Major Xbox Layoffs, Perfect Dark & Everwild Canceled # 451

The warning was given by many last week, we discussed it, and on Wednesday, it happened. Microsoft 9,100 employees were laid off across all departments, with a sizeable chunk coming from the Xbox division. Sean and Marc discuss the fallout of it all, which includes the cancellation of Rare's Everwild, the closure of The Initiative studio, and the subsequent cancellation of its game, the Perfect Dark Reboot. There's even more, including the incredible downsizing of the Forza Motorsport studio, Turn-10 as well.

Is Game Pass to blame? Is it the push towards AI? Is it mismanagement from executives? Has the Activision-Blizzard-King merger's spending come back to generate some revenue? We examine it all and try to make any sense of this, and will this ever reach a stopping point for Xbox?

On another front, Sony's prize live service game, Helldivers 2, is headed to Xbox on August 26. Is this a sign of Sony following in Xbox's footsteps? Or is this a one-off case where a multiplayer game needs more players to keep thriving? Plus, Marc has more to say on Death Stranding 2, Sean has finally made progress on Clair Obscur Expedition 33, and has made it to Act 3 too.

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