Spoiler-Free Hawaii Exploration In Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth | Game Informer Live

Spoiler-Free Hawaii Exploration In Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth | Game Informer Live

Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth release tomorrow, and ahead of the launch, Marcus Stewart and I decided to cause some trouble in the streets of Hawaii. Check out the archive of our stream below where we chat about the series, whether or not this is a good place to jump in, and just generally talk about what makes the game cool without spoiling any story elements. It’s just some good old fashion beating up random people on the streets in Ichiban and pals.

You can read Game Informer’s Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth review by following the link, and learn why the game feels like an RPG for grown-ups in unexpected ways.

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Head over to Game Informer’s YouTube channel for more previews, reviews, and discussions of new and upcoming games. You can also visit our second channel Game Informer Shows for more archived livestreams and series such as Super Replay and Game Informer Live. 

Entrepreneur creates career pathways with MIT OpenCourseWare

Entrepreneur creates career pathways with MIT OpenCourseWare

When June Odongo interviewed early-career electrical engineer Cynthia Wacheke for a software engineering position at her company, Wacheke lacked knowledge of computer science theory but showed potential in complex problem-solving.

Determined to give Wacheke a shot, Odongo turned to MIT OpenCourseWare to create a six-month “bridging course” modeled after the classes she once took as a computer science student. Part of MIT Open Learning, OpenCourseWare offers free, online, open educational resources from more than 2,500 courses that span the MIT undergraduate and graduate curriculum. 

“Wacheke had the potential and interest to do the work that needed to be done, so the way to solve this was for me to literally create a path for her to get that work done,” says Odongo, founder and CEO of Senga Technologies. 

Developers, Odongo says, are not easy to find. The OpenCourseWare educational resources provided a way to close that gap. “We put Wacheke through the course last year, and she is so impressive,” Odongo says. “Right now, she is doing our first machine learning models. It’s insane how good of a team member she is. She has done so much in such a short time.”

Making high-quality candidates job-ready

Wacheke, who holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Nairobi, started her professional career as a hardware engineer. She discovered a passion for software while working on a dashboard design project, and decided to pivot from hardware to software engineering. That’s when she discovered Senga Technologies, a logistics software and services company in Kenya catering to businesses that ship in Africa. 

Odongo founded Senga with the goal of simplifying and easing the supply chain and logistics experience, from the movement of goods to software tools. Senga’s ultimate goal, Odongo says, is to have most of their services driven by software. That means employees — and candidates — need to be able to think through complex problems using computer science theory.

“A lot of people are focused on programming, but we care less about programming and more about problem-solving,” says Odongo, who received a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell and an MBA from Harvard Business School. “We actually apply the things people learn in computer science programs.”

Wacheke started the bridging course in June 2022 and was given six months to complete the curriculum on the MIT OpenCourseWare website. She took nine courses, including: Introduction to Algorithms; Mathematics for Computer Science; Design and Analysis of Algorithms; Elements of Software Construction; Automata, Computability, and Complexity; Database Systems; Principles of Autonomy and Decision Making; Introduction to Machine Learning; and Networks. 

“The bridging course helped me learn how to think through things,” Wacheke says. “It’s one thing to know how to do something, but it’s another to design that thing from scratch and implement it.”

During the bridging course, Wacheke was paired with a software engineer at Senga, who mentored her and answered questions along the way. She learned Ruby on Rails, a server-side web application framework under the MIT License. Wacheke also completed other projects to complement the theory she was learning. She created a new website that included an integration to channel external requests to Slack, a cross-platform team communication tool used by the company’s employees.

Continuous learning for team members

The bridging course concluded with a presentation to Senga employees, during which Wacheke explained how the company could use graph theory for decision-making. “If you want to get from point A to B, there are algorithms you can use to find the shortest path,” Wacheke says. “Since we’re a logistics company, I thought we could use this when we’re deciding which routes our trucks take.”

The presentation, which is the final requirement for the bridging course, is also a professional development opportunity for Senga employees. “This process is helpful for our team members, particularly those who have been out of school for a while,” Odongo says. “The candidates present what they’ve learned in relation to Senga. It’s a way of doing continuous learning for the existing team members.”

After successfully completing the bridging course in November 2022, Wacheke transitioned to a full-time software engineer role. She is currently developing a “machine” that can interpret and categorize hundreds of documents, including delivery notes, cash flows, and receipts.

“The goal is to enable our customers to simply feed those documents into our machine, and then we can more accurately read and convert them to digital formats to drive automation,” Odongo says. “The machine will also enable someone to ask a document a question, such as ‘What did I deliver to retailer X on date Y?’ or ‘What is the total price of the goods delivered?’”

The bridging course, which was initially custom-designed for Wacheke, is now a permanent program at Senga. A second team member completed the course in October 2023 and has joined the software team full time. 

“Developers are not easy to find, and you also want high-quality developers,” Odongo says. “At least when we do this, we know that the person has gone through what we need.”

Performance art and science collide as students experience “Blue Man Group”

Performance art and science collide as students experience “Blue Man Group”

On a blustery December afternoon, with final exams and winter break on the horizon, the 500 undergraduate students enrolled in Professor Bradley Pentelute’s Course 5.111 (Principles of Chemical Science) class were treated to an afternoon at the theater — a performance of “Blue Man Group” at Boston’s Charles Playhouse — courtesy of Pentelute and the MIT Office of the First Year.

Theatrical thrills aside, it was Blue Man Group’s practical application of chemical principles that inspired Pentelute to initiate and fund this excursion. The MIT Office of the First Year was pleased to collaborate with him to support an opportunity for first-year students to interact with one another outside of the classroom by providing funding for 300 of the tickets and T passes for all.

“By observing the use of specialized paints and materials in the show, students gain a deeper understanding of how chemistry intersects with creative expression,” says Pentelute. “This unique experience is inspired by our discussions on the chemistry of pigments and the role of chemistry in everyday life, aiming to bridge theoretical knowledge with real-world applications. The visit served as an engaging opportunity to enhance [the group’s] learning and foster a sense of community within our class.”

A fixture in Boston’s theater district since 1995, “Blue Man Group” is a euphoric, multi-sensory performance featuring three silent “Blue Men” who interact with the audience and one another not with words, but with art, music, comedy, and non-verbal communication. The characters are other-worldly in their innocence, appearing mystified by the audience and the most commonplace of objects. No two performances are completely alike, as the Blue Men pull members of the audience on stage, make music with instruments fashioned out of construction and plumbing materials, and, possibly most notably, drums covered in liquid paint that splash all over everything — and everyone — in what is known as the Poncho Zone.

The Charles Playhouse has a capacity of 500 seats, so the audience of this particular show was made up entirely of MIT undergraduate students — any tickets not utilized by 5.111 students were offered to first-generation first-year students. The experience proved to be an exciting example of practical applications of the general chemistry concepts and undergraduate camaraderie.

Catherine Hazard, a Department of Chemistry graduate student and the teaching assistant for 5.111, was one of the many attendees thrilled to see science in action at the theater.

“The use of brightly colored oil paints, a hallmark of the show, was a direct representation of chemical structures and crystal field theory concepts covered in class,” explains Hazard. “We learned how energy splitting of d orbitals influences color of varying inorganic transition metal complexes, as well as how chemicals such as waxes, resins, polymers, and stabilizers give the oil paint the proper consistency for the performance. The event was a fun culmination of the lessons learned just before heading into a week of finals.”

The goal of the Office of the First Year is to provide excellent services and programs to catalyze student exploration and access to opportunity, and promote the academic success and personal development of undergraduates. Programs and experiences like this one serve to enrich and support undergraduate education at MIT.

Pentelute joined the MIT faculty in 2011. His research group in the Department of Chemistry develops new protein modification chemistries, adapts nature’s machines for efficient macromolecule delivery into cells, invents flow technologies for rapid biopolymer production, and discovers peptide binders to proteins.

Destroy All Humans Remake Developer Black Forest Games Reportedly Lays Off 50 Employees

Destroy All Humans Remake Developer Black Forest Games Reportedly Lays Off 50 Employees

Black Forest Games, the studio behind the recent Destroy All Humans! 1 and 2 remakes, has reportedly laid off about 50 people. This news comes from Kotaku, which learned from a source with knowledge of the situation that these layoffs were announced yesterday, January 24, and that more information about them would be provided next week. 

Game Informer has reached out to Black Forest Games and will update this story if it learns more. 

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Kotaku writes that its source says creative directors and most, “if not all,” of the managers at Black Forest Games will keep their jobs following the layoffs. At approximately 110 employees as of last year, 50 job cuts would equate to a roughly 50 percent reduction in staff at the studio. 

Last August, publisher THQ Nordic, which is owned by Embracer Group, revealed that Black Forest Games was developing a game based on the popular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles graphic novel, The Last Ronin. It’s unclear if these layoffs will affect its development. 

These job cuts join a string of other disheartening 2024 layoffs, which total more than 5,500 in just the first 25 days of the year. Microsoft is laying off 1,900 employees across its Xbox, Activision Blizzard, and ZeniMax teams, Outriders studio People Can Fly laid off more than 30 employees this week, and League of Legends company Riot Games laid off 530 employees this week, too.  

We recently learned Lords of the Fallen Publisher CI Games was laying off 10 percent of its staff, that Unity would be laying off 1,800 people by the end of March, and that Twitch had laid off 500 employees. 

We also learned that Discord had laid off 170 employees, that layoffs happened at PTW, a support studio that’s worked with companies like Blizzard and Capcom, and that SteamWorld Build company, Thunderful Group, let go of roughly 100 people. Dead by Daylight developer Behaviour Interactive also reportedly laid off 45 people, too. 

Last year, more than 10,000 people in the games industry or game-adjacent industries were laid off. 

In January of last year, Microsoft laid off 10,000 employees amidst its ongoing $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which it completed in October. 

Striking Distance Studios, the team behind 2022’s The Callisto Protocol, laid off more than 30 employees in August of 2023. That same month, Mass Effect and Dragon Age developer BioWare laid off 50 employees, including long-time studio veterans. The following month, in September, Immortals of Aveum developer Ascendant Studios laid off roughly 45% of its staff, and Fortnite developer Epic Games laid off 830 employees. 

In October of last year, The Last of Us developer Naughty Dog laid off at least 25 employees, and Telltale Games also underwent layoffs, although an actual number of affected employees has not yet been revealed. Dreams developer Media Molecule laid off 20 employees in late October.

In November, Amazon Games laid off 180 staff members, Ubisoft laid off more than 100 employees, Bungie laid off roughly 100 developers, and 505 Games’ parent company, Digital Bros, laid off 30% of its staff. 

In December, Embracer Group closed its reformed TimeSplitters studio, Free Radical Design, and earlier in the year, Embracer closed Saints Row developer Volition Games, a studio with more than 30 years of development history. A few weeks before the winter holidays, Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering owner Hasbro laid off 1,100 employees. 

The games industry will surely feel the effects of such horrific layoffs for years to come. The hearts of the Game Informer staff are with everyone who’s been affected by layoffs or closures.

[Source: Kotaku]

A Hands-On Look At Skull And Bones’ Season 1 Endgame Content

I’ve been tracking developer Ubisoft Singapore’s naval warfare multiplayer game, Skull and Bones, since its reveal years ago, both as a massive fan of all things pirates and someone who specifically loved the high seas action of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. I wrote Game Informer’s Skull and Bones cover story back in 2022, and have played the game several times since then in previews, betas, and more. 

Despite what various delays had me believing, Skull and Bones is actually shaping up to be, at the very least, a fun and competent experience. Because I’ve played so many of its disparate parts rather than the whole, I believe there’s something really good in the game. However, without playing the full package, it’s tough to say how it all comes together, a critical aspect for any live-service multiplayer game. 

A Hands-On Look At Skull And Bones’ Season 1 Endgame Content

I’m going to dive into Season 1’s offerings and some of the endgame content I experienced in this final preview, but if you’d rather watch some gameplay and hear me talk about my time playing it this time around, check out the Skull and Bones New Gameplay Today below: 

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Skull And Bones: Season 1 Endgame And Bosses

The first season of Skull and Bones is called Raging Tides, and this season and three following it – Chorus of Havoc, Into the Dragon’s Wake, and Shadow of the Deep – are all part of the game’s Year 1 roadmap. Collectively, Year 1 is the Rise of the Kingpins, Ubisoft tells me. 

In Raging Tides, players are up against the pirate kingpin Phillippe Le Peste, a master of potent African poisons. He’s attracted to the region after hearing about the spoils you’ve captured as the area’s kingpin and as such, sends skirmishers and headhunters your way to put an end to your reign. Eventually, after you take down enough of his armada, threatening his own strangle on the seas, La Peste will fight you in the La Potence World Event, which is the penultimate fight against the kingpin on the Indian Ocean. This leads to one final climactic battle against La Peste that will end the season. 

skull and bones season 1 endgame content

I didn’t take part in that final battle in this hands-on preview of Skull and Bones, but I did play through the La Potence World Event. I am impressed with how unique this boss fight felt, especially compared to the action against other ships in the game. Admittedly, I didn’t expect anything more than the third-person (ship?) arcade shooter action the rest of the game features – how much more varied can firing weapons from a ship while controlling said ship be? It turns out, with some queues pulled from MMO games, very. 

La Peste uses poison attacks to keep me on the move, forcing my tank class ship to be played differently. I can’t hunker down and hold a spot while throwing cannonballs, mortars, and torpedos La Peste’s way. He targets not just me, but various other areas at once with a barrage of poison mortars that do damage on hit and area-of-effect damage as well. His biggest move places at least eight or so green targets on the seas and seconds later, each is hit with a powerful poison attack. My teammates, specifically our squad’s healer ship, keeps a constant barrage of healing mortars firing at me, thankfully, so I’m able to withstand the worst of La Peste, but just barely. 

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La Peste is also fast, meaning I have to weave in and out of his poisonous barrage attacks and utilize my ship’s three different sailing speeds to keep a balance between running for my life and not going so fast that I lose my maneuverability. After about five or so minutes, myself and the other five pirates helping take down La Peste, ending this world event. It’s a great time, and I hope other boss-like fights feature similar variations on the Skull and Bones formula. 

Elsewhere in Season 1, players can expect a Smuggle Pass, which is Ubisoft’s take on the battle pass for Skull and Bones. The pass lets players gain access to a special ship, the Barque, and themed equipment perfect for fighting La Peste. Plus, you can unlock La Potence schematics, which Ubisoft says is essential for taking on the season’s kingpin. The ship, themed equipment, and schematics are free, but you can also upgrade the Smuggle Pass for a paid, premium experience, too, for even more seasonal offerings. 

In Season 2: Chorus of Havoc, the Hubac twins from the power-hungry Compagnie Royale decide to invade the Indian Ocean, putting your status of Kingpin pirate on the line once more. Sent by the king of France, the Twins will make their presence known with stronger forts and stronger defenses throughout the region, presenting new opportunities for action and challenges, too. 

The final piece of the Skull and Bones endgame puzzle I want to touch on are Hostile Takeover and Legendary Heist events. In the former, you must stay in a designated zone and destroy ships, buildings, and fortresses, and ultimately, cause as much damage as possible. The more damage you do without leaving the designated zone, the better your performance. I enjoy this challenge as it forces me to stay right up in the action, removing my ability to sail away to safety for a breather. 

In the Legendary Heists, I and other players on the server have to work together to take down a legendary captain and his armada of ships. It was extremely difficult – I failed this event twice before finally succeeding the third time – because not only is the captain hard to take down, but other players can also target me if they choose. They might do this because only one ship can deliver the captain to a marked outpost for the full suite of rewards. The same goes for sea monsters, like the one I take down in the New Gameplay Today episode above – only one person can turn in its head to special merchants, meaning while various pirates might work with me to take the beast down, they might just as easily turn on me once the monster is dead, hoping to secure the head for themselves. 

Overall, I quite enjoyed my time sailing through Skull and Bones’ Season 1 endgame content. It’s still tough to say how the entire experience melds together, and I’m still not fully sold on a game where I play primarily as the ship and not a pirate, but if my various hands-on opportunities have proven anything, it’s that Skull and Bones is better than I expect so far and worth checking out in its final form. 

Skull and Bones hits PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on February 16. 

Are you going to check out Skull and Bones next month? Let us know in the comments below!

When is the right time to Upgrade? Software, Hardware & Technology Upg – Videoguys

In this week’s Videoguys Live episode, James hosts Ask the Videoguys, addressing your questions on updating and upgrading video production gear. The discussion covers the frequency of equipment updates, best practices, and considerations for upgrading hardware. Additionally, James explores whether your workflow is ready to transition to 4K. Watch for valuable insights and tips to enhance your video production setup!

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When is the right time to update your production hardware?

Tech Tips for Best Update Practices

  • Never update when you need to go live. Always allow time to test​
  • Never update on a Friday when tech support is going to be limited or unavailable over the weekend​
  • Never install cumulative upgrades at once or update multiple pieces of equipment all at the same time. It may be tempting to save time, but you want to be able to always pinpoint an issue if one happens​

When is the Right Time to Upgrade Your Technology?

  • Is it time to step up to 4K?​
  • ​What else should I keep an eye on for my production workflow?

Benefits of using 4K:​

  • Can stream and record in 4k – Picture looks clearer​
  • Better low light picture quality​
  • Lossless digital zoom when exporting at lower resolution​

When is the Right Time to Upgrade Your Production Hardware?

Let’s Looks at YoloLiv YoloBox Family

​​

 

​

 

​

 

​​

 

​​

Display​​

7″​​

5.5”​​

8”​​

8”​​

Brightness​​

350 nits​​

500 nits​​

400 nits​​

650 nits​​

HDMI Inputs​​

2​

1​​

3​​

4​​

ISO Recording​​

-​​

-​​

-​​

Yes​​

Battery​​

19.24Wh​

17.86Wh​​

37Wh​​

75.48Wh​​

CPU​​

625​

QualComm Snapdragon​

660​​

QualComm Snapdragon​

660​

QualComm Snapdragon​

865​

QualComm Snapdragon​

Ram/Rom​​

​

3GB/32GB​​

3GB/32GB​​

8GB/128GB​​

Streaming Platforms​​

Facebook/YouTube/​​

RTMP​​

Facebook/YouTube/​​

RTMP​​

Facebook/YouTube/​​

RTMP​​

Facebook/YouTube/​​

RTMP & Instagram/TikTok​​

Video Format​​

Horizontal​​

Horizontal​​

Horizontal​​

Horizontal/Vertical​​

Let’s Look at LiveU Solo and Solo PRO

Connectivity​

HD​MI​

HD​MI/SDI​

HDMI​

HDMI/SDI​

Resolution​

HD​​

HD​​

4K​​

4K​​

Compression​

H.264​​

H.264​​

HEVC, H.264​​

HEVC, H.264​​

Number of Modems​

Up to 2​​

4G Modems​​

Up to 2​​

4G Modems​​

Up to 4​​

4G/5G Modems​​

Up to 4​​

4G/5G Modems​​

LRT​

​Y

​Y

​Y

​Y

Max Bitrate​

8 Mbps​​

8 Mbps​​

20 Mbps​​

20 Mbps​​

Power connector​

Proprietary ​

charging cable​

Proprietary ​

charging cable​

USB-C​

USB-C​

Streaming
Locations​

USA Only​

USA Only​

USA and International​

USA and International​

Solo Connect Kits

  • New Solo Pro 2 Modem kits now available with advanced SoloConnect Data Plans​
  • Including US Only, North American Data with coverage in Canada, US and Mexico or Traveller Plans with International coverage​
  • For global use and should use a traveler plan

Vizrt TriCaster Mini Family

Features Mini HD-4
DISCONTINUED
When is the right time to Upgrade? Software, Hardware & Technology Upg – Videoguys

 When is the Right Time to Upgrade Software?

  • You don’t have to be first! Wait for others to report back on stability & upgrade success​
  • Always check compatibility with your OS​
  • Update OS first if needed to support software update​

Avid Media Composer Subscriptions include Latest Updates and Upgrades

NEW
Media Composer Subscriptions
RENEWALS
Media Composer Subscription

Upgrade to Media Composer Ultimate ​for More Advanced Features

Included in Media Composer Ultimate:​

  • PhraseFind AI Option​
    Find the right clips faster than ever with the help of AI​
  • ScriptSync AI Option​
    Save hours editing by matching your content to your script​
  • Symphony Option​
    Advanced color grading with precision control​

Get more from your Team:​

  • Avid Team Plans​
    Take the complexity out of managing licenses with Avid Team Plans and manage your team from a single admin console​
  • Avid NEXIS Storage Solutions for Collaborative Teams​
    Shared Storage solutions are perfect for teams of 3 or more Avid editors starting with the Avid Nexis PRO​

Wirecast Subscriptions
For the latest Updates and access to Wirecast 16 users can Now switch to Wirecast’s Subscription Models

 

 

 

 

 

Final Fantasy XIV Live-Action TV Series ‘Dead,’ Says The Production Company Behind It

Final Fantasy XIV Live-Action TV Series ‘Dead,’ Says The Production Company Behind It

The Final Fantasy XIV live-action television series first announced back in 2019 is “dead,” according to the production company that was working on it. Hivemind, which also worked on Netflix’s The Witcher, was developing the series with Sony Pictures Television, but co-founder Dinesh Shamdasani revealed on Twitter that the project is dead when asked about it, as reported by PC Gamer. 

“Dead,” Shamdasani writes on Twitter in response to someone asking what happened with the series’ production. “We took around a fantastic pilot script by Ben Lustig and Jake Thornton along with a multi-season plan they built with our showrunners, but got rejected across the board. The size and scale needed to do it right proved too much for anyone to want to risk. Amazon came closest.” 

When asked by someone else if an animated series is the way to go for this, Shamdasani said it would actually be harder, adding that the rights to an adaptation of Final Fantasy XIV “are back in Japan unfortunately.” 

PC Gamer notes that Thornton says the series’ “dead” status is the result of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We took it out just as studios began to zip up their purse strings,” he writes on Twitter. 

At the time of its 2019 announcement, not much was known about the project, other than it being a collaboration between Hivemind and Sony Pictures Television. There was no word on cast, story, which parts of Eorzea the series might take place in, and other details along those lines. 

While this might be disappointing news for those who were excited about the adaptation, there’s plenty to be excited about in Eorzea. The next Final Fantasy XIV expansion, Dawntrail, is coming this summer, and before that, Final Fantasy XIV will finally come to Xbox Series X/S this spring. Check out the new job and race coming with Dawntrail, and then catch up on everything you need to know about the upcoming expansion here. 

[Source: PC Gamer]

Do you think Final Fantasy XIV would make for a good television series? Let us know in the comments below!

Microsoft Is Laying Off 1900 Employees Across Xbox, Activision Blizzard, And ZeniMax

Microsoft Is Laying Off 1900 Employees Across Xbox, Activision Blizzard, And ZeniMax

Update, 9:51 a.m. ET, 1/25/24:

Blizzard president Mike Ybarra has announced he is departing from the company; he was not laid off as part of Microsoft’s 1,900 job cuts across its various gaming divisions, but the timing suggests the layoffs and his decision to leave are at least tangentially related. Here’s what Ybarra wrote on Twitter: 

“I want to thank everyone who is impacted today for their meaningful contributions to their teams, to Blizzard, and to players’ lives. It’s an incredibly hard day and my energy and support will be focused on all those amazing individuals impacted – this is in no way a reflection on your amazing work. If there’s anything I can help with, connections, recommendations, etc., DM me.

“To the Blizzard community: I also want to let you all know today is my last day at Blizzard. Leading Blizzard through an incredible time and being part of the team, shaping it for the future ahead, was an absolute honor. Having already spent 20+ years at Microsoft and with the acquisition of Activision Blizzard behind us, it’s time for me to (once again) become Blizzard’s biggest fan from the outside.

“To the incredible teams at Blizzard – thank you. Words can’t express how I feel about all of you. You are amazing. Continue to do incredible things and always keep Blizzard blue and the player at the forefront of every decision. To all of those impacted today – I am always available to you and understand how challenging today’s news is. My heart is with each one of you.”

Ybarra has worked at Blizzard since 2019, first as executive vice president and general manager of platform and technology before becoming president of the company in 2021. Before that, he worked for Microsoft for more than 19 years in various positions like corporate vice president of Xbox Live and Game Pass and partner studio manager for Xbox Studios. 

Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier is also reporting that Allen Adham, chief design officer and Blizzard founder is leaving the company following these layoffs, and that Odyssey, the studio’s in-development survival game, has been canceled. 

The original story continues below…

Original story, 9:43 a.m. ET, 1/25/24:

Microsoft is laying off roughly 1,900 employees across its Xbox, Activision Blizzard, and ZeniMax teams. This news comes by way of IGN, which has learned from sources that Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer sent a memo to staff explaining the layoffs.

Spencer cites the need to align strategy with a sustainable cost structure. Notably, Microsoft spent $69 billion in October to acquire Call of Duty and Overwatch maker Activision Blizzard, and it spent $7.5 billion in 2020 to acquire ZeniMax Media. 

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Here’s Spencer’s memo to staff in full, from IGN: 

“It’s been a little over three months since the Activision, Blizzard, and King teams joined Microsoft. As we move forward in 2024, the leadership of Microsoft Gaming and Activision Blizzard is committed to aligning on a strategy and an execution plan with a sustainable cost structure that will support the whole of our growing business. Together, we’ve set priorities, identified areas of overlap, and ensured that we’re all aligned on the best opportunities for growth.

“As part of this process, we have made the painful decision to reduce the size of our gaming workforce by approximately 1900 roles out of the 22,000 people on our team. The Gaming Leadership Team and I are committed to navigating this process as thoughtfully as possible. The people who are directly impacted by these reductions have all played an important part in the success of Activision Blizzard, ZeniMax and the Xbox teams, and they should be proud of everything they’ve accomplished here.

“We are grateful for all of the creativity, passion and dedication they have brought to our games, our players, and our colleagues. We will provide our full support to those who are impacted during the transition, including severance benefits informed by local employment laws. Those whose roles will be impacted will be notified, and we ask that you please treat your departing colleagues with the respect and compassion that is consistent with our values.

“Looking ahead, we’ll continue to invest in areas that will grow our business and support our strategy of bringing more games to more players around the world. Although this is a difficult moment for our team, I’m as confident as ever in your ability to create and nurture the games, stories, and worlds that bring players together.”

These job cuts come just a week after Xbox’s 2024 Developer Direct showcase, which is where we learned Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II will be released in May, what the first-person combat in Obsidian’s Avowed looks like, and that Square Enix’s Visions of Mana hits PlayStation, Xbox, and PC this summer. We also got our first look at Ara: History Untold, and the first taste of gameplay from Indiana Jones and The Great Circle, Machine Games’ first-person take on the famed archaeologist that hits Xbox later this year. 

These Microsoft layoffs join a string of other disheartening 2024 job cuts, which total more than 5,500 in just the first 25 days of the year. Outriders studio People Can Fly laid off more than 30 employees this week, and League of Legends company Riot Games laid off 530 employees this week, too. 

We recently learned Lords of the Fallen Publisher CI Games was laying off 10 percent of its staff, that Unity would be laying off 1,800 people by the end of March, and that Twitch had laid off 500 employees. 

We also learned that Discord had laid off 170 employees, that layoffs happened at PTW, a support studio that’s worked with companies like Blizzard and Capcom, and that SteamWorld Build company, Thunderful Group, let go of roughly 100 people. Dead by Daylight developer Behaviour Interactive also reportedly laid off 45 people, too. 

Last year, more than 10,000 people in the games industry or game-adjacent industries were laid off. 

In January of last year, Microsoft laid off 10,000 employees amidst its ongoing $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which it completed in October. 

Striking Distance Studios, the team behind 2022’s The Callisto Protocol, laid off more than 30 employees in August of 2023. That same month, Mass Effect and Dragon Age developer BioWare laid off 50 employees, including long-time studio veterans. The following month, in September, Immortals of Aveum developer Ascendant Studios laid off roughly 45% of its staff, and Fortnite developer Epic Games laid off 830 employees. 

In October of last year, The Last of Us developer Naughty Dog laid off at least 25 employees, and Telltale Games also underwent layoffs, although an actual number of affected employees has not yet been revealed. Dreams developer Media Molecule laid off 20 employees in late October.

In November, Amazon Games laid off 180 staff members, Ubisoft laid off more than 100 employees, Bungie laid off roughly 100 developers, and 505 Games’ parent company, Digital Bros, laid off 30% of its staff. 

In December, Embracer Group closed its reformed TimeSplitters studio, Free Radical Design, and earlier in the year, Embracer closed Saints Row developer Volition Games, a studio with more than 30 years of development history. A few weeks before the winter holidays, Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering owner Hasbro laid off 1,100 employees. 

The games industry will surely feel the effects of such horrific layoffs for years to come. The hearts of the Game Informer staff are with everyone who’s been affected by layoffs or closures.

[Source: IGN]