On the streaming side, the big draw for this month is Dispatch. One of the best games of 2025, the debut title from AdHoc Studio follows a down-on-his-luck superhero who takes up a desk job, where he's given control over superhuman resources. Similar to Telltale's classic games, Dispatch is a narrative-heavy experience where you're frequently tasked with making choices across branching dialogue paths, and then dealing with the consequences down the line. Other games being added to the Luna Standard streaming library this month include Sonic Mania Plus, Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures, YouTuber's Life, and Arcade Paradise.

Right now, PC gamers can grab downloads for CyClones, LoneStar, and Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga, and each week in July will see more games made available. As a reminder, all of the free games that you claim through Amazon Luna are yours to keep forever, even if your subscription expires. If you aren't a member, you can sign up for Amazon Luna for as little as $15 for one month to take advantage of the subscription and its freebies.

Sign up for Amazon Prime Amazon Luna Free Games For July 2026 July 2

• CyClones (GOG)
• LoneStar (Epic Games Store)
• Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga (Epic Games Store)

July 9

• Still There (GOG)
• Regular Factory: Escape Room (GOG)

July 16

• Poly Vita (Legacy games code)
• Framed Collection (GOG)
• Escape Academy (Epic Games Store)

July 23

• In Sound Mind (Amazon Games App)
• Mystic Academy: Escape Room (GOG)

July 30

• Zoria: Age of Shattering (GOG)
• Weakless (GOG)

Prime subscribers will also be able to play the following new games in July via the Luna channel:

• Dispatch
• Sonic Mania Plus
• Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures
• YouTuber's Life
• Arcade Paradise

The Steam Machine is slowly making its way into the wild, with some folks getting their hands on Valve's not-a-console console. One of those people is former SIE Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida, who called the device "meh" in some recent social media comments.

Yoshida took to X on July 2 to give his early impressions of the Steam Machine. In a long post, he not only called its performance "meh," but he also said that it's "hard to recommend" because of its high price tag.

https://twitter.com/yosp/status/2072582164898787363

"The system recommends to default to 1080p--am I going back to PS4 days?" Yoshida pondered. "Some games take a looooooong time to boot. What is it doing?"

He clarified that he'd only been playing it for "a few hours"--he posted his thoughts in the early morning on July 2--but ultimately concluded that the device just doesn't live up to its $1,000+ retail price.

It's not all bad for Yoshida, though. He did say that the Steam Machine's "small form factor and quietness" are good while commending the device's changeable faceplate, easy-to-use UI, and the ability to play Steam games on the living room TV. That last fact alone makes it "reason enough" to keep the Steam Machine, but these features appear to be where the positives end for now, as overall, Yoshida just isn't quite buying what Valve is selling.

The Steam Machine has begun shipping out to folks following its June 29 launch. It's very possible, though, that you may have to wait a while for yours, especially considering how confusing the preorder emails Valve started sending out were. You could always check out eBay, but be warned: You'll likely pay double the price.

Final Fantasy 7 Revelation wraps up a story years in the making when it launches in 2027, but beyond that? The Unknown Journey might continue a little longer, as one store listing for the game mentions an expansion pass.

As seen on the Epic Games Store (via IGN), Final Fantasy 7 Revelation will have plenty of downloadable content and a "Story Expansion Pass" for purchase. It's not clear yet what these items are for--or if the titles are using placeholder text--but the Story Expansion Pass item does suggest that Cloud and company could venture into new territory.

The Final Fantasy 7 lore certainly allows for this--the animated film Advent Children and the spin-off game Dirge of Cerberus took place after the original game--while game director Naoki Hamaguchi hinted at possible character-specific stories in the future. "We have had a lot of voices from fans wanting to explore the stories, or side stories, of other characters and other parts of the story as well. That is something that is interesting," Hamaguchi said to GameSpot last month at Summer Game Fest.

What lies beyond the Unknown Journey?

Square Enix had previously expanded on the Final Fantasy Remake trilogy with Intergrade, a post-launch expansion for the first game focused on Yuffie. Oddly, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth didn't receive an expansion after launch, as Square Enix opted to instead focus on developing Revelation.

One of the big changes with Final Fantasy 7 Revelation is that it won't be available exclusively on PlayStation when it launches. Square Enix is aiming for a multiplatform release, as the game will arrive on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2 on the same day as PS5. For more on the game, you can check out how minigames will be more optional, what the new FITS system brings to the table, and why Revelation's director believes that streamers are contributing to an RPG crisis.

The Best Final Fantasy Spin-Offs View Images

With Sony officially ending disc production for PS5 games in 2028, hurtling us toward an all-digital future, it's worth remembering that the PlayStation maker recently introduced a new pricing model that is all the more worrying in the wake of this news.

Back in March 2026, reports surfaced that PlayStation had unleashed dynamic pricing in various regions from Brazil to North America. This new model changed the prices you'd see on the PlayStation Store for a PS5 game depending on several factors, including your gaming habits (like when you last logged in), location, and PSN account details (like how old it is). For example, one Brazilian could get the action-adventure game Stellar Blade for $39.89 while another may snatch it up for $20.99.

According to reports from both Eurogamer and Insider Gaming, this pricing model impacted first- and third-party games. Astro Bot--developed by the PlayStation-owned Japanese studio Team Asobi--saw wildly different prices, as noted by Cheap Ass Gamer. Stellar Blade, on the other hand, was developed by the South Korean studio Shift Up and published by PlayStation.

This dynamic pricing model is quite concerning now that PlayStation is effectively killing physical games in 2028. Though they do go on sale occasionally, digital games aren't always cheaper than their physical counterparts. And because local governments require that the company collect sales taxes on digital goods, you're sometimes paying the same--if not more--for a digital game. This has resulted in class-action lawsuits in both California and the Netherlands.

All of this points to a potentially expensive--or, at the very least, dizzyingly unpredictable--all-digital future where you could pay one price, your friend may pay another price, and your sibling (or whomever) pays a totally different price. It's all up in there, and that's the worrying part.

If you have some downtime over the 4th of July weekend and are looking for a game to play, Microsoft is bringing back its Free Play Days promotion, offering up some top titles to play for the low, low price of $0.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's multiplayer and Zombies modes are free now through July 6, while Diablo IV is free through July 7. Demonschool and The Stone Madness have free two-hour trials now through July 5. None of these games require an Xbox Game Pass subscription during the free period.

Free is a nice price.

Ikonei Island: An Earthlock Adventure is part of the Free Play Days promotion through July 5, but you'll need Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, or Essential.

This Free Play Days event comes at a tumultuous time for Xbox, as the company is expected to begin mass layoffs on July 6. Microsoft may close at least five studios as well, though it's possible other arrangements could be made that does not result in studio closures or game cancellations.

The new Resident Evil movie from Weapons and Barbarian director Zach Cregger does not feature characters from the games--why is that?

Cregger said in a new interview that it would be "inorganic" for his movie "try to shoehorn" legacy characters from Capcom's series into his film because it's a "self-contained story."

"I have to put the story first and foremost," he said told Empire magazine, as reported by GamesRadar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_KDtokTO1c

Cregger's Resident Evil movie tells an "entirely original story" that takes place in the Resident Evil universe. Some fans have questioned this approach, saying they'd rather see one of the game's stories adapted and for the film to feature popular characters like Leon Kennedy or Jill Valentine.

That's not going to happen, though, and Cregger thinks fans of the game will be happy with what he creates.

"When you watch it, you'll be like, 'This is very Zach.' It's just [that] it takes place in the Resident Evil world. I don't think fans of the games are gonna be bummed," he told Entertainment Weekly.

The Resident Evil movie comes to theaters on September 18. It stars Austin Abrams as an "idiot" medical courier named Bryan who gets mixed up in a horrifying adventure that Cregger says is akin to The Lord of the Rings.

“Not that he’s stupid, but he’s not your typical game character, with no combat skills whatsoever and completely inept at survival. Bryan is very much an everyman who happens to be burdened with this kind of sacred mission that’s going to take him into the heart of everything. It’s kind of like Frodo going into Mordor," he said.

Sony plans to sell PlayStation games exclusively as digital products starting in 2028, and it's rumored that Microsoft will also adopt a digital-only approach with its next-gen Xbox Project Helix, a move that could leave Nintendo as the only console manufacturer that will still release games physically--at least for this current gaming generation.

Speaking to VGC, Circana senior director and video game industry advisor Mat Piscatella commented on how he believes that both the PS6 and Project Helix will be digital-only gaming consoles. The upside to this is that, thanks to Nintendo operating in its own bubble, it doesn't look like it'll be ditching cartridges in response to Sony and Microsoft's plans.

"My gut says Nintendo does what Nintendo wants to do, and I don't see them changing anything in their plans based on what Sony or Microsoft do on anything, really," Piscatella explained. "Nintendo is going to be Nintendo, for better and/or worse. Retail has already leaned into Nintendo support more and more over the past few years--Nintendo also holds a very strong share of physical software and hardware sales since the launch of Switch 2 in particular--so this could continue to increase, sure."

According to its FY25/26 end-of-year report, Nintendo says that digital sales of its games account for 67.2% of software purchases. Digital sales on Sony platforms have climbed dramatically over the last decade, with 78% of its sales being digital purchases. Reports now claim that both the PS6 and Project Helix will do away with disc drives entirely.

While Nintendo still has a sizable physical presence, it's worth noting that many games--especially third-party ones--are sold as Game-Key Cards. These are essentially authentication keys in cartridge form, as players will still have to install game data to their Switch 2 and keep the cartridge inserted to play their games. Fortunately, the carts are not locked to a Switch 2 account or console, and they can be resold, allowing a new user to download a game--for as long as the servers are kept online, that is.

PlayStation and Xbox game discs have functioned along the same lines for years now, as both consoles required users to download data from the discs onto their respective machines and keep the physical media for authenticating the installs. While Game-Key Cards are designed to be a cheaper publisher-friendly alternative, they're not without criticism, as some historians have expressed fears over the future of video game preservation efforts.

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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, 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...

Microsoft is removing more titles from Xbox Game Pass, and it looks like there could be a lot of removals for July. The "leaving soon" page on Xbox's website 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. 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.

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

Filmmaker Christopher Nolan's newest movie, The Odyssey, releases on July 17, and ahead of that, an official companion game is now available on Roblox.

A survival sailing adventure game, The Odyssey: Defy the Gods, is out now on Roblox, and it's free. Players will assemble a crew, ration supplies, and "appease the gods for the right of safe passage" across the ocean.

In the game, players will scavenge mysterious worlds to find food and crew that have gone missing. Out on the ocean, players have to survive in the elements like Odysseus did during his perilous journey.

Defy the Gods is out now on Roblox.

Defy the Gods is rated "Minimal" for its maturity rating, and as part of Roblox's new safety measures, it's limited to people 18 and up. The game's content description notes that it contains occasional/mild "fear" and "violence."

Roblox is so big and popular that brands make games for it to promote their content, and that's what Universal Pictures did here with Defy the Gods. The movie is expected to appeal to an older audience, so reaching out to Roblox's younger base could be an effort to help convince younger people to go see it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyIZ9tiiN8I

Written and directed by Christopher Nolan and based on Homer's epic tale, The Odyssey stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, with Tom Holland portraying Telemachus. Anne Hathaway plays Penelope, while Robert Pattinson appears as Antinous. The movie also features Charlize Theron, Lupita Nyong'o, Zendaya, Elliot Page, and Jon Bernthal.

It's Nolan's first film since 2023's Oppenheimer, which made $975 million globally.

It's a momentous milestone for the US this weekend, as it marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Various events are planned for the July 4 weekend, and if you're a PGA Tour 2K25 player, you can also join in on the fun--with some pure nightmare fuel.

2K Games has unveiled a new cosmetic skin for the game, designed to add some extra liberty during each tour of the greens. It's also a weaponized distraction, as you can only imagine how nerve-wracking it would be, trying to putt your way to victory while your competition stares at you while wearing this:

https://twitter.com/PGATOUR2K/status/2072393772151754906

Yikes! While the skin might make your golfer look like the Statue of Liberty if they were a guest character in Dead by Daylight, it's actually designed to resemble the neoclassical sculpture. The outfit certainly captures the wear and tear that the statue has picked up across the decades, but when that look is transformed into a golfing ensemble--complete with mask and crown--it just looks unsettling and filthy.

If that's your kind of fashion while you nail a putt, then you can drop some Virtual Currency on this fashion crime through the PGA Tour Superstore. Individual July 4 cosmetic items typically cost between 1,000 VC and 1,500 VC each, with a full outfit ranging from 4,000 to 6,000 VC. In real-world cash, that means you could pay up to $50 for a complete PGA outfit.

Anyone who has picked up a 2K game from Take-Two Interactive--including its wrestling and NBA games as well--will be familiar with how these titles are monetized. GTA 6 is also looking to extract extra value out of players, as the base edition of the game costs $80, while the Ultimate Edition on preorder is priced at $100 and includes access to several extra stores, alongside various cosmetics. Is that approach turning people off? Not in the slightest, because preorders are already looking very healthy.

What's next for the Metroid franchise? Following last year's release of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, it looks like Nintendo has more plans for the franchise, and thanks to a Brazilian ratings board leak that has since been removed, it looks like we know what the title of the next game is: Metroid Ravenous.

Posted by the Brazilian Ministry of Justice and Public Security (via Necrolipe and the Famiboards gaming forum), the listing mentions a production start date of 2026 in the US for the title. Other details include "violence--weapons, blood, death--and light sexual content" for the in-development game. It has been rumored that this could be a sequel to MercurySteam's 2021 Metroid game, Metroid Dread, a 2.5D adventure that modernized the classic NES and SNES Metroid experience for Switch and received positive reviews.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYFZwzo7qlQ

Selling over 3 million units, Metroid Dread was a hit game for Nintendo, and MercurySteam announced in 2023 that it had two projects in development. The first of these, a fantasy game called Blades of Fire, hit shelves last year.

After many years in development, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond also launched last year, but its reception was frostier in comparison to Dread. The game has sold over 1 million units as of February 2026, but that milestone was only reached when you combine its performance across Switch and Switch 2. It's worth noting that Metroid has historically underperformed next to other IPs. For example, the Switch 2 Edition of Pokemon Legends: Z-A reached 3.89 million units sold, while Mario Kart 8 Deluxe continues to be a sales juggernaut years after launch.

While Nintendo has yet to officially confirm what--or if--the next Metroid game is, the company did reveal during a recent Direct livestream that its tentpole game for the holiday season will be a remake of The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, alongside a few more surprises in 2026.

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Battlefield 6's latest update almost introduced a great change to XP boosts, only for developer Battlefield Studios to state it was an "error" and walk it back. Even more confusing--it's actually the second time the exact same mistake has been made in three weeks. 

As part of Battlefield 6's June 30 update, one that overhauled the game's gunplay and introduced a new mode, a surprising, but welcome, message greeted players who logged in: "XP Boost Update: Now Based On In-Game Time."

Since Battlefield 6's launch, XP boosts have counted down in real time. Considering how long it takes to find a match or load into a game, players would often lose valuable minutes of double XP for no reason at all. Someone who needed to log off while an XP boost was still active or do something quick around the house between matches was simply out of luck. A change to make XP boost count down during an actual match has been a frequent ask by the community, and it seemed like Battlefield Studios was finally listening. 

https://www.reddit.com/r/Battlefield6/comments/1ujnpt3/thats_a_neat_surprise/

The message in full read: "To improve how useful XP boosts are to you, XP boosters will now count down based on in-game time instead of real time. We will track what percentage of the length of the match you have an XP booster active, then multiply the final Match Bonus XP by the appropriate percentage for each. If your XP booster expires mid-match, don't worry. Your match bonus will still get a boost, based on the duration that your boost was active during the match. Plus, for easier tracking and activation, the Booster menu is now located in the lobby."

Players on Reddit reacted to the "neat surprise." However, much to the community's confusion, they quickly discovered nothing about how XP boosts worked in-game had actually been changed as part of the update. A Battlefield Comms social media account quickly clarified that the in-game message was in error and no changes had been made. 

https://x.com/BattlefieldComm/status/2071966104939864144

"That message has now been removed, and there are no changes to how XP boosters currently work," the Battlefield Comms account stated.

Such an easy win actually being a mistake is bad enough, but that wasn't the first time almost the exact same scenario had played out. Just a few weeks earlier on June 11, the Battlefield Comms account made a similar statement clarifying an inaccurate in-game message regarding XP boosts.

"We're aware of an incorrect in-game text description for XP boosters that was introduced with the latest update," the statement reads. "XP boosters count down in real time, as they have since launch."

https://x.com/BattlefieldComm/status/2064866700265492973

With two separate instances of XP boost change notification mistakes, it seems likely an actual, real change to how they work is on the way. After all, a detailed description of how XP boosts are being changed doesn't just magically appear in game, twice, for no reason at all. The real question is why Battlefield Studios doesn't announce such a change is still being worked on but is not quite ready just yet, instead of continually pulling the rug out from the community.

Battlefield 6 Season 3 is currently still in full swing, with its upcoming Season 4 set to bring back Wake Island for the 11th time in the franchise's history.