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1. 5 Yesterday

   Halo fans split over whether the Activision takeover helps the franchise

   Coverage and community reaction diverge on whether moving Halo development to Activision, the studio behind Call of Duty, will improve the series after nearly two decades of mixed reception under 343 Industries/Halo Studios.

   1. 1 outlet Halo Fans Can't Decide if Activision Takeover Is a Good Thing or Not

      first by IGN, 1d ago

   • M

     And the Xbox Shuffle continues... All The Major Xbox Changes Microsoft Announced Today: Layoffs, Halo Goes To Activision, And Lots More https://www. gamespot.com/articles/all-the- major-xbox-changes-microsoft-announced-today-layoffs-halo-changing-hands-and-more/ # Microsoft # Xbox # Labor # Layoffs # Halo # Activision # Gaming

     majorlinux@toot.majorshouse.comMastodon23h ago2▲view on Mastodon ↗

   2 more of the top 3 · 17 posts in this stretch

   • S

     Where did i say I liked them? Im just saying you might as well ask for a million bucks - it will never happen. Your list of demands is just a cry for attention since you know as well as us that you apparently will never come back to the franchise. I agree with your original list its just silly to even entertain

     SaintDarthVaderr/gaming12h agoview on r/gaming ↗
   • @

     Microsoft gutting Halo Studios and giving the Halo series to Activision, who have pumped countless soulless COD games in recent years and have aggressively microtransactioned customization is by far the worst possible outcome that has happened. Halo problems will only get worse

     @nocontextrvbX1d agoview on X ↗

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2. 4 yesterday 10:50 AM

   Commentators call the shake-up a further retreat from the Xbox brand

   The Verge and Ars Technica frame the day's changes as evidence Xbox is becoming "a shell of its former self," with its most iconic franchise handed to a subsidiary studio and its identity increasingly diluted.

   “Xbox has become a shell of its former self — and things are only getting worse.”

   1. 2 outlets Xbox is barely Xbox anymore

      first by Mastodon, 1d ago · also The Verge

   • K

     Big changes at Xbox! 🚨 Microsoft is cutting 268 jobs, while Activision takes over the next major Halo game with a new dedicated team. Several Xbox studios are also being reshuffled. 🎮 https:// mastanet.com/news/microsoft-ha lo-activision-job-cuts # Gaming # halo # xbox

     kr1s000@mastodon.onlineMastodon1d ago1▲view on Mastodon ↗

   2 more of the top 3 · 43 posts in this stretch

   • N

     I agree with your last sentence but again dude, if a video game is THAT heavily part of your life that you dont stop feeling mad about the bad game, you either have nothing going on and have the easiest life in the world, or you have other mental issues to address that are far more critical than having a good game. I get being frustrated…

     Necessary_Yam9525r/gaming1d agoview on r/gaming ↗
   • Y

     >For Halo, our goal is clear: make the greatest Halo game ever, worthy of its universe and legacy, while staying true to what made players love it in the first place.I seriously doubt that is going to happen. 343 Industries, now Halo Studios, has the dubious distinction of being the only AAA game studio that has somehow never made a universally…

     YuechenLiHacker News1d agoview on Hacker News ↗

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3. 3 yesterday 10:01 AM

   Ninja Theory heads toward closure after sale deals collapse

   Microsoft begins consultation on closing Ninja Theory after two separate agreements to sell the studio fell through, while a deal to sell Undead Labs proceeds and consultations over Arkane's future continue under French labor law.

   “Unfortunately, two separate agreements for Ninja Theory fell through.”

   1. 3 outlets Microsoft is laying off 268 Xbox staffers and Ninja Theory may close

      first by Mastodon, 1d ago · also Game World Observer, The Verge

      1 more headline

      • Official: XBOX to lay off 268 employees, and Ninja Theory faces potential closure Game World Observer · 1d ago
   • D

     Continuing Xbox Reset - 268 Roles Eliminated, Reorganizing Studios, Studio Divestitures, and Activision Will Develop the Next Halo Title https:// news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/09/22 /continuing-our-reset/ # xbox # gamedev # videogames # pcgaming # gamingnews # gaming

     DreamStationcc@mastodon.socialMastodon1d ago1▲view on Mastodon ↗

   2 more of the top 3 · 10 posts in this stretch

   • @

     More big changes at Xbox today, with a bunch of studio shifts, including Halo going to Activision. The good news, if any, is that the number of people laid off will fall *below* the estimated 3,200 given in July. For bad news, Microsoft is still trying to find a buyer for Ninja Theory and the Hel...

     @daniel_rubinoX1d agoview on X ↗
   • @

     Activision is taking over Halo. — Feels like we're witnessing the end of Xbox Game Studios. www.theverge.com/news/998586/ ...

     @seanhollisterBluesky1d agoview on Bluesky ↗

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4. 2 yesterday 10:00 AM

   Microsoft moves Halo, Sea of Thieves and Age of Empires to Activision

   Xbox eliminates 268 roles across Halo Studios and other first-party teams while announcing that Activision will build the next Halo game with a new team separate from Call of Duty; Rare (Sea of Thieves) and World's Edge (Age of Empires) also move under Activision, Obsidian shifts to Bethesda to focus on Fallout, casual titles move to King, and Turn 10 merges with Playground Games.

   “We are eliminating 268 roles across Halo Studios, other first-party studios, and the XGS management and central functions layer.”

   1. 9 outlets Xbox lays off 268 more people as Activision takes over Halo and Bethesda absorbs Obsidian

      first by TechSpot, 1d ago · also MobileSyrup, KitGuru, DayOne, iPhone in Canada, Empire, Digital Foundry +2

      8 more headlines

      • Xbox keeps cutting with 268 more layoffs, hands Halo to Activision MobileSyrup · 1d ago
      • Xbox restructure will move Halo to Activision KitGuru · 1d ago
      • Headlines | Xbox Announces More Layoffs and Studio Changes, Halo Now With Activision DayOne · 1d ago
      • Microsoft Cuts 268 Xbox Jobs, Hands Over Halo to Activision iPhone in Canada · 1d ago
      • Halo Moves To Activision Amid Latest Round Of Xbox Job Cuts Empire · 1d ago
      • REPORT Activision Takes Over Halo, Sea of Thieves, Age of Empires as More Huge Layoffs Hit Xbox Studios Digital Foundry · 1d ago
      • Xbox Lays Off 268 More People, Hands Halo Series To Activision Game Informer · 1d ago
      • Xbox Says Activision Will Now Make ‘Halo’ After Halo Studios Layoffs Forbes · 1d ago
   2. 9 outlets CONFIRMED: Microsoft Hands Halo to Call of Duty Developer Activision as Part of Huge Xbox Studios Shakeup

      first by IGN, 1d ago · also Eurogamer, XDA Developers, PCMag, PCMag Australia, GeekWire, Neowin +2

      8 more headlines

      • Next major Halo game being developed by Activision, as Halo Studios all but closes as part of Microsoft's Xbox restructuring Eurogamer · 1d ago
      • Microsoft guts Halo Studios as Activision takes over making the next Halo game XDA Developers · 1d ago
      • Microsoft Tasks Activision to Build Next Halo Game as Xbox Layoffs Continue PCMag · 1d ago
      • Microsoft cuts hundreds more jobs, shifts next ‘Halo’ game to Activision in Xbox overhaul GeekWire · 1d ago
      • Microsoft reorganizes Xbox, hands Halo to Activision Neowin · 1d ago
      • Xbox Announces More Job Cuts and Studio Reorgs, With Next Halo Game Developed by Activision Thurrott · 1d ago
      • CONFIRMED: Microsoft Hands Halo to Call of Duty Developer Activision as Part of Seismic Xbox Studios Shakeup IGN · 1d ago
      • Microsoft makes big cuts at Halo Studios, shifts franchise to Activision Game File · 1d ago
   11 more claims →
   • R

     Xbox Layoffs Expected Today: New Report Confirms Microsoft’s Plans # Vice

     realTuckFrumper@mastodon.socialMastodon1d agoview on Mastodon ↗

   1 more of the top 2 · 2 posts in this stretch

   • P

     $MSFT Xbox layoffs signal major studio consolidation | @theverge.com

     polaronfinance.bsky.socialBluesky1d agoview on Bluesky ↗

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5. 1 Sep 21 11:15 PM

   The Information reports a second Xbox layoff wave is imminent

   A report says Xbox plans to lay off hundreds of employees within the week and consolidate several of its game studios, foreshadowing the announcement that followed hours later.

   1. 7 outlets Xbox plans hundreds more layoffs and studio consolidation

      first by PocketGamer.biz, 1d ago · also Rock, Paper, Shotgun, Tech4Gamers, TheGamer, Neowin, Nintendo Life, DayOne

      6 more headlines

      • Xbox reportedly set to lay off hundreds more staff and “consolidate” several game studios in second round of major cuts this year Rock, Paper, Shotgun · 1d ago
      • Xbox To Reportedly Slash Hundreds Of Jobs & Consolidate Multiple Studios Soon Tech4Gamers · 1d ago
      • Xbox Expected To Layoff Hundreds More This Week And Consolidate Studios TheGamer · 1d ago
      • Xbox targets hundreds more workers in second layoff wave Neowin · 1d ago
      • Xbox To Reportedly Cut “Hundreds Of Jobs” And Consolidate Several Studios In Next Wave Of Layoffs Nintendo Life · 1d ago
      • Xbox to Layoff Hundreds of and Consolidate Studios per New Report DayOne · 1d ago
   2. 4 outlets Exclusive: Xbox to Cut Hundreds of Jobs, Consolidate Game Studios

      first by The Information, 1d ago · also The Hindu, Notebookcheck, Moneycontrol

      3 more headlines

      • Microsoft Xbox plans to cut hundreds of jobs The Hindu · 1d ago
      • Microsoft lays off Xbox employees in major studio reorganization Notebookcheck · 1d ago
      • Xbox layoffs: Microsoft cuts hundreds of jobs as studios undergo major restructuring Moneycontrol · 1d ago
   6 more claims →
   • @

     Ding Ding Round 2 (This isn't breaking news, Xbox said the layoffs weren't over, it was just a matter of when the 2nd round would hit) The consolidation of studios could prove interesting.

     @chrisavelloneX1d agoview on X ↗

   1 more of the top 2 · 2 posts in this stretch

   • B

     Jesus... https://www. gamesindustry.biz/xbox-reporte dly-set-to-announce-second-round-of-layoffs-this-week

     Blerkotron@mastodon.socialMastodon1d agoview on Mastodon ↗

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6. backgroundJul 15

   Xbox launches its "reset" with 1,600 layoffs — New Xbox CEO Asha Sharma kicks off a restructuring plan aimed at reaching "more than a billion people each day," cutting 1,600 jobs and spinning off studios Double Fine and Compulsion, with 1,600 more cuts flagged for the following fiscal year.