Gaming - Page 19

An independent developer has released an Xbox 360 version of GoldenEye 007 on GitHub, which the developer claims offers native PC support and "no emulator".

The developer states that the PC version of GoldenEye was completely recompiled in C++ using the ReXGlueSDK. By doing this, the developer states GoldenEye Recomp v1.0 doesn't require an emulator as "the game runs as a real native executable". Additionally, the new version of GoldenEye supports modern Windows controllers, online multiplayer, various resolutions and aspect ratios, visual filters, and a stable 60FPS framerate.

For gamers who didn't grow up playing GoldenEye, the Nintendo / Rare title was pivotal in the history of video games, particularly first-person-shooter titles, as its popularity indicated that FPS titles also had a home on consoles, which at the time FPS games were thought to be PC exclusive. While this is all well and good, the developer of the recompilation explains the repository doesn't actually contain the game files or a game code, only the source that wraps the game.

OneXPlayer has launched its X2 Mini Pro on Indiegogo, listing the base configuration at $2,399. This is more than double the price of the Lenovo Legion Go 2. Upgrading to 64GB of RAM increases the price to $2,699, while the 64GB RAM with 2TB storage configuration lands at $2,799. A Liquid-Cooled Edition that connects to an external Frost Bay liquid-cooling dock starts at $2,459.99 and tops out at $2,859.99 for the highest configuration.

And that asking price doesn't get you the power the company initially promised. OneXPlayer originally teased the X2 Mini Pro with AMD's Ryzen AI Max+ 395, a 16-core, 32-thread Strix Halo APU with 64MB of L3 cache and boost clocks up to 5.1GHz. The product page now lists the Ryzen AI Max+ 388 instead, which cuts that down to 8 cores, 16 threads, 32MB of L3 cache, and a 5.0GHz boost clock.

Both chips share the same Radeon 8060S integrated graphics with a 55W default TDP and a configurable range of 45W to 120W, so gaming performance should be largely similar. But going from 16 cores to 8 without any announcement or explanation has not sat well with early backers.

If Sony hadn't bought Bungie years ago, then there's a good chance that the studio wouldn't be here today.

New reports indicate that Bungie may have been on the verge of shutting down prior to Sony's acquisition in 2022. The info comes via Bungie's former well-liked community manager Liana Ruppert, who says that the studio was in dire financial straits prior to the buyout. Sony essentially made an "emergency acquisition," Ruppert says.

"Bungie was below the red line before the Sony acquisition. If it wasn't acquired right then, the studio was very close to shutting its doors at the very least on Destiny. It was an emergency acquisition," she said on Twitter.

PlayStation's previous head of indies Shuhei Yoshida openly shares his thoughts about the future of Xbox, and it apparently looks a lot like Windows.

Last year, well-respected industry figure Shuhei Yoshida left Sony after 35 years serving PlayStation. Now he's more of a consultant-for-hire, helping indie game studios and going around to various events. This is a seasoned former executive who has likely spent a lot of time with sensitive data and info that isn't widely shared or known, so when he makes predictions, it's worth taking into consideration.

Yoshida recently shared his thoughts about the ongoing Xbox drama on Twitter, saying that he essentially believes the Xbox games unit could be absorbed by Windows. Xbox's new CEO Asha Sharma has issued a daunting decree that will "reset the business" after the group delivers a dismal 3% profit margin throughout this year.

Compulsion Games will reportedly shut down as Microsoft adjusts the Xbox business, and othet studios may be affected including Double Fine and even Ninja Theory.

Microsoft has decided to close down key studios who are now trying to negotiate their independence, sources tell Bloomberg's Jason Schreier. These groups include more orbital boutique studios like Compulsion Games, Ninja Theory, and Double Fine. Other studios may be affected.

The group's publishing parent, Xbox Game Studios, has also lost its leader: XGS chief Craig Duncan has also left Microsoft after 15 years and his second-in-command, chief of staff Louise O'Connor is also out.

XBOX is currently undergoing major restructuring as the company intends to reset the XBOX brand, and seemingly part of those sweeping changes is a new purchasing option for players.

The new purchasing option was discovered by redphx and shared in an X post, which shows the backend of Xbox's website and code for what is called "break payments up over weeks or months," and next to PayPal, "PayPal Pay Later". Another giveaway is the "Pay in 4 interest-free, bi-weekly payments, or spread payments up to 24 months." While each of these is pretty self-explanatory, the idea is players will be able to get access to Xbox products right away and then slowly pay them off, similar to AfterPay, but directly with Xbox.

Notably, XBOX hasn't announced anything about this new purchasing option, meaning it's subject to change, and there is a good chance XBOX will make changes to the payment structure. In the event that XBOX actually releases this as a payment option, on a surface level, I think it could be quite a big hit, especially if it included hardware as well.

Xbox has lost another leader among its ranks as the group prepares to "reset the business."

Xbox Game Studios head Craig Duncan has left the organization as Microsoft reportedly prepares to make sweeping cuts to the division. Sources tell The Game Business that Duncan has stepped down from his position, and that Xbox Game Studios chief of staff Louise O'Connor is also leaving.

Duncan has been with Xbox for 15 years, originally serving as the boss of Rare, the UK game studio behind iconic hits like Donkey Kong Country, Banjo Kazooie and GoldenEye.

Apple's first foldable device, rumored to be called the iPhone Fold/Ultra, has been in development behind the scenes for many years now and will use panels from Samsung Display.

Previous reports from insiders citing people familiar with Apple's supply chain for its upcoming foldable stated that Apple set extremely strict requirements for the design of the foldable iPhone, including solving the crease problem across all foldable devices - Apple requires a crease-less iPhone. That stipulation in itself is a major engineering challenge that involves several smaller, yet equally complex engineering problems, such as designing a hinge that enables creaseless folding and a display that doesn't crease when folded.

A report from an Asian publication citing two Apple supply chain partners claims the iPhone Ultra won't hit stores in early 2027 due to "scheduling factors." These comments came from Largan Precision's CEO, Adam Lin, who added that the delays may result in Apple's upcoming device being "early next year".

Ubisoft is going through yet another round of layoffs, and this time the cost-cutting measures have hit Ubisoft San Francisco, which reports indicate will see at least 100 employees depart.

Ubisoft's San Francisco office is being cut by an estimated 100 employees, coming on the heels of the company closing two development studios just last week, with all three sweeping layoffs part of the company's years-long restructuring following catastrophic performance post-COVID-19 pandemic. Reports indicate that between 50 and 100 jobs at the San Francisco studio have been affected, with an estimated 380 jobs currently being in jeopardy across Ubisoft as a company.

The two studios the company closed last week were Winnipeg and Belgrade, with Winnipeg reportedly losing 65 staff members and Belgrade losing 100 employees, and the studio permanently closing. As for San Francisco, the team there is responsible for developing XDefiant, Ubisoft's online multiplayer shooter. Ubisoft's cost-cutting measures date back as early as 2022, but became apparent in 2023, when seemingly continuous rounds of layoffs followed by studio closures occurred.

Simulation games are quite niche and very impressive in their own right, especially when it comes to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, which took simulation to a whole new level.

In its category, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 warrants for some gamers an entire dedicated system with additional joysticks, controllers, or even a cockpit setup for full immersion. Surprisingly, Microsoft hasn't seen any competition in this niche from other major players in the "Earth mapping" business, such as Google. You would have thought by now, with Google holding Google Maps data, they would have created a game for people to access. But the company hasn't, until now, as Google has released an experimental flight simulator mode for Google Earth, specifically the web app version.

Google writes in its documentation that the mode is designed for "casual exploration rather than high-fidelity aerodynamic training," which is a corporate way of saying, "this new mode isn't intended to be a competitor to Microsoft Flight Simulator or any other flying sim". Unlike Microsoft Flight Simulator, Google Earth is free to use, and since it's a web application, there isn't anything to install, either.

Gears of War: E-Day was the big game showcased during the recent Xbox Games Showcase, and it's also an Xbox console exclusive when it releases on October 6 for PC and Xbox Series X|S. With an extended gameplay video and a behind-the-scenes deep dive showcasing the game's impressive action and potential return to form for the groundbreaking series, the good news for PC gamers is that it's shaping up to be another well-optimized 2026 heavy hitter.

This comes via the game's Steam page, which lists the Minimum and Recommended specs. GPU-wise, the Minimum system requirements call for a GeForce RTX 5050, GeForce RTX 2060, Radeon RX 6600, Radeon RX 9060 (non-XT), or an Intel Arc A580. This level of GPU performance is lower than most of the Top 20 discrete gaming GPUs on Steam's latest Hardware & Software Survey results for May 2026, so a lot of PC gamers should be able to jump right into Gears of War: E-Day with no issues.

Like with most System Requirements on Steam, there's no mention of a performance target or in-game settings, but it's safe to assume that Recommended requirements would be the main one to focus on, as this usually refers to playing a game at 1080p or 1440p with 60 FPS and console-like graphics settings. Here, Gears of War: E-Day calls for a GeForce RTX 5060, GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, Radeon RX 6700 XT, Radeon RX 9060 XT, or Intel Arc B580.

A renowned gaming industry insider recently shared some information about the release date for Grand Theft Auto VI, and if Take-Two's recent statements weren't enough to elicit some faith in Rockstar making it to the finish line without a delay, perhaps these comments from NateTheHate will.

In a recent X post, NateTheHate responded to an X user suggesting there is some reason to believe that GTA 6 won't release this year, meaning Rockstar will shift the current November 19 release date to sometime in 2027. In response to this, NateTheHate wrote, "Unless something unexpected & catastrophically goes wrong with GTA6 in the immediate future... it'll hit in November as planned."

This insider statement aligns with recent statements from Take-Two Interactive, the publisher of the Grand Theft Auto franchise. Take-Two recently stated that marketing for the upcoming game will begin "this summer", and that marketing timelines ahead of GTA 6's release will be short. So, that means when Take-Two begins marketing GTA 6, the release will be right around the corner. If marketing for GTA 6 is expected to begin "this summer," it means we will get the first wave between now and August.

CD Projekt Red already has a lot on its plate with The Witcher 4, a remake of the original game, The Witcher 3 DLC titled Songs of the Past, and the previously announced multiplayer spin-off Project Sirius. According to a new report from MP1st, there may be yet another unannounced project in the works.

The leaked title is described as a free-to-play co-op action RPG currently in development for PC and mobile, with no console release confirmed. Set in 1230, well before the main Witcher timeline, it features Geralt as a young witcher. Instead of playing as Geralt or Ciri, players will create their own customizable witchers, with typical online multiplayer character options like gender and appearance.

Gameplay centers on accepting contracts to hunt monsters in familiar series environments: dark forests, bustling villages, and deserted ruins. Combat is built around a skill-based system that lets players choose abilities from various witcher schools, craft potions, and use signs, rewarding well-timed blocks, dodges, parries, and executions. In that sense, it sounds closer to the franchise's action-focused side than to its narrative-driven entries.

Microsoft needs Xbox to become more innovative, because, as CEO Satya Nadella says, some platforms are monetizing Xbox's own games better than the group itself. It just so happens Microsoft may be prepping a solution for this

Faced with growing costs and shrinking margins, Xbox's path in the road has forked and it has to choose where to go. The games division doesn't have an earnings problem, far from it; our data indicates Xbox has generated over $92 billion throughout the last five years (excluding FY26) of the Xbox Series generation. It's not the money that's an issue, but how Xbox is utilizing it, often spending in a way that simply doesn't work out.

In a New York Times event, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently commented on Xbox's woes and seems to indicate that more monetization options are on the way. An important distinction is that Nadella is referring here to monetization like YouTube's ads, not something like microtransactions. Xbox's new strategy lead Matthew Ball has publicly mentioned how ads could expand reach, and that ties into what Nadella says here.

Xbox's new CEO Asha Sharma wants to speed up The Elder Scrolls VI's development and plans to invest in other big franchises as part of a company reset.

Following a string of sales duds, Xbox needs more hit software at the ready. The group's new CEO Asha Sharma plans to make that a reality by advancing the production of games in key franchises, including The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and Halo, sources tell The Information.

Focusing on these key properties is said to be part of Sharma's plan to revive Xbox. Right now, the Xbox brand has ownership of 20 video game franchises that have each made at least $1 billion in gross revenue--oftentimes much more.

Microsoft's gaming execs offer clarifications on the future of Xbox and how ads could be involved.

Xbox's new strategy exec Matthew Ball discussed how ads could open a new frontier for games, sending mixed messages on what's actually coming to the platform. These freeform discussions can treacherous for business executives because everyone is watching Xbox right now, and there are thousands of influencers that are sharing info with fans, often with their own interpretations of the stories that don't always adequately reflect the facts.

Ball has now issued clarifying statements to put players at ease--there's no plans to start interrupting gameplay with interstitial ads. What Ball is describing is more like NVIDIA's GeForce Now streaming offers, free access in exchange for ad viewing.

Microsoft could reset Xbox by spinning off the games unit into a separate company, sources tell The Information.

Xbox is stealing headlines lately. Profit margins are down to a dismal 3%, Game Pass has lost millions of subscribers, and revenue has been down $500 million across the last five years despite $20 billion invested into the ecosystem. Games are underperforming, and more layoffs are expected as Xbox right-sizes its spending and plans for a leaner future.

New reports from The Information indicate that Microsoft may spin out Xbox as its own group. Xbox belongs to More Personal Computing, the same segment as Windows, and this is by design--the Xbox gaming platform has included both Windows PCs and consoles for over a decade now.

Microsoft is apparently subsidizing multiple parts of its Xbox games division right now, including hardware and other initiatives.

New reports from Windows Central illustrate how badly Microsoft was affected by the recent Game Pass subscriber drop. The unpopular 50% price hike led to a mass exodus and Game Pass lost millions of paid users. This caused a cascade of negative effects that rippled throughout the entire organization.

Xbox's business model is layered, with divisions subsidizing various initiatives and programs. Hardware is subsidized, meaning Microsoft sells Xbox consoles cheaper than it costs to produce them. Xbox then makes its money back (and hopefully more) from games and content. Game Pass is one of the key money makers for Microsoft (nearly $5 billion in FY25), and new reports say that Game Pass in particular has also been subsidizing parts of Xbox that aren't profitable, putting extra stress and weight on the service.

NVIDIA has kicked off a summer sale for GeForce NOW, knocking 35% off 12-month Performance and Ultimate memberships until July 8, 2026. The Performance plan drops from $99.99 to $64.99, saving $35, while the Ultimate plan drops from $199.99 to $129.99, saving $70.

Worth noting that the discount only applies to 12-month plans, with 1-month and Day Pass options remaining at full price. The offer is for new members, free members, existing 1-month Performance or Ultimate users upgrading to annual, and 12-month Performance users upgrading to Ultimate. If you already have a 12-month Ultimate plan, this particular deal will not apply to you.

Alongside the sale, NVIDIA confirmed that Guild Wars 3 will be available on GeForce NOW at launch. ArenaNet and NCSoft announced the game during Summer Game Fest 2026, confirming PC, Steam, and PlayStation 5 releases, with the first beta planned for fall 2027.

Looming over the next generation of consoles is the ongoing memory and storage crisis, driven by manufacturers diverting supply to high-paying AI companies amid a massive influx of capital into the space. Xbox won't be immune to its impacts, as executives are already discussing the real-world concerns of component prices and how they will affect the next Xbox console.

Xbox recently confirmed that hardware component costs are exploding, with Xbox CEO Asha Sharma detailing in a recent letter that, since this February, the price of storage components was 2x what Xbox had paid the previous fall. Adding, as of June this year, those prices have doubled again. The letter added that Xbox expects prices to continue rising to 5x what the company was paying just two years ago.

In a recent interview with The Game Business, Xbox Chief Strategy Officer, Matthew Ball, has touched on how the shortage will impact the next Xbox codenamed Project Helix.