GFB: "It’s been a fun ride and the Xbox brand has certainly introduced some amazing things to the world of gaming and the community as a whole. And while many fans of rival companies such as Nintendo and Sony have long denied the positives brought to gaming by Microsoft and the Xbox brand, we’re pretty sure that they’ll embrace the most popular Xbox exclusive brands just like they did when SEGA left the hardware business."
The cuts are expected to be announced next week.
Microsoft is also planning thousands of job cuts that will impact other parts of it businesses
MFs has been beating their chests over great quarterly results and big profits to shareholders while firing people by the thousands just like Sony.
I wonder if at the top of those rumored layoffs they´ll also cancel upcoming or unannounced games while shutting down more studios as well.
Always got to throw shade at Sony smh.
Yes we get it,
MS good Sony bad
MS bad Sony is also bad lmao
F* them both!
Just for the record, I don´t care about your victim complex crap either. Find someone else who cares.
@Blacktiger
Im not offended , that’s just his formula lol
He can’t help help himself, he needs to bring Sony down when the topic involves MS.
Whether is good news for MS or bad, it some how leads to Sony doing bad lmao.
It’s actually hilarious.
He's not wrong but im tracking what youre saying. In this case is should just be MS bad. Thats a lot of people fired
"just like Sony"
Gosh you're insufferable, not everything needs to be both-sides'd. Sony's had layoffs, but nothing like what Microsoft has been doing and is continuing to do.
I mean, no offense, but this is why you’re not some corporate business person running a major corporation. Big profits don’t mean jobs are safe. Do you understand why things like this happen:
Cutting jobs to maintain or increase profitability, especially in underperforming divisions like parts of Xbox like other gaming divisions.
Corporate restructuring and relocating resources for strategic stability in ever changing markets and consumer behaviors.
Investor expectations and optimizing operations to maintain investor confidence. Whatever boosts stock prices and improves future margins.
And there’s many other factors at play. It’s never as simple as business doing well, everyone’s safe. That’s just you not understanding at all how corporations work and have been working since the beginning. This isn’t something that’s specific to Xbox, you can bet your ass Sony and Nintendo do this and if it’s not clear by now, game development is not a stable job nor has it ever been for many. A lot of developers are contractors and guess what happens when a project is done?
Nintendo said they have no plans for layoffs, and you can't seriously claim that the scale of Sony's layoffs most of which involved Bungie which is self managed as even close to the same scale as what Microsoft has done since they purchased Zenimax. And that significantly less layoffs would have happened if those publishers had stayed independent. Keep in mind that much of these layoffs have been due to redundancies specifically related to these buyouts.
@Ganif
Nintendo:
https://gamerant.com/ninten...
Sony:
https://gamerant.com/playst...
https://techxplore.com/news...
I don’t think it’s realistic to treat Sony’s layoffs as somehow outside the norm for the industry right now. Even if Bungie is self-managed, Sony’s cuts went far beyond that like Naughty Dog, Insomniac, London Studio being shut down completely, and multiple teams across the globe took hits. These weren’t just minor adjustments.
Nintendo, I had to look up and you’re right. They seem to be an outlier, but rest assured at some point it happens. And even then there’s been layoffs, albeit a smaller amount and contractors.
Would fewer layoffs have happened if studios from acquisitions stayed independent? Maybe. But even independents have been hit hard and look at what’s happened with Embracer’s fallout, or smaller devs like Digic, Roll7, or Volition. This isn’t just a “Microsoft problem” or strictly tied to acquisitions; it’s a broader correction happening across the whole industry, and unfortunately, layoffs are a big part of that process right now.
From your article:
"According to reports, Nintendo of America restructured its testing operations, leading to layoffs of about 120 contractors, part of a strategy for global integration.
Nintendo of America, publisher of iconic franchises like Mario and Zelda, is shifting some contractors to full-time roles for better development integration."
Contractors are not employees, and even if you want to count them as that, it's 120 people vs around 7500 since Microsoft purchased Zenimax.
In an era of game industry layoffs, Nintendo is hiring more people
https://automaton-media.com...
Nintendo Announces 10 Percent Pay Raise For Devs Despite Lower Profits
https://kotaku.com/nintendo...
Nintendo CEO’s refusal to layoff staff goes viral following industry-wide cuts
"Satoru Iwata took pay cuts to ensure staff didn’t have to be let go"
https://www.nme.com/news/ga...
And as for Sony you're comparing less than 1000 total jobs to an estimated7500
Has the industry faced layoffs, yes, but that still doesn't account for the mass layoffs due to redundancies that was easily predictable, or that fact that at least 1/3 of Microsoft's layoffs and studio closures happened before the industry downturn.
Take the L, Crimson.
People hate Nintendo, but Ganif proved why they deserve support.
It's like banging your head off a wall, he just can't help himself.
Microsoft can do no wrong, Sony sucks at everything and Nintendo is bigged up because it's less hassle than trying to defend Microsoft all the time
What's going to happen when Microsoft finally turn completely third party, then what?
Did you know that the first n4g was designed to be a perfect human world? Where none suffered, where everyone would be happy. It was a disaster. No one would accept the program.
I wouldn't be surprised at this point if anast and osbcure were both alts for the Admin.
We know how Obscure especially drums up additional comments and clicks with his spam-worthy remarks that somehow never get moderated
Thats business present a strong front to your shareholders while your company burns around you.
Keep shareholders happy at all costs andnif not happy keep them numb to the reality of you organisation
" Just for the record, I don´t care about your victim complex crap either. Find someone else who cares. "
Just for the record, you clearly you do if you have to vent this hard.
When Microsoft lays off you got their defense force arriving to say well Sony lays off too. While yes sadly, but not as much and not from buying up major publishers and cutting jobs soon after. This will be Xbox’s 4th major layoff in 18 months.
Gaming industry all together has been rough for last 3 years. It’s not the same as it use to be. It’s harder and harder to rebound from a not well received game. You almost have to strike oil on every attempt.
Hopefully the entirety of 343 or whatever they call that studio now gets shuttered.
Pretty impressive to destroy a top 5 IP in less than 10 years and nobody seemed to really care.
The entirety of 343? They undergone major lays offs several years ago already but shutting them down completely will never happen. The fall of Halo is simply due to MS milking it every single gen. A milked game will get stale and eventually sour over time.
“The fall of Halo is simply due to MS milking it every single gen.”
Nintendo seems to disagree with the same IPs successfully released with every gen since I was a toddler.
343 took an established, massively popular franchise and blew it.
You can put Mario in another genres as a mainline release something that Nintendo has done well with no complaints from their fans. Halo had a RTS Halo that saw some success but they mainly kept it FPS because there old out of touch stuck in 2004 fanbase is too scared of change and largely got stale. 343 needs to re-invent or innovate with Halo and not worry about what a bunch of old ppl think.
Remember when Microsoft went to court and told their mom that buying ABK wouldn't lead to mass layoffs in their gaming division? Well I guess they also said things like they wouldn't create another tier for Game Pass or raise prices...
Bloomberg claims this is the fourth major layoff in the last 18 months, but of course there were around 2500 other cuts across multiple layoff rounds including closing Arkane Austin, Alpha Dog Studios, Tango Gameworks and Roundhouse Games after they bought Zenimax that wouldn't be in that list.
I mean really, letting them buy ABK proves yet again to have been a well thought out decision that clearly anyone would have had to have been crazy to criticize. Which, I'm sure, is why it wasn't criticized at all by any major publication.
Like I've been saying. They are going to streamline. Those AI mobile games are going to be off the chain.
This is a serious moment, and it deserves to be treated as such. On one hand, gamers are hearing that we're hard at work on the next-generation Xbox—pushing the boundaries of what's possible, or so the message goes. On the other hand, there's a steady drumbeat of layoffs, raising tough questions about where the industry is heading and who gets left behind.
AI is rapidly becoming the unseen architect of the blockbusters to come—yes, even the Call of Duty of the future could be built less by teams of passionate developers and more by algorithms trained to optimize engagement. That shift doesn't sit easily with everyone.
And maybe that’s partly why people like Panos Panay and Phil Beliore decided it was time to step away. When innovation takes a back seat to quarterly returns—when vision is replaced by the safe, upward climb of a revenue graph—it’s fair to ask what’s being lost in the process.
This isn't just a story about tech. It's a story about what we value, and who gets to shape the next chapter.
MS is currently worth around $3.55 trillion, and they need to layoff? Think about that. The useless Governments around the world need to get off their asses and get involved and investigate, and see if these layoffs are needed, which really are not.
Makes sense. MS spent nearly 100 billion dollars to take Xbox from third place to third place.
phil needs to tighten those reins and that's exactly what he's doing, xbox would be dead if it wasn't for phil and his emails
Well what can one expect when you get all of the games “free” through GamePass?
I’m surprised this hasn’t been happening on a quarterly basis at XBOX, because ain’t no way they are making great profit with the Game Pass model.
At this point there's two guys left working on nextbox in the basement using two tin cans and some string for party chat
Yep saw this on Twitter. I'm not remotely surprised I even said the would still lay ppl off no matter how good they're doing. In facts they've been doing lay offs to since the year started and will continue to do so. Scummy, shitty, terrible greedy MS is what theyll always be.
Who didn’t see this coming when they bought 2 of the largest gaming publishers??
MS doesn’t care about most of the studios and the people they employ. MS wants the IP and a good chunk of the studios are seen as unnecessary after they gain control of their IP.
It was seen as some win for Xbox even though Xbox gamers would get those games anyway. It ended up the way many of us predicted, being bad for everyone.
This is a sad situation. I don't know why Xbox didn't roll back the prices of their consoles after China made a deal with the tariff.
That console is basically unsellable at this point because their main competitor was already Perceived as the default console and now it is cheaper.
Start with Phil. The Xbox division has been awful under his leadership. If not for Microsoft money, Xbox would no longer exist.
Phil should do a master class series on keeping your Executive job while failing for years. #noaccountability
AMD CEO Lisa Su talks about the Xbox AMD partnership, next-gen Ryzen + Radeon chips, and AI rendering tech coming to all Xbox devices.
AMD is really building hype around their unique partnership with Microsoft to help and build an advanced and seamless Xbox ecosystem across all Xbox consoles and devices.
I wonder what she meant by "full roadmap of gaming optimized chips" though? Seems ambitious.
Next year´s Xbox Showcase already looks promising and exciting. Here´s hoping they deliver.
Obscure_Observer said “I wonder what she meant by "full roadmap of gaming optimised chips" though? Seems ambitious.” To me, I interpret this to mean rather than having a couple of X/S products for launch and a handheld there is a longer term plan to release new products with higher specs at timed intervals. I’m speculating of course, but this could mean a spec bump every year or two, so that even if the PS6 or Steam Deck Home is released a year after ‘Xbox’ Microsoft can release an updated model that has a higher spec.
It's X3D chips for console. Everyone knows this. And it's been rumored in the PS6 forever.
Correct.
"Sony's PlayStation 6 reportedly will feature an AMD semi-custom APU with a Zen 5 CPU and UDNA GPU, capable of 4K 120FPS and 8K 60FPS gaming. The console will include X3D cache and advanced AI upscaling technology."
https://www.tweaktown.com/n...
"It's X3D chips for console. Everyone knows this. And it's been rumored in the PS6 forever."
I doubt that AMD´s CEO would waste her time making this huge and important partnership announcement over a tech that will be 7 years old by the those next gen consoles will be released.
You should have just lead this comment with the fact that you have zero understanding of technology in the consoles and instead have a Toms Hardware online forum level of education.
"It's X3D chips for console. Everyone knows this. And it's been rumored in the PS6 forever"
I´d told you were on some bs
https://www.pcgamesn.com/wp...
@VenomUK
"I’m speculating of course, but this could mean a spec bump every year or two, so that even if the PS6 or Steam Deck Home is released a year after ‘Xbox’ Microsoft can release an updated model that has a higher spec."
Very interesting theory. Still not sure how MS would actually make it work.
"I doubt that AMD´s CEO would waste her time making this huge and important partnership announcement over a tech that will be 7 years old by the those next gen consoles will be released."
How old is the tech in consoles? It's not a huge announcement. It's marketing and you know it is.
"How old is the tech in consoles? It's not a huge announcement. It's marketing and you know it is."
Dude, what I know for certain is that a tech as old as X3D chips which is actually *older* than both PS5 and Xbox Series consoles, is hardly the reason behind this new partnership between AMD and MS to build new *custom silicon* for next generation of consoles.
And yes it´s a huge announcement since AMD is working closely with MS to co-develop custom SoC which will allow backwards compatibility across all MS´s next gen devices allowing seamless integration between devices and full backwards compatibility across all generations of Xbox consoles.
I also know is that this announcement don´t have anything to do with Playstation and their strategy with AMD for the PS6, so stop comparing the two pretending that you know what´s going on, because you clearly don´t.
If Sony is working on something remotely similar, that´s remain to be seen.
Some odd, deliberate wording, no branding, not 'Xbox consoles, Xbox handhelds' specifically, feels and sounds like they're building towards hardware that anyone can be used or licensed to/by themselves and other manufacturers.
Multiplatform software and hardware 'Xbox/AMD APU'.
I guess you missed Sarah Bond´s next generation Xbox announcement this week, were she clearly states:
"I´m thrilled to share that we´ve established a strategic multi-year partnership with AMD to co-engineer silicon across a portfolio of devices, including, *our* next generation *Xbox consoles*."
But hey, I don´t think you´re entirely wrong, maybe MS will build their own Xbox consoles while licencing other manufactures to build and sell their own Xbox branded consoles. Who knows
I think you watched the wrong video. It's below the description, or you can watch it directly on YouTube.
https://youtu.be/kprpRvsOua...
Shares vision....we provide chips for money, this deal will sell many chips, we will make lots of money...good vision
The marketing behind this is so heavy that I worry about the actual outcome. Why are they just not showing us the product, why all this talking in market speak?
Probably because the next xbox isn't ready to release yet?
The marketing and rumors seem to be heavy out of no where. The rumor was a 27 release but it maybe it could be 26 new console launch instead.
Who knows.
There PR is alrways super heavy handed. No one is acutally buying an Xbox as is.
Also it is very early to be talking so much about a next gen console.
There´s a lot of people interested on Xbox Next and its ability to run games from major stores like Steam.
We know that the PS6 is just around the corner as well, but so far, no news on what it might improve over the PS5 or PS5 Pro.
However, Sony already made public that their priority and actual focus is the PS6. So its not "very early" to talk about next gen when the very console manufactures are talking about it.
It's unreal how Microsoft pays people to talk about them.
Look at this announcement, it comes across like Microsoft is the one making the hardware when AMD is the one who makes the chips, Microsoft is buying what AMD makes. It's the same with the Xbox Rog Ally, the only thing Xbox is the home button which has an Xbox logo. Asus made the product yet all the marketing makes it seem like it's a Microsoft product.
My take as a person who prefers PlayStation is that even though Microsoft used it's partnership with AMD to keep AMD from being able to list PlayStation as a FSR supported device even when Xbox, Nvidia and Intel and others were listed. The first console to have a game that used FSR was PlayStation, the first console to have a game that used FSR 2 was PlayStation the first game on console to use FSR 3 was on PlayStation and PS5 Pro is going to have FSR 4 before Xbox even has a console that can use AI rendering. And of course PlayStation has its own partnership with AMD, Project Amethyst to co-develop AI software and hardware.
"It's unreal how Microsoft pays people to talk about them."
It's called marketing every buissness does it not sure if you knew that or or not. Did you complain when Epic was marketing the PS5 using Unreal Engine and SSD?
It's all corporate PR spiel we here each and every generation and hardly anything comes out of it. Or the consoles end up do half of what they're promised. Like we saw this gen.
"Or the consoles end up do half of what they're promised"
Well that's true about Xbox, still waiting for that missing 17%, but PS5 as a hardware platform was undersold and over performed.
Makes no sense, over delivering on hardware would also mean it would show in games as well.
They've been shitting on their customer base and taking them for granted for far too long.
It was bond to start happening. The situation is only going to get worse the more these mega corps gouge their customer base for all their worth.
Xbox rog ally is a hint to other similar partnerships where Xbox is on other devices using amd tech , pc, laptops etc with an Xbox button like rog ally and eliminating the risk that comes with trying to manufacture and sell your own device
My biggest waste of money in gaming was the Xbox Series X. Has sat for a few years, Microsoft forgot to release games. The cost of next gen gaming consoles, I'll be giving the next Xbox a miss.
The Nintendo Switch 2 has set a new record by selling over 3 million units within 24 hours, tripling the PlayStation 4’s previous launch day sales.
No doubt, but.... the current price is out of the realm of the average parent / kid to buy like the SW1 was. So this launch achievement is from those of us with more disposable income.
The number of SW2 specific titles pales in comparison to the variety of SW1 games that get a performance boost right out of the box on this. And like the SX and PS5 before it, you can bet the majority are going to be using it as a means to better enjoy their existing titles that can benefit.
This may have been quick out of the gate... so was the WiiU. I quite enjoy it for what it is, but am keeping my expectations in check.
The Switch 2’s price point is great and fine and it’s still cheaper than the current gen of consoles aside from the Series S.
The only place I think they will fall short is their software sales, which also in turn may affect the hardware sales but not significantly. Parents will be fine paying for the system for their kids, but one look at an $80-$90 price tag for a single video game, that is where a lot of people will draw the line. Maybe not so much the people who are in the “willing to pay because I buy deluxe editions anyway” crowd, but for parents specifically, more sacrifices are gonna need to be made in their choices of gifts for their kids.
As a parent of 3 with a very modest income, it was very affordable bc I already had an immense library of games, and the Mario Kart bundle came out to only about €50 more than a standard bundle. Both Zeldas were upgraded w Family Expansion Pass that I already had. Many games were upgraded for free. The only additional game I bought was Fast Fusion for 14.99 which was a great purchase!
People seem to forget that the Switch was $299 at launch which in today's money is roughly $400. That makes the Switch 2 a $50 increase when inflation is taken into account compared to the original.
Yes, people have less spending power on average compared to 2017 (Switch launch year) but this is not the MASSIVE price hike that people are making out Nintendo to be doing.
“No doubt, but.... the current price is out of the realm of the average parent / kid to buy like the SW1 was. So this launch achievement is from those of us with more disposable income.”
It could also be many people rushing to buy to avoid any possible tariff hikes in the future, but I think it’s still a good sign that many people still want physical consoles. Congrats to Nintendo! I’m not getting one at this time though (unless I get it for a Xmas present for one of my kids).
Congratulations Nintendo on finding the happy medium between their weak console and their invincible handheld plus learning from Sony and clearly defining the new console from the old unlike their Wii and Wii U just add a higher number simple yet effective 👍👍
Nope. I didn’t research, I don’t own any Nintendo consoles and I had read on here something about $90 games on switch 2, so I guess it’s good now, people can calm down. Have a nice day :)
I bought the Switch 2 I won’t be buying games at MK prices. I don’t ever pay over £45 for my games. Even my Nintendo switch exclusives I never paid more than £33 for.
I think the typo you put was meant to be $80.
Anyway, the answer to those questions seem to be yes.
Don't get your news from clickbait TikTokers/YouTubers, only go to the source (Nintendo) or reliable new outlets like IGN.
No game is $90 on the Switch 2, and they will never go there. Most games will be under $80, too.
Its crazy that it's both the highest selling console on day 1 and people can walk into a store and buy it with no pre order
Yup while I was waiting in line from Best Buy for Switch 2, like I did for Switch 1 back in 2017, every waiting 12am was going to get a Switch 2! I was in the no preorder line too!
My friend manage to get 4 Switch 2s at his GameStop store, that was lowkey not busy at all. Got them all for himself and his family. Super easy to get a Switch 2 over PS5.
The struggle to get a ps5 was real had mates wait over 2 years for stock i got lucky and got it day 1 but still
I know and I also struggled getting a preorder for the PS5, when Walmart, Best Buy among other retailers open their preorders a day early before most of us realize it. I got my PS5 launch day thanks to YouTube Live Streamer Jake Randell. He helps people get preorders and launch consoles.
It’s funny how I got disagrees for speaking the truth for what I experienced getting the Switch 2. Nintendo had more copies of Switch 2 than Sony for the PS5.
Don’t be butthurt about this very fact. People on here disagreeing with crazy reasons lol
Yeah, I remember reading an article over two years ago with Nintendo stating that they were going to do all that they could to make sure their next console didn't have the PS5/XBox reseller swiping /no stock fiasco happen to them.
Looks like they made sure production met demand. Refreshing to see that the reseller thing didn't trend and I hope a lot of people who bought multiple units for the sole reason to resell then at $1000 are now stuck with them.
I remembered I tried 7 pre-order events during the PS5 launch. I gave up and ended up buying 1 from a scalper. But now, I already secured 1 pre-order Switch 2 unit in my country very easy and without problems.
Unlike the Switch 2 , the Playstation 4 was not sold on the same day in most regions.
Been with Nintendo since 1985. Most of my games are digital going back to the X360 era, so fine with digital. I see no reason to change now.
Loving the Switch 2. Game pricing is no issue since most day1 games I buy are deluxe versions and already are $80 plus, so I expect the S2 to do well for Nintendo.
It is interesting now to see the haters show up in every S2 thread now🤣.
Yeah it's weird the hate only started around the proce reveal since then everything they say or do is wrong but really it's the same group of people who complained about every single Nintendo console probably going back to the snes
It's the same group of people that claim nintendo gets a free pass on everything despite them receiving the most criticism compared to the other 2 console makers.
Definitely isn't the same group of people hating on it. How can you not hate the big price increase on games or key carts?
But not with this scale dude. In Japan, the pre orders alone is 1.2M+. In comparison, the highest console launch pre order is PS2 with 600k+ units. And there's a report that in NA, the initial sales is 3.5M already.
According to NintendoPrime yeah right, the guy won't ever say anything bad around Nintendo lol.
Whether it ended up real or not it doesn't affect me and still not buying regardless.
Yeah even if its true I would still wait for Nintendo to say something. If it is true I'm sure they will be more than happy to make an official statement.
No surprise. The Switch 1 sold like 150 plus million. Did people think the successor would do poorly at launch? Come on, now. Despite the price, digital vs physical keycard(fine with digital). I expected the S2 to do well. I love what Nintendo did here as all I really wanted was a better Switch and they delivered that. I am really glad I no longer need to use the M-Classic scaler on my 4K tv like I did with the Switch 1 just to get a cleaner image. https://marseilleinc.com/pr...
That's why everybody thinks CDPR lied about the 4k video of cyberpunk, they didn't know that the dock can output 4k resolution even the source is 1080p, and the results are much better.
https://youtu.be/Evt58-1pyR...
Platform launch isn't a indication of if the backlash will effect sales. Wii U sold well at launch.
Don't worry, it will never happen even you wait for many years. Remember me saying that. XD
Some of you need to leave the echo chambers.
Casual audiences do not give a flying you-know-what about the overblown backlash and clickbait that people tried to do with the Switch 2. It's insanely popular, just like the OG Switch.
I thought my hubby was working overtime Wednesday, he comes home around 2am to my surprise he brings in 2 boxes of Switch 2 consoles from the midnight release at the NY Gamestop where his good friend works.
All portable gaming PC's including Steam deck rog etc have only sold a combined 6 million units
https://www.pcgamer.com/har...
Still in the Nintendo preorder queue, but if I find one available online I'll get it. But one thing I'm not doing is just play my Switch 1 games over again with an update. There is only one game so far I'm interested in, that's Metroid Prime 4.
Sell-in or sell-through?
EDIT: As in sold to retailers vs sold to users/gamers?
Crazy imagine paying $700 for a slightly upgraded console. Think I’ll stick with my PS5 Pro
Not everyone lives in the USA it’s $700 just for the console where I am. Also I wouldn’t say miles ahead it’s just a bigger screen and a slight spec upgrade with the most expensive base games in the industry
If you enjoy owning nothing joycon drift and 80 dollar video games this is the console for you!
I end up buying a 3rd party controller for my PS5 because of severe drifting on my dualsense. I also bought Dobe joy-cons for my Switch 1. If my Switch 2 controller will end up drifting also, no problem with me. Because there's a way to solve this problem.
Comments like this are honestly embarrassing. People spent weeks trying to bully and push people away from buying the Switch 2, yet it became the fastest selling launch ever. It outsold the Steam Deck in ONE WEEK.
I hope not, but can see it happening.
Mek my words, this will happen whether Kinect succeeds or fails. Stock holders are angry and not even Kinect can fix it.
This article is a load of sh!t.
If, or should i say WHEN Kinect fails, M$ will simply push forward with the launch of the Xbox 720.
It'll take around a year for the failure to sink in, when the dust settles (early 2012) M$ will then prepare to announce the 720 at E3 that year with a November/december launch window.
Chicken Little says the sky is falling.
But three companies have provided competition and innovation.