Monthly Archives: July 2025

Featured, Games, Gaming, News

BioWare and EA Confirm Anthem will have its server shutdown in 2026

In a move that surprises no one but still stings for many, BioWare and Electronic Arts have officially announced the end of Anthem. The troubled live-service looter shooter will have its servers permanently shut down on January 12, 2026, rendering the game completely unplayable. For a title once heralded as BioWare’s bold leap into the future, this marks a quiet, somber conclusion to a saga defined by ambition, missteps, and missed potential.

First unveiled with cinematic flair at E3 2017, Anthem promised a lush alien world, customizable mech suits called Javelins, and seamless co-op action. It was BioWare’s attempt to blend its narrative pedigree with the loot-driven gameplay of titles like Destiny and Warframe. But when Anthem launched in February 2019, it was clear the game wasn’t ready.

  • Development Hell: Reports later revealed that Anthem’s core design wasn’t finalized until just months before its reveal. The game had been in development since 2012, but much of it came together in a chaotic final year.
  • Critical Reception: Critics and players alike cited a lack of content, repetitive missions, and technical issues. Despite its stunning visuals and promising flight mechanics, the game felt hollow.
  • Anthem 2.0 Cancelled: In 2020, BioWare announced plans for a full overhaul dubbed Anthem Next. But by February 2021, that reboot was canceled as the studio shifted focus to Dragon Age: The Veilguard and the next Mass Effect.

According to EA’s official blog post:

  • Anthem will be delisted from EA Play and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on August 15, 2025.
  • Players can no longer purchase the game or its premium currency as of July 3, 2025.
  • Any remaining in-game currency can be spent until the servers go offline.
  • Once the servers shut down, the game will be completely unplayable, with no offline mode planned.

Anthem’s demise is more than just the end of a game—it’s a cautionary tale. It highlights the risks of chasing trends without a clear vision, of launching before a game is ready, and of abandoning core studio strengths in pursuit of market share. BioWare, once synonymous with deep RPGs like Mass Effect and Dragon Age, found itself adrift in unfamiliar waters.

The shutdown also reignites debate around game preservation. With no offline mode, Anthem will vanish entirely—a digital ghost. This has fueled movements like Stop Killing Games, which challenge the legality and ethics of rendering purchased games unplayable.

For those who stuck with Anthem, who found joy in soaring through its skies or customizing their Javelins, this is a bittersweet farewell. The game may not have lived up to its promise, but it wasn’t without merit. And for a brief moment, it dared to dream big.

If you’ve ever played Anthem, now’s the time to revisit it—before the lights go out for good.

Anthem Game Update
We have an important update to share regarding Anthem.
Source/Via
Breaking, Games, Gaming, News, Xbox

A New Front for Super Earth: Helldivers 2 will land on Xbox this Augusts

After dominating PlayStation 5 and PC with its frenetic co-op warfare, Helldivers 2 is finally storming Xbox Series X|S on August 26, 2025. Pre-orders are live at $39.99, matching its price on other platforms. Expect:

  • Full cross-play with PS5 and PC friends
  • All core stratagems, missions and Warbond Battle Pass content intact
  • Optimized 4K visuals and up to 60 FPS on Xbox Series X|S

This marks PlayStation Studios’ first self-published arrival on Xbox, underscoring a growing trend of console-brand détente and in an interesting note, also on August 26, 2025, Microsoft unleashes Gears of War: Reloaded—the definitive remaster of the 2006 blockbuster—onto Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, PC and Steam. Key highlights include:

  • True 4K campaign at 60 FPS; multiplayer up to 120 FPS
  • All Ultimate Edition DLC (bonus act, maps, characters) at no extra cost
  • Cross-play and cross-progression across every platform (sign-in with a Microsoft Account required)
  • Day-one availability on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass
  • Free upgrade for existing digital owners of the Ultimate Edition

This release shatters two decades of exclusivity, inviting both Xbox and PlayStation communities to relive Marcus and Dom’s origin story.

Head-to-Head Release Snapshot

FeatureHelldivers 2Gears of War: Reloaded
Release DateAugust 26, 2025August 26, 2025
PlatformsXbox Series X & SS, PS5, PC
Price$39.99$39.99
Cross-PlayYes (PS5, PC & Xbox)Yes (all platforms)
Cross-ProgressionNot supported at launchYes (with MS Account)
Game Pass Day-OneNoYes
Upgrade PathN/AFree for Ultimate Edition digital owners

August 26 becomes a landmark date: PlayStation’s breakout live-service hit joins Xbox’s storied cover-to-cover remaster in one epic dispatch. Gamers gain unprecedented flexibility—whether you’re rallying Super Earth’s bravest or chainsawing Locusts, the war for inter-platform unity is officially won.

Breaking, Business, Featured, Games, Gaming, News

Perfect Dark Remake is no more as The Initiative closes its doors

Xbox’s recent announcement that it has canceled the long-gestating Perfect Dark reboot and shuttered the high-profile studio The Initiative has sent shockwaves through the gaming industry. This decision, shared in an internal memo by Matt Booty, Xbox Game Studios head, reflects a broader strategic realignment amid sweeping layoffs at Microsoft Gaming.

Perfect Dark, first released by Rare in 2000, earned its reputation as one of the industry’s best sci-fi first-person shooters. Its blend of espionage, futuristic gadgets, and branching story paths won critical acclaim—and cultivated a devoted fanbase itching for a modern revival. Early reports placed the reboot at The Initiative, Xbox’s marquee studio founded in 2018 to drive “A-list” exclusive blockbusters. The project’s long, quiet development spurred high expectations that, ultimately, never materialized.

The Initiative: A Studio with Sky-High Ambitions

  • Founded: 2018 in Santa Monica, California
  • Mission: Deliver new flagship Xbox franchises on par with series like Halo and Gears of War
  • Key hires: Industry veterans from Naughty Dog, Blizzard, Crystal Dynamics
  • Public unveiling: “Unannounced AAA sci-fi IP” teased at Xbox events, widely presumed to be Perfect Dark

Despite its talented roster, The Initiative struggled under heavy scrutiny and shifting corporate priorities. The studio’s closure marks the first shuttering of an Xbox Game Studios outfit in Microsoft’s latest round of cuts.

Windows Central got a hold on Xbox Game Studios leader Matt Booty’s internal memo to its umbrella of gaming studios after the confirmation of the cancellation:

Following Phil’s note, I want to share more about the changes to the Studios business units.

We have made the decision to stop development of Perfect Dark and Everwild as well as wind down several unannounced projects across our portfolio. As part of this, we are closing one of our studios, The Initiative. These decisions, along with other changes across our teams, reflect a broader effort to adjust priorities and focus resources to set up our teams for greater success within a changing industry landscape. We did not make these choices lightly, as each project and team represent years of effort, imagination, and commitment.

Our overall portfolio strategy is unchanged: build games that excite our players, continue to grow our biggest franchises, and create new stories, worlds, and characters. We have more than 40 projects in active development, continued momentum on titles shipping this fall, and a strong slate headed into 2026.

For those directly affected, we are working closely with HR and studio leadership to provide support, including severance, career transition assistance, and where possible, opportunities to explore roles on other teams.

To everyone across our studios: thank you. Your creativity and resilience continue to define who we are. I believe in the strength of our teams and the direction we’re taking on the path ahead.

Microsoft’s decision to cut Perfect Dark’s reboot and close The Initiative underscores a harsh reality: even the most hyped AAA ventures can be sacrificed to corporate strategy and market pressures. For fans, it’s a painful reminder that beloved franchises aren’t immune to business calculus. Yet from seeds of cancellation often springs creativity—whether through new studio alliances, fan passion projects, or smaller teams daring to dream big.

Looking forward, we’ll be watching how Xbox rebalance its portfolio, which studios rise to fill the gap, and whether Perfect Dark will ever return in another form. In the meantime, revisiting the original Rare classics seems the best way to keep the spy-shooter flame alive.

Breaking, Business, Games, Gaming, News, Xbox

Zenimax’s Blackbird & Rare’s Everwild are the collateral of Microsoft Gaming shake-up

The immedate aftermath of Microsoft confirming that it would eliminate roughly 9,000 roles—about 4% of its global workforce—as part of a company-wide effort to streamline operations and reallocate resources to high-priority areas like cloud and gaming, we already have som collateral as the layoff impacted the development of two not-so-secret projects.

For a recap, Microsoft’s gaming arm was notably impacted, with cuts spanning:

  • Xbox central teams and global operations
  • Mobile-gaming giant King (Candy Crush)
  • ZeniMax Media’s marketing and development staff across Europe and the U.S.

These reductions follow earlier rounds in January, May and June, underscoring an ongoing pivot toward a leaner structure and greater agility.

BREAKING: As part of today's cuts, Xbox has canceled the troubled Rare game Everwild, according to people familiar. News on the job cuts is coming in drips — not sure why Xbox didn't announce it all at once — but I'll report what I can as I confirm it.

— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier.bsky.social) 2025-07-02T14:04:33.426Z

BREAKING: The new MMORPG project from Zenimax Online Studios, maker of Elder Scrolls Online, has been canceled as part of the Xbox layoffs, sources tell Bloomberg News. The project, code-named Blackbird, had been in development since 2018. Still more news to come this morning.

— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier.bsky.social) 2025-07-02T15:05:30.540Z

Zenimax Online’s “Project Blackbird” Shelved

In the wake of the layoffs, Microsoft canceled the long-gestating MMORPG at ZeniMax Online Studios, code-named Project Blackbird. Key details:

  • Development began in 2018 under ZeniMax Online, creators of The Elder Scrolls Online
  • Blackbird represented the studio’s next major online IP after over seven years of work
  • Cancellation was confirmed by Bloomberg via sources familiar with the Xbox cuts

That means after years of concepting, prototyping and testing, the team’s resources will be redirected toward existing live services and new first-party content.

Rare’s Everwild Cut Loose

One of Rare’s most mysterious projects, Everwild, was also canceled as part of the gaming-division layoffs:

  • First revealed in late 2019 as a nature-driven “eternal” multiplayer experience
  • Promised to blend magic, exploration and community without traditional combat
  • Confirmed canceled by VGC, Eurogamer sources and Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier following the Xbox job reductions

After nearly a decade of fits and starts—including a complete restart in 2021—Everwild will no longer proceed.

ProjectStudioCodenameStartedCanceledNotes
Project BlackbirdZeniMax Online StudiosBlackbird2018Jul 2 2025Cancelled due to Xbox-division layoffs
EverwildRareN/A2019Jul 2 2025Cancelled amid layoffs after troubled, decade-long dev

What’s Next for Microsoft Gaming

With Blackbird and Everwild axed, Microsoft Gaming will likely:

  • Double down on Bethesda and Activision Blizzard franchises
  • Push hardware innovation, including next-gen consoles and handhelds
  • Expand cloud gaming partnerships and infrastructure investments

The layoffs and cancellations signal a tougher era for big-budget experimental IP—at least until emerging technologies deliver clearer paths to profitability.

Microsoft’s July 2 announcement marks both an end and a new beginning: while two flagship internal projects have been cut, the tech giant is reallocating its creative firepower toward subscription growth, blockbuster sequels and innovative delivery platforms. Gamers and developers alike will be watching closely as Xbox reshapes its roadmap for the years ahead.

Business, Gaming, News, Xbox

Microsoft Confirms 9,000 Layoffs as It Doubles Down on Gaming and Xbox

Microsoft kicked off its 2026 fiscal year on July 2, 2025, by announcing it will cut approximately 9,000 jobs—just under 4% of its global workforce—across multiple divisions, including sales, Xbox, and global operations. The move continues a broader restructuring effort aimed at flattening management layers and refocusing resources on high-growth areas.

Previous reductions this year included a sub-1% performance-based cut in January, over 6,000 roles in May, and at least 300 more in June, underscoring Microsoft’s commitment to streamlining its structure for greater agility.

Gaming and Xbox: The New Growth Drivers

As Microsoft trims headcount, it is simultaneously doubling down on its gaming business—viewed internally as one of the company’s key engines for future expansion:

  • July 2025 Game Pass highlights such as Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 and High on Life demonstrate day-one blockbuster releases for subscribers, cementing Game Pass as a must-have service.
  • The June Xbox Games Showcase unveiled the new ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, first-party titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, and long-awaited sequels such as The Outer Worlds 2 and Grounded 2, signaling a hardware and software push designed to captivate players everywhere.

Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella has consistently emphasized that resource realignment is essential in a dynamic market. By reducing headcount in certain corporate layers, the company can:

  1. Free up budget to invest in cloud infrastructure, AI integration, and gaming content.
  2. Accelerate decision-making by flattening reporting hierarchies.
  3. Position Xbox and Game Pass at the core of its consumer strategy, leveraging subscription-based recurring revenue.

This management-layer reduction mirrors moves by peers like Amazon and Meta aiming to stay nimble amid slowing global tech spending.

Implications for Employees and the Gaming Community

For affected employees, Microsoft has outlined severance packages, career counseling, and internal placement efforts. Across the Xbox organization, some roles will shift from traditional product marketing and sales to focus on content acquisition, cloud streaming, and community engagement.

For gamers, the reallocation of resources should translate into:

  • Larger, more frequent Game Pass day-one releases.
  • Continued hardware innovation, from consoles to handhelds.
  • Expanded cloud-gaming experiences via Xbox Cloud and new partners like ASUS.

Also, The Verge got a copy of the internal memo that Microsoft Gaming CEO that shared with all the Xbox business, Xbox Game Studio and Activision Blizzard King:

Today we are sharing decisions that will impact colleagues across our organization. To position Gaming for enduring success and allow us to focus on strategic growth areas, we will end or decrease work in certain areas of the business and follow Microsoft’s lead in removing layers of management to increase agility and effectiveness. Out of respect for those impacted today, the specifics of today’s notifications and any organizational shifts will be shared by your team leaders in the coming days.

I recognize that these changes come at a time when we have more players, games, and gaming hours than ever before. Our platform, hardware, and game roadmap have never looked stronger. The success we’re seeing currently is based on tough decisions we’ve made previously. We must make choices now for continued success in future years and a key part of that strategy is the discipline to prioritize the strongest opportunities. We will protect what is thriving and concentrate effort on areas with the greatest potential, while delivering on the expectations the company has for our business. This focused approach means we can deliver exceptional games and experiences for players for generations to come.

Prioritizing our opportunities is essential, but that does not lessen the significance of this moment. Simply put, we would not be where we are today without the time, energy, and creativity of those whose roles are impacted. These decisions are not a reflection of the talent, creativity, and dedication of the people involved. Our momentum is not accidental—it is the result of years of dedicated effort from our teams.

HR is working directly with impacted employees to provide severance plan benefits (aligned with local laws), including pay, healthcare coverage, and job placement resources to support their transition. Employees whose roles were eliminated are encouraged to explore open positions across Microsoft Gaming, where their applications will be given priority review.

Thank you to everyone who has shaped our culture, our products, and our community. We will move forward with deep appreciation and respect for all who have contributed to this journey.

Phil

Microsoft’s July 2 announcement marks a pivotal moment: while it streamlines legacy operations, the tech giant is betting big on gaming as a cornerstone of its long-term growth. As Xbox hardware and Game Pass ecosystems expand, both employees and gamers alike will watch closely to see if this strategic pivot delivers on its promise of “gaming everywhere, for everyone.”

Games, Gaming, News

Hideo Kojima wants to be the “first” in a unexplored gaming development environment

The legendary auteur behind Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding has set his sights beyond Earth’s horizon. Hideo Kojima recently revealed a daring ambition: to become the first person ever to develop—and potentially even play—a video game from orbit.

Kojima’s Cosmic Ambition

Kojima spoke with The Guardian about training as an astronaut, mastering docking procedures, and spending several months aboard the International Space Station (ISS) solely to work on a game. At 61, he points out that numerous astronauts continue their careers well past that age, making his dream—by his reckoning—feasible.

He doesn’t envision a short-lived, celebrity photo-op flight. Instead, he wants full immersion: learning spacecraft systems, living in microgravity, and treating game development as seriously as any Earth-bound project. “I want to be the first,” he declared, underlining his determination to break new ground in interactive entertainment.

Technical and Logistical Challenges

Bringing game development hardware and software into orbit poses unique hurdles and after a quick inquiry of how plausible could this be achieved, there are some considerations to be taken like:

  • Microgravity Effects
    Keyboards, screens and peripheral devices must be secured; hot-swappable mounting rigs and magnetic fixtures become essential.
  • Radiation and Electronics
    Cosmic rays can corrupt data and damage delicate microchips. Shielded, medical-grade enclosures and error-correcting code are non-negotiable.
  • Limited Bandwidth & Latency
    Uploading builds and live collaboration with Earth-based studios requires optimized compression and asynchronous workflows.
  • Power and Cooling
    The ISS has finite power allocations; any development station must balance performance with strict power budgets and passive cooling solutions.

While no video game development kit has yet orbited our planet, these challenges are surmountable with today’s technology—and Kojima believes the ISS partners would welcome a creative experiment on par with scientific research missions.

Beyond technicalities, Kojima frames his venture as an existential pursuit. He references what he calls the “Tom Cruise disease”—the idea of testing one’s limits through calculated peril, a philosophy exemplified by Cruise’s own space-shooting movie plans and daredevil stunts.

For Kojima, creating art at the edge of human experience isn’t a gimmick; it’s a catalyst for innovation. By placing himself—and his creative process—in an environment that demands total focus, he hopes to unlock storytelling possibilities unattainable on terra firma.

But the veteran gamer maker and director isn’t the first one with the desire, as film studios have flirted with on-orbit shoots (including Cruise’s aborted ISS scenes), but interactive media––with its iterative builds, user feedback loops, and performance testing––adds another layer of complexity.

Should Kojima succeed, it could:

  • Inspire space agencies to partner with cultural institutions.
  • Catalyze research into human-computer interaction in microgravity.
  • Spark a new genre of orbital-themed games developed half-in, half-out of Earth’s atmosphere.

The convergence of space tourism, private rocketry, and entertainment heralds a future where astronauts and game designers work shoulder to shoulder.

Hideo Kojima’s aspiration to build the first space-borne video game transcends mere headline-grabbing. It fuses his hunger for innovation, appetite for risk, and belief in pushing creative boundaries. Whether he’ll don a spacesuit or steer a Soyuz module remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: the final frontier may soon welcome its first game designer.

‘We’re all connected – but it’s not the connection I imagined’: Hideo Kojima on Death Stranding 2
The legendary video game designer discusses directing actors in LA from Japan, how Mad Max inspired his career and the unique reason why he wants to go to space
Source/Via
CyberBoxTV, Gaming, Review

Nintendo Switch 2: A Much-Needed Evolution That Feels Like a Pro Version

After eight years since the launch of the original Nintendo Switch, we finally have its long-awaited successor: the Nintendo Switch 2. The original console showed clear signs of aging in its final years, struggling to deliver decent performance in demanding titles. The most obvious case was the latest Pokémon game, where the performance was disappointing. Thankfully, the new console arrives to fix many of those issues and offer a more modern gaming experience.

One of the most notable improvements is the ability to play in 4K resolution when connected to a TV, and even reach 120 frames per second in select games. In handheld mode, the Switch 2 features an 8-inch screen with a new LCD technology that closely mimics the colors of an OLED display. Thanks to its upgraded power, the console can now run much more demanding titles, bringing it closer to the level of its competitors, though not in a one-to-one comparison. Games that previously suffered from technical or visual issues now run the way they were meant to. Pokémon Violet, for example, feels like a completely different game, and Zelda titles no longer suffer from frame drops. The environmental colors now appear vibrant and alive. In terms of build quality, the device feels more premium—less like a toy—and its larger size gives it a more visually appealing presence.

The Joy-Con controllers have also been redesigned. They now use a magnetic attachment system that provides a firmer grip and reduces wear on the locking mechanism. There’s even a new feature that allows them to function like a computer mouse, though it remains unclear how widely this feature will be used in the future. That said, not everything is perfect. The battery life remains a weak point, offering only 2 to 4 hours of regular gameplay. At launch, the system only came with one game designed to showcase its capabilities, and as of now, there’s no clear information on upcoming Nintendo exclusives. There’s also some confusion regarding how physical cartridges work, which might make the transition a bit unclear for some users.

In summary, the Nintendo Switch 2 is the successor many fans have been waiting for. Its improved performance, visual quality, and refined design make it a more capable and modern console. However, due to the lack of a strong game library and its focus on fixing past issues, it currently feels more like a Pro version of the original Switch than a true next-gen leap. It has potential, but at this stage, it’s still hard to fully recommend as a must-buy.

Final Score: 3/5