If you spend any time on social media, whether that be Bluesky or X, you may have seen some reports going around that Microsoft is preparing to cut tens of thousands of jobs amidst the rising costs of artificial intelligence. Whether true or not, Microsoft's lead communications officer has come forward to refute the claims.

A report on the site TipRanks said that Microsoft is "considering massive layoffs" this month, with the plan to cut anywhere between 11,000 and 22,000 jobs on the Azure Cloud, Xbox, and global sales teams. After circulating on Bluesky and X for a while, Windows Central editor Jez Corden purported that the news was "false" on Xbox's side of things. Not long after this, Microsoft CCO Frank X. Shaw--who's been at the company for nearly 17 years, according to his LinkedIn--chimed in to dismiss the report as well.

100 percent made up / speculative / wrong.

— Frank X. Shaw (@fxshaw) January 7, 2026

There's a lot of skepticism under both Corden and Shaw's posts. However, Shaw has responded to a lot of the commentary, saying that he, too, "eagerly awaits" the news that he claims is wrong.

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Lego Ideas Tree House (3,036 pieces)

$217 (was $250) | Officially Retired Nov. 2024

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Amazon has a nice deal on the wonderfully designed Lego Ideas Tree House, a 3,036-piece model for experienced builders. The idyllic and highly detailed display set is on sale for $217 (was $250), which is the lowest price in over six months. The deal is also notable for another reason: Lego no longer manufactures the Tree House. After five years on the market, the Lego Ideas Tree House retired in November 2024. The Lego Store and most major retailers ran out of units over a year ago; Amazon is the only major retailer still selling the Lego Ideas Tree House.

Lego Ideas Tree House (3,036 pieces) $217 (was $250) | Officially Retired Nov. 2024

The intricately designed 3,036-piece Lego Tree House measures 10 x 9 x 14 inches when built. It comes with two sets of leaves. For a summer look, you can decorate the tree with dark and bright green Lego elements. Alternatively, you can give the tree an autumn appearance with yellow and brown leaves. One neat aspect here is that Lego used sustainable plant-based plastic to manufacture the roughly 180 pieces of tree foliage.

Along with two different display modes, the Lego Tree House has numerous modular components and interactive features, including a supply basket attached to a functional wind-up crane and removable roofs on the three distinct cabin rooms: main bedroom, kids' room, and bathroom.

The set comes with a family of four Lego minifigures representing mom, dad, and two kids as well as a bird figure. You'll build bunk beds for the kids' room and a larger bed for the main bedroom. Each room is filled with accessories and decorations such as a treasure map, a ship in a bottle, and a compass. The main bedroom has a balcony where you can pull up the basket of supplies. You'll also build a sink, bathtub, and toilet for the bathroom.

A brick-built ladder spirals down to the landscape base, where the minifigure family can eat lunch at the brick-built picnic table, enjoy the afternoon breeze on the swing, and get warm by the bonfire. The multi-colored base has various plants as well as a buildable stream.

See at Amazon Lego Ideas Tree House (3,036 pieces)

Amazon has deals on a number of other Lego Ideas and Lego Icons building sets for adults. Disney fans can pick up the Disney Pixar Luxo Jr. lamp for just $64.20 (was $70), and since it's fully posable, it makes for a fun addition to a home office or theater. This marks the first time it's been on sale. Vincent Van Gogh: The Starry Night is also seeing a slight discount to $150 (was $170). It's similar in scope to the Tree House at over 2,300 pieces, and it can be mounted on a wall for easy display.

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If you've come across the Untended Garden quest in Arc Raiders, you probably already know you're headed back into Dam Battlegrounds to seek out the Hydroponic Dome Complex. There are a few objectives that follow the initial one, though, so we've put together a guide to help you wrap it all up and get back home safely.

You don't necessarily need to extract to complete this quest, so no need to worry about bringing in your best gear or a safe pocket. You can feel comfortable going in with a free loadout to avoid risking any of your hard-earned items at the relatively busy spot you'll need to visit to finish your objectives.

When you're ready to knock out the Untended Garden quest, follow the steps below.

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The Witcher's fifth and final season will premiere this year, Netflix has confirmed. In a blog post running through Netflix's major releases for the year, the streamer confirmed that The Witcher Season 5 will debut at some point this year, though it's not clear when exactly.

Back in April 2024, Netflix announced that The Witcher would end with its fifth season, so the fact that the show is wrapping up is not a surprise. Netflix also published the logline for The Witcher Season 5.

"The time of the end is nigh: Dark forces are aligning all across the Continent with villainous designs on Ciri. Even if Geralt and Yennefer can save their daughter and fulfill their last wish of reuniting as a family, they’ll have to face obstacles--and enemies--the likes of which they've never faced before," reads a line from the season's description.

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If you're a fan of visiting multiple maps for a single quest in Arc Raiders, boy do we have some objectives for you. For the Eyes in the Sky quest, you'll be tasked with heading to three different maps to place LiDAR Scanners, and getting all of them done is going to take a bit of skill, luck, and a zipline. Let's talk about it.

You won't need to extract to complete any portion of Eyes in the Sky, so you can go in with a free loadout for the Dam Battlegrounds and Spaceport objectives. However, you will need a zipline to reach the necessary spot on Buried City, so you may want to suit up for that one.

When you're ready to tackle this quest, follow the guide below.

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Arc Raiders has multiple quests that send you trekking across multiple maps, and What We Left Behind is one of them you'll encounter along the way. This quest asks you to go to Buried City, Dam Battlegrounds, and Spaceport to search for specific things, and rounding up the correct spots to visit can be a challenge if you're not familiar with the maps yet. That's alright, though--that's where we come in.

Keep in mind that, since you won't need to extract with any items to complete any steps in What We Left Behind, you can comfortably head in with a free loadout to avoid risking any of your good loot. But, of course, you're also welcome to bring your best stuff if you'd rather be ready for a fight.

When you're ready to get started, here's how to complete each step of What We Left Behind.

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Two new Pokemon have arrived in Pokemon Go. As part of the game's Pinch Perfect event, you can now add the rock-type crab Pokemon Klawf to your team. Not only that, but the event also introduces shiny Dhelmise to the game, making this your first opportunity to catch this elusive variant.

Both Pokemon will be available moving forward, but you'll have the best chance to catch them while the Pinch Perfect event is underway. Here are some tips on how to get both Klawf and shiny Dhelmise before the event ends.

Table of Contents [hide]

• How To Get Klawf

How To Get Klawf

Despite headlining the Pinch Perfect event, you won't find Klawf in the wild or as a Raid boss. Rather, the only way to encounter one is by completing Field and Timed Research tasks.

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It's the start of a new year, and you might be tempted to give your PS5 console a makeover. Fortunately, Sony has a new selection of limited-edition PS5 console covers and DualSense controllers on the way, all sporting vivid neon colors. The Hyerpop Collection PS5 console covers will be a PS Direct Store exclusive priced at $75, while the DualSense controllers will cost $85 each. Preorders will open on January 16 ahead of their March 12 launch.

Like the console covers, the DualSense controllers will be available in three distinct colorways. Techno Red is a loud, vibrant option that fades to a glossy black at the top. First released in November 2020, the DualSense controller features adaptive triggers, a built-in microphone, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a Create Button for when you want to quickly grab in-game screenshots and video clips. Remix Green also pops nicely on the DualSense controller, with this particular shade being an instant attention-grabber. While it's also a bright color, Rhythm Blue is a touch softer than the two options above it. The blue tones give the DualSense controller a slightly subdued and calmer effect.

Techno Red DualSense Controller

$85 | Releases March 12

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Remix Green DualSense Controller

$85 | Releases March 12

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Rhythm Blue DualSense Controller

$85 | Releases March 12

See at PS Blog Hyperpop Collection PS5 console covers $75 | Releases March 12

PS5 console covers will also be available in all three Hyperpop Collection colors. These will be available for both the standard PS5 console with a disc drive and the Digital Edition model. These will be available exclusively through PlayStation Direct and are designed to complement the controllers.

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Sony doesn't release new PS5 console covers or DualSense controller color lines like this too often. While you can usually expect to see tie-in gear for console-exclusive games or one-offs like the Icon Blue, dedicated colorways like these are rarer. So far, the line includes the Chroma Collection and the Deep Earth Collection, a series of bright and unusual colors designed to make your PS5 setup stand out.

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Early on in the Arc Raiders questline, you'll be sent to find and loot a Baron Husk. The Dormant Barons quest may sound a bit scary--big Arc can be quite frightening, after all--but these bad boys have long been dead, so you have nothing to worry about when looting their husks. However, finding a Baron Husk may take a bit more searching than you'd like--unless you take a look at our guide below. Here's where to find Baron Husks and how to loot them.

Where to find Baron Husks

Baron Husks are large, destroyed Arc that can be found on multiple maps, but the safest and most easily accessible map to search for them on is Dam Battlegrounds. This map is the first one you'll have access to at the beginning of your journey, and it contains a total of three Baron Husks you can visit. We've marked the locations on the map below.

Baron Husk locations on Dam Battlegrounds

We'd recommend visiting one of the Baron Husks on the left side of the map, as the one at the Breach is in a very exposed area and often has a Sentinel turret scouting the area. It's better to be safe than sorry.

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In December 2025, the developers at Ubisoft Halifax--the studio behind the mobile game Assassin's Creed Rebellion--successfully voted to unionize and join the Game & Media Workers Guild of Canada. Now, less than a month later, Ubisoft is shutting down Ubisoft Halifax and laying off 70 people.

According to Video Games Chronicle, Ubisoft has denied that the closure of the studio has anything to do with the employees' unionization efforts. The publisher also stated through a spokesperson that the decision to close Ubisoft Halifax had already been made before the union vote was taken.

"Over the past 24 months, Ubisoft has undertaken company-wide actions to streamline operations, improve efficiency, and reduce costs," Ubisoft's spokesperson said in a statement to VGC. "As part of this, Ubisoft has made the difficult decision to close its Halifax studio ... 71 positions will be affected. We are committed to supporting all impacted team members during this transition with resources, including comprehensive severance packages and additional career assistance."

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Season 1 Reloaded arrives in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Warzone on January 8, and the big midseason update adds a crossover event with the Fallout TV series. This includes Fallout-themed skins, limited-time game modes, and an event pass.

This midseason update is bringing the wasteland to Black Ops 7 and Warzone with an all-new Fallout event. As shown in the trailer above, this event will feature operator skins for Lucy, Maximus, and The Ghoul from Amazon Prime Video's Fallout TV show. The event also includes additional vault dweller skins.

Call of Duty's Fallout event pass

This Fallout event follows the formula of Call of Duty's other major IP events, such as the TMNT and Squid Game crossovers, offering both free and paid event passes filled with cosmetic rewards. Call of Duty's paid event passes usually cost $10. The Ghoul and Maximus are available to unlock in the paid event pass, while the vault dweller skins are earned in the free pass. Lucy's operator skin is available as a shop bundle, and Call of Duty's operator bundles are typically around $20 each.

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Arc Raiders quests can sometimes get pretty complicated, demanding you venture across multiple maps to complete various objectives. A Bad Feeling isn't one of these, though, as it asks something quite simple of you: Just open an Arc Probe or Arc Courier. But where exactly will you find one of these, and what will you find inside? We're here to answer that for you, so read on for where to find Arc Probes and Arc Couriers.

Table of Contents [hide]

• Where to find Arc Probes

Where to find Arc Probes

You may occasionally see a fresh Arc Probe come in from the sky (keep an eye out for something that looks like a rocket coming down). These will be standing straight up once they land. However, these aren't likely to be the probes you normally come across, as most Arc Probes are found tipped over on their sides. In either case, you can hear Arc Probes from some distance--listen for their odd bleeps and bloops emitting every few seconds.

Arc Probe

While they're found in randomized spots all across every map, Arc Probes are considerably more common during the Electromagnetic Storm map event. During the event, check the roof of the Testing Annex on the Dam Battlegrounds map to score at least 2-3 of them in the same spot--which is a great way to start getting your points up if you're trying to knock out an Open Arc Probes weekly trial that may be active.

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Quests in Arc Raiders most frequently require you to visit only one map, but you'll occasionally encounter some that send you across multiple maps to complete them. One of these quests is Back on Top, which asks you to visit all four launch maps and mark specific buildings. It's not a particularly challenging quest, but it can be rather time consuming due to the amount of travel time needed to reach each building on the maps. As such, we've compiled the locations of all four buildings you need to mark. When you're ready to get this quest underway, follow the steps below.

Table of Contents [hide]

• Mark the Pattern House

Mark the Pattern House

The Pattern House is located at the northern tip of the Dam Battlegrounds map. Head to the wall right beside the entrance and mark it to finish this portion of this quest.

Gallery

This area is generally safe, but you should probably still keep your gun in hand if you plan to meander around inside and loot after marking it.

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Xbox Wireless Controller – Fallout Pip-Boy Edition

$100

See at Amazon Sold out at Xbox Store

The Fallout Pip-Boy Edition Xbox Wireless Controller is now available at Amazon for $100. The limited-edition controller initially launched as an Xbox Store exclusive on December 16 and sold out fast. If you're interested in owning the cool Fallout-inspired version of the official Xbox Wireless Controller, you should snag one soon. You can still purchase and customize the controller on Xbox Design Lab, but the price starts at $105. Xbox released the controller on the eve of Fallout Season 2's premiere on Amazon Prime Video.

Xbox Wireless Controller – Fallout Pip-Boy Edition $100

Inspired by Vault-Tec's wearable computer, this controller features a black top case, the outer casing of a Pip-Boy, and a bright green Vault Boy icon in the center. The D-pad sports a healthy radioactive glow, and several other design elements replicate the Valued-Added Targeting System from Fallout. Beyond that, this is a standard Xbox wireless controller.

It's still the same design that was introduced five years ago, with textured triggers, tactile face buttons, and a very clicky D-pad. These controllers can be powered by AA batteries or a rechargeable battery pack sold separately; they're equipped with an audio jack for wired headphones, and their ergonomic design still makes them very comfortable to use for long stretches. The other great thing about the Xbox controller is that it can be used on multiple platforms, including PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and mobile devices via Bluetooth.

See at Amazon Sold out at Xbox Store

Xbox was also offering the Fallout Pip-Boy theme for the Elite Series 2 on Design Lab, but it's no longer available as of January 7.

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StarCraft may be set for a comeback, with a new report indicating a third-person shooter set in Blizzard's sci-fi franchise will be revealed at this year's BlizzCon.

According to a report from Windows Central's Jez Corden on what to expect from Xbox this year, a StarCraft shooter could headline Blizzard's fan convention in September.

Details about the game, including whether or not it will be a multiplayer title, are light, but it was first reported to exist in 2024 by Bloomberg reporter Jason Schrierer in his book Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment. Former Far Cry lead Dan Hay is said to be leading the project. Corden said he's confirmed the game's existence with his own sources, but did not share any additional information on what the game will look like.

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There's no shortage of handheld gaming PCs to choose from lately, but the Steam Deck has been a popular option thanks in part to its operating system. SteamOS works far better than Windows on these machines, and fortunately, it's available on another device: Lenovo's Legion Go 2. The company recently rolled out the Legion Go S with SteamOS, but for anyone looking for a handheld with more heavy-duty hardware--and Switch-like controllers--the Legion Go 2 has been a solid option. Lenovo will start selling the Legion Go 2 with SteamOS preinstalled in June, with pricing starting at $1,199.

Preorders aren't open at the time of writing, but it's likely that you'll find a listing at Best Buy and Amazon soon for the Legion Go 2. Compared to other PC gaming handhelds, the Legion Go 2 offers a lot of technical bang for your buck. The premium model is powered by the AMD Z2 Extreme chip, has 32GB of DDR5 RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a 74Wh battery. The base model uses the AMD Z2 SoC, has 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and the same battery.

Lenovo Legion Go 2 SteamOS

Both models also share one of the best screens you can find on a gaming handheld in the form of an 8.8-inch PureSight OLED display. This has a 144Hz refresh rate with VRR, making games look vibrant and smooth. The detachable TrueStrike controllers are also a big draw, and you can use them to shift between handheld, tabletop, console, or FPS modes.

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Some collectors will stop at nothing to complete their collections, even if that means decades have to pass before ever finishing. One such collector was on such a journey, finding and acquiring every Xbox 360 game released, and at the start of this year, that collector has finally finished this now vintage library that totals around $20,000--with the last game being a gift from their son.

Redditor uncleseeth shared their massive library in a post on the r/gaming subreddit on January 2. Starting the collection after receiving their Xbox 360 and Neversoft's Western shooter Gun on Christmas Day in 2005, uncleseeth then went on a mad hunt for every single game ever released on Microsoft's seventh-generation console. From standard editions to different variants, uncleseeth said their collection topped at 1,353 games--well over the 1,256 needed for a "complete set," which doesn't include the variants of various games.

Some games and items were given as gifts, including Efecto Studios' racer El Chavo Kart and the Xbox stand. One game that shocked them to find was The Farm 51's action-adventure Deadfall Adventures, which they described as "kinda [having] Indiana Jones vibes."

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A new report claims to have information on some of the upcoming unannounced games coming from Xbox, including a Fallout: New Vegas remake, a StarCraft shooter, a new Warcraft game, and more.

Windows Central reported that a remake of the beloved 2010 RPG from Obsidian is in the works, alongside the previously rumored remake of Fallout 3. These may not be the only Bethesda projects in the works, as the report said id Software may be working on a third Wolfenstein game to coincide with the upcoming Wolfenstein TV series for Prime Video.

Bethesda boss Todd Howard previously alluded to major reveals for Fallout coming up, saying Fallout is the Bethesda series that the company is "doing the most in" currently.

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War never changes, but major TV production plans do. A new report points to Fallout Season 3 starting to shoot as soon as May 1, which is almost two months earlier than previously thought. The Prime TV series will film in Santa Clarita, California, according to ProductionList.com, which added that this location was utilized for Season 2 as well.

Last month, Fallout executive producer Jonathan Nolan stated that they were aiming to begin filming this summer, with the plan to get Season 3 on the air as soon as possible. This new report adds that creators Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner will be back, too. Nolan alluded to this fact when talking to IGN in December.

Another returning name for the creative team is reportedly Frederick E.O. Toye. He has directed multiple episodes of the Fallout series and will helm more in Season 3. Toye also has previously worked on Shogun and Westworld.

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Unless you lived under a rock, you'd know that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was easily 2025's most acclaimed game of the year--and not just because it took home the Game of the Year trophy (alongside being named GameSpot's GOTY). Despite the massive popularity and success of the JRPG, developer Sandfall Interactive was surprised by the reception the game received, going as far as saying the team "underestimated" just how much Clair Obscur's side content would resonate with audiences.

Speaking to Edge Magazine for its February 2026 issue (via GamesRadar), lead game designer Michel Nohra explained that the optional objectives in the game--the additional bosses, minigames, side quests, and more--were far more popular than the team initially thought.

"Often, people don't want to finish the game, so they do all the side content before finishing it, because once the story is over, you're usually less motivated to do the side content," Nohra said. "And that's something I underestimated, which made people [who] wanted a challenging end boss fight feel a bit disappointed. I don't regret doing it the way we did it, but [we could have] had more explanation about your choice [in Act 3]."

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