Tech Raptor- Microsoft released this week that some of the main features that have been talked about on Xbox One will require an Xbox Live membership. Some of them are surprising, while many aren’t mainly because they are features that you would use online playing.
The previously rumored mass layoffs at Xbox are expected to happen on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, according to a new rumor.
They will have fired close to 20,000 people all up after this round of lay-offs coming, since the ABK deal announcement in January 2022. Shocking really
January 2023:
Microsoft laid off 10,000 employees, which was a significant workforce reduction.
January 2024:
Approximately 1,900 gaming employees were laid off following the Activision Blizzard acquisition.
May 2025:
Microsoft announced a further 6,000 layoffs as part of an organizational shift.
June 2025:
Additional layoffs, including 650 in the gaming business, focused on corporate and support functions
Let's hope its not as bad as socials are making it, good luck to those that unfortunately lose their jobs.
Could be not as bad could be horrible. But it's Ms so I'm expecting the absolute worst.
Sometimes I feel like they brought in Sarah to take the heat away from Phil.
Phil has always stuck his nose into everything Xbox related when it's something positive or at least neutral but as soon as they went the multiplatform root he's stood back and let Sarah do most of the talking in terms of PR. Now they are doing the same with layoffs.
The person who should be let go is Phil himself.
One of the founding members of the Xbox team has questioned Microsoft’s multiplatform gaming strategy, and said they believe the Xbox hardware business is effectively “dead"
Think that rumor that they'll still make a new console but at a profit at $1000 will be true though. The series consoles will remain their cheap alternative throughout next gen I would say. Keep in mind that game pass and pretty much going 3rd party is their main focus. They want to bring xbox everywhere.
Even as the company sets out to overhaul the very definition of Xbox, cuts at its studios risk creating a negative image reminiscent of EA's worst era
I appreciate the article but this guy must be living in a delayed universe, The reputation was ruined 10+ years ago and hasn't recovered since. As such people have voted with their wallets and stopped buying Xbox products in large amounts.
Rumors of Turn 10 being either shut down or hit with massive lay offs is on the horizon.
The issue is MS will do something right only to do something very, very wrong. And they do this what seems calculative at this point. Doesn't matter what they do the Investors and leadership want more and more money an endless bottomless pit of purr insatiable greed. A company that acts like it's broke or hurting is what really, really infuriates me. They've surpassed apple again well over 3 trillion who acts like they're a million dollar company is fk stupid. Pivots and changes for no reason and can't do things for more than a year with out a pivot or changing their metrics.
Doesn't matter? You people keep yourself telling that. I'm still trying to make sense of why something as the game DVR would require an online subscription. In a way it's like MS is still trying to implement their "always online" ideas, just hidden in features
These paywall things don't bother me because I have PS+ now and I didn't have any plans on unsubscribing regardless of multiplayer. I know the value in games will justify the price of PS+, but that being said just because it doesn't affect me it doesnt mean these things aren't bad.
Alot of complaints are based in principle and not practical situations. Nearly all of the people who read this site will have a subscribtion anyway, so I don't really think it matters as much as people make out.
MS are putting these features behind the paywall for the person with an expendable wage, who lets their XBL expire and isnt really bothered but still wants to use the box for the TV and media features. Not the gamer like us.
Without the PS+ you can't play multiplayer online, so that means your DVR only can record you playing at home by yourself. Why would you want to share that?...useless. Smh
it matters because the competition isnt putting features that are based around your own connection behind a paywall
It doesn't matter because Sony announced the opposite, so Microsoft will once again reverse something. Hopefully they keep doing it because its making Xbox One better.