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Report: id Software Pitched New Perfect Dark Before Xbox Layoffs

Amongst other ideas.id Software has been put through the ringer of late as layoffs continue to sweep through Xbox Game Studios, resulting in 3,200 job cuts. Half of the id Software team were let go just moments before shipping DOOM: The Dark Ages Revelations DLC. Not the pat on back they sorely deserved.According to a report from GamesBeat, the DLC wasn't the only thing id Software had up its sleeve. The studio is said to have had multiple project proposals on the table, include one codenamed "Fury" - a martial arts-inpsired, John Wick-style game that director Hugo Martin had reportedly tried to get greenlit in the past.Read the full article on purexbox.com

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MOUSE: P.I For Hire's 'Biggest Update Yet' Lands On Xbox, Here Are The Patch Notes

Time to revisit?Psst, hey 'Big Cheese', it looks like we've got another batch of patch notes for you today. MOUSE: P.I For Hire has just received its "biggest update yet" introducing a bunch of new features and quality of life fixes.Update v1.2.1 is available now on Xbox Series X|S implementing a level revisiting feature, uncapped VRR, stability fixes and more.Read the full article on purexbox.com

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Video Game Retailer Urges Xbox To 'Stand Behind Consumer Choice' By Supporting Physical

They've shared an open letter to the Xbox CEO.There's been a lot of talk over the past couple of weeks about PlayStation's decision to stop releasing physical games in 2028 and whether Xbox might go down the same path, and at the moment it seems they're undecided.In the meantime, we've come across an open letter from "North America's premier independent videogame retailer/distributor" known as Video Games Plus, which has called on Xbox boss Asha Sharma to embrace physical releases.Read the full article on purexbox.com

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Subnautica 2 Adaptive Measures Update 1.1 Arrives On Xbox, Here Are The Patch Notes

You can sprint now, that's cool!If you've snorted a water slug today, it's likely you will have noticed that Subnautica 2's first Early Access update "Adaptive Measures" is live right now.Update 1.1 is mostly comprised of minor adjustments to make a better, smoother experience, but there are a few new bits to dive into as well.Read the full article on purexbox.com

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Two Games Are Available Today Across Various Tiers Of Xbox Game Pass (July 9)

New additions to XGP Premium & Ultimate today.We're back with another Xbox Game Pass update for you! Two games are joining the service today — well sort of — one game is new to the Ultimate, Premium and PC tiers, whilst the second is moving down a tier and into XGP Premium.Tamashika is a zany, fast-paced arcade shooter with some seriously vibey visuals, and if you've never experienced the original Gears of War story, the campaign that started it all (Gears of War: Reloaded) is well worth giving a go if you're subscribed to XGP Premium. Do it for Carmine!Read the full article on purexbox.com

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Report: Xbox Cancels Avowed 2 And Puts Obsidian To Work On New Fallout Game

Multiple projects said to have been dropped at Obsidian.A new report has come out today about the future of Xbox studio Obsidian, with Bloomberg's well-known reporter Jason Schreier claiming that the company will focus on a new Fallout game going forward, and not a sequel to Avowed.Schreier says that progress on Avowed 2 had been "going well" and it would have been announced within the next year, but it doesn't fit into new Xbox boss Asha Sharma's plans. Nevertheless, a small number of people will continue working on it until Fallout is "ready", just in case it could be revived at some point in the future.Read the full article on purexbox.com

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Roundup: Here's What The Previews Are Saying About The Blood Of Dawnwalker

Drawing comparisons to The Witcher.The first wave of previews for The Blood of Dawnwalker are out in the wild, and it's sounding pretty darned good.'Dawnwalker' is being developed by Rebel Wolves, a relatively new-ish studio spearheaded by former CD Projekt Red developers. It's described as an open-world dark fantasy RPG that sees you wield supernatural powers to save your family as a hybrid human by day and vampire by night chappy.Read the full article on purexbox.com

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300+ Xbox Games Have Injected 300,000G Worth Of Easy Achievements

It's that time of year again!One of life's greatest gifts is listening to the popping sound an achievement makes when you're on the hunt for gamerscore.Now that we've entered into the second half of 2026, Microsoft's semi-annual cap on developers adding new achievements to their games has reset, resulting in so, so many easy opportunities to chase that sweet pop.Read the full article on purexbox.com

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Xbox Game Pass Members Are Being Treated To A Surprise New Release Today (July 8)

"Buckshot Roulette" has been a massive hit on Steam.How's this for a surprise Xbox Game Pass addition?! Despite not being mentioned at all in yesterday's roundup of upcoming Game Pass titles, Buckshot Roulette has launched straight into the service for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC and cloud across the Ultimate, Premium and PC tiers.This is a horror game where you play Russian Roulette with "The Dealer" in a "tense, claustrophobic single-player experience", but there's also a multiplayer component for up to four players. It's a brand-new release for Xbox consoles, but it's been on PC for years now and has an "Overwhelmingly Positive" rating over on Steam.Read the full article on purexbox.com

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Here's What DOOM: The Dark Ages Revelations DLC Looks Like On Xbox Series X|S

Solid 60FPS on Xbox Series S.It has been a tumultuous few days for the developers at id Software, currently dealing with the loss of half the studio as part of Microsoft's untimely Xbox Reset. Amid the layoffs, the team released Revelations, its first major DLC for DOOM: The Dark Ages yesterday onto Xbox Series X|S.We thought we'd take a gander at the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S versions following the DLC's arrival, both in terms of comparison and performance across the Xbox consoles.Read the full article on purexbox.com

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Xbox Game Pass Reportedly Drops To 30M Subscribers, But Has 'Started To Grow Again'

It was confirmed the service lost millions of subscribers last year.It's been almost 10 years now since Xbox changed the gaming industry with the introduction of Xbox Game Pass, and it's played a key role in shaping the brand and how people engage with it ever since.There's a lot of discussion about Game Pass on social media at the moment due to a few reports that have appeared online suggesting that it's dropped to 30 million subscribers in recent years to compared to the 34 million in 2024.Read the full article on purexbox.com

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Roundup: The First Reviews Have Arrived For Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced

"Yo-ho, yo-ho, great review scores for me".Listen up you scallywags, Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced reviews have dropped and they are glowing!I've personally played several hours of the Black Flag remaster myself and thought it a jolly roger of a time. If you're interested in knowing how the game performs across both Xbox Series X and S consoles, consider spying our comparison.Read the full article on purexbox.com

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Roundup: The First Reviews Have Arrived For AC Black Flag Resynced

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Xbox Fan Claims To Know The Start Date & 'Initial' Games For Summer Sale 2026

But will we get a teaser event as well?Back at the end of June, we highlighted the upcoming Xbox Summer Sale 2026 and predicted that it would either start on July 16th or July 23rd, and it looks like we were mostly on the money - but perhaps off by a single day.An Xbox fan known as "Bloomy" has taken to the CheapAssGamer and TrueAchievements forums to suggest that the Xbox Summer Sale 2026 (also known as the Xbox Ultimate Game Sale 2026) will begin at 1pm PT / 4pm ET / 9pm BST on Wednesday July 15th, and their track record suggests it's probably quite likely.Read the full article on purexbox.com

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Xbox CEO Sets Ambitious Goal Of Reaching 'More Than A Billion People Each Day'

She says she knows it's achieveable.New Xbox boss Asha Sharma certainly had a lot to say in her statement regarding the Xbox layoffs and studio departures yesterday, and one particular line from the conclusion has been generating a lot of discussion ever since.While insisting that the changes being made at Xbox are "about a bigger future, not a smaller one", Sharma revealed her ambitious goal of reaching "more than a billion people each day" with the brand.Read the full article on purexbox.com

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'They Will Report Directly To Me' - Mojang And King Singled Out By Xbox Boss

For having the largest monthly active players.In the midst of layoffs across the majority of Xbox, Microsoft has announced Mojang and King will play a more centralised role in its future plans.Within a lengthy "resetting XBOX" post on Xbox Wire, CEO Asha Sharma addressed the strategy to reduce 3,200 Xbox jobs through FY27, devest several studios, and highlighted Mojang and King as key development teams in the reset.Read the full article on purexbox.com

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'It's A Franchise We Love' - Toys For Bob Keen To Work With Xbox On Banjo-Kazooie Game

Make it happen, Asha.The folks over at Toys for Bob are busy working on Spyro: A Realm Reborn for Xbox right now, which we absolutely can't wait for, but they've also indicated their interest in bringing back one of the most classic Rare IPs of all time.Yes, the Crash Bandicoot 4 and Spyro Reignited Trilogy studio is keen to work on a new Banjo-Kazooie game if the opportunity arises, as discussed by the Associate Creative Director (Louis Studdert) and Studio Head (Paul Yan) of Toys for Bob on a recent episode of the Kinda Funny Gamescast.Read the full article on purexbox.com

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Xbox Layoffs Cut id Software In Half As DOOM: The Dark Ages DLC Launches

"Xbox decided half the team was deemed useless".DOOM: The Dark Ages Revelations, the first major DLC for the bombastic shooter, launches today onto Xbox Series consoles (along with PC and PS5). It should have been a day of celebration for the team at id Software, a chance to revel in reviews and give themselves a proper good pat on the back.Instead, it's reported id Software lost half of its staff as part of Xbox's 3,200 job cuts. Senior Gameplay Systems Programmer Michael Maynard posted on LinkedIn that "roughly 50% of the company was let go today".Read the full article on purexbox.com

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These 11 Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass (July 9-21)

July is going to be a blast!Today Microsoft has announced the next official batch of Xbox Game Pass titles for July 2026, with 11 games joining the service from July 9-21. Xbox is already poised to have a big month with Halo: Campaign Evolved coming in late July, but an extra Tony Hawk's game, and the overwhelmingly popular Planet Crafter bulk up the early offering nicely.If you didn't spot them, two games have already dropped onto Game Pass in July in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 for the XGP Premium tier and the action-platformer Winds of Arcana: Ruination.Read the full article on purexbox.com

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Microsoft Rewards Adds New 'Feedback Portal' Feature Inspired By Xbox Player Voice

Share your suggestions.We've got a cool new feature being implemented for Microsoft Rewards! If you've ever had any suggestions about how to improve the program, Microsoft is now officially asking for your input as part of a new Feedback Portal.This works exactly the same way as the Xbox Player Voice feature that was introduced back in May, allowing fans to submit their feedback and upvote the suggestions they're most interested in. Then, if and when Microsoft chooses to act upon them, they'll update the website with an official statement about what they've done.Read the full article on purexbox.com

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Compulsion Games, Double Fine & Undead Labs Issue Xbox Departure Statements

EX Game Studios.As a new dawn breaks on news that Xbox is cutting 3,200 jobs and releasing four development teams from its Xbox Game Studios umbrella, three of those studios have issued statements about their departure from Xbox.In case you missed it, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma confirmed Compulsion games and Double Fine will return to independent operations, whilst Ninja Theory and Undead Labs are to be sold and will continue to work under new management.Read the full article on purexbox.com

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AC Black Flag Resynced Comparison Shows Difference Between Xbox Series X And Series S

How the Xbox versions stack up.In the midst of everything happening in regards to the Xbox layoffs yesterday, the embargo lifted for Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced content, and therefore we've officially got some footage of the Xbox Series X and S versions.There are a few sources for this, including over at the YouTube channel Game Friend - run by Pure Xbox contributor Craig Reid. We're not affiliated with that channel in any fashion, but I highly recommend checking it out regardless!Read the full article on purexbox.com

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Obsidian, id Software & Others Confirmed To Be Affected By Xbox Layoffs

As hinted by Asha Sharma earlier today.As you've probably seen, Xbox has announced 3,200 job cuts as part of a major restructuring plan, with 1,600 of those cuts taking place today - including at popular Xbox studios and publishers such as Obsidian, Activision and Bethesda.Xbox boss Asha Sharma effectively confirmed this herself earlier today, mentioning that "we are also making reductions across other units" (in addition to the four studios that were revealed to be departing the brand) and naming "Activision, Bethesda/ZeniMax, Blizzard, King, Mojang, and XBOX Game Studios".Read the full article on purexbox.com

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Here's The New Lineup Of Xbox Game Studios For July 2026 Onwards

Let's get an idea of how things are shaping up.So, you've probably seen the news today that Xbox is eliminating 3,200 job roles and getting rid of four studios in the process, with all of those development teams falling under the "Xbox Game Studios" banner at Microsoft.<related ids="203447">Read the full article on purexbox.com

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Report: Bethesda Faces 'Significant Overhaul' At Xbox, Will Focus On Key Franchises

As part of the major Xbox reset.In her statement regarding the restructure at Xbox and the job layoffs / studio departures earlier today, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma mentioned that investment was shifting to "higher priority projects" in some cases at certain studios.Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, who is well-known for being one of the most reliable "insiders" in the business, says that ZeniMax (the parent company of Bethesda) will face a "significant overhaul" as part of this restructuring.Read the full article on purexbox.com

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Three Aims Detailed By Asha Sharma For The 'Most Significant Restructure In Xbox History'

Following a massive wave of layoffs.You've probably seen the news already today - Xbox is laying off 3,200 employees over the next 12 months (with half of them leaving immediately), and at least four studios will be departing the brand as part of it.<related ids="203447">Read the full article on purexbox.com

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Xbox Announces 3,200 Job Losses And Four Studio Departures

The news we were dreading.We've been waiting ages for Xbox to announce what's happening with the layoff situation, and it's now been confirmed today that 3,200 employees are being let go throughout fiscal year 27, with 1,600 of those leaving today.In addition, Compulsion Games (We Happy Few, South of Midnight) and Double Fine Productions (Psychonauts 2, Kiln) are transitioning to independent studios, while Ninja Theory (Hellblade) and Undead Labs (State of Decay 3) are being sold off. Arkane Studios (Marvel's Blade) is also reviewing strategic options.Read the full article on purexbox.com

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Xbox Announces 3,200 Job Cuts And Four Studio Departures

The news we were dreading.We've been waiting ages for Xbox to announce what's happening with the layoff situation, and it's now been confirmed that 3,200 roles are being eliminated throughout fiscal year 27, with 1,600 of those taking place today.In addition, Compulsion Games (We Happy Few, South of Midnight) and Double Fine Productions (Psychonauts 2, Kiln) are transitioning to independent studios, while Ninja Theory (Hellblade) and Undead Labs (State of Decay 3) are being sold off. Arkane Studios (Marvel's Blade) is also reviewing strategic options.Read the full article on purexbox.com

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'Winds Of Arcana: Ruination' Is Out Now On Xbox Game Pass, And Here's What The Reviews Say

The latest day one addition to XGP.Ready for some new additions to Xbox Game Pass? Well, July is already looking stacked, but we're expecting Microsoft to update the list imminently (probably on Tuesday), and before then we've got a new day one title for July 6th!This game is called Winds of Arcana: Ruination, and it's making its debut on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S following a PC release in late 2025. It's a 2.5D action-platformer developed by the Indian indie studio known as Brewed Games (it's actually their first title ever), and has a "Mostly Positive" average rating on Steam.Read the full article on purexbox.com

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'I Want Them To Sponsor Me' - World Cup Star Erling Haaland Reveals His Love Of Xbox

The competition's joint top-scorer as things stand.The World Cup has been absolutely fantastic for anyone who loves the game of football / soccer over the past few weeks, and one of the standout talents has been Norway and Manchester City striker, Erling Haaland.As things stand, the superstar striker is joint top-scorer alongside Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi, and scored both goals as Norway incredibly toppled Brazil in the Round of 16. In other words, he's the talk of the sporting world right now - and so it stands to reason that pretty much anything to do with him is going viral, including his love of Xbox!Read the full article on purexbox.com

PureXbox News

Report: id Software Pitched New Perfect Dark Before Xbox Layoffs

MOUSE: P.I For Hire's 'Biggest Update Yet' Lands On Xbox, Here Are The Patch Notes

Video Game Retailer Urges Xbox To 'Stand Behind Consumer Choice' By Supporting Physical

Subnautica 2 Adaptive Measures Update 1.1 Arrives On Xbox, Here Are The Patch Notes

Two Games Are Available Today Across Various Tiers Of Xbox Game Pass (July 9)

Report: Xbox Cancels Avowed 2 And Puts Obsidian To Work On New Fallout Game

Roundup: Here's What The Previews Are Saying About The Blood Of Dawnwalker

300+ Xbox Games Have Injected 300,000G Worth Of Easy Achievements

Xbox Game Pass Members Are Being Treated To A Surprise New Release Today (July 8)

Here's What DOOM: The Dark Ages Revelations DLC Looks Like On Xbox Series X|S

Xbox Game Pass Reportedly Drops To 30M Subscribers, But Has 'Started To Grow Again'

Roundup: The First Reviews Have Arrived For Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced

Roundup: The First Reviews Have Arrived For AC Black Flag Resynced

Xbox Fan Claims To Know The Start Date & 'Initial' Games For Summer Sale 2026

Xbox CEO Sets Ambitious Goal Of Reaching 'More Than A Billion People Each Day'

'They Will Report Directly To Me' - Mojang And King Singled Out By Xbox Boss

'It's A Franchise We Love' - Toys For Bob Keen To Work With Xbox On Banjo-Kazooie Game

Xbox Layoffs Cut id Software In Half As DOOM: The Dark Ages DLC Launches

These 11 Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass (July 9-21)

Microsoft Rewards Adds New 'Feedback Portal' Feature Inspired By Xbox Player Voice

Compulsion Games, Double Fine & Undead Labs Issue Xbox Departure Statements

AC Black Flag Resynced Comparison Shows Difference Between Xbox Series X And Series S

Obsidian, id Software & Others Confirmed To Be Affected By Xbox Layoffs

Here's The New Lineup Of Xbox Game Studios For July 2026 Onwards

Report: Bethesda Faces 'Significant Overhaul' At Xbox, Will Focus On Key Franchises

Three Aims Detailed By Asha Sharma For The 'Most Significant Restructure In Xbox History'

Xbox Announces 3,200 Job Losses And Four Studio Departures

Xbox Announces 3,200 Job Cuts And Four Studio Departures

'Winds Of Arcana: Ruination' Is Out Now On Xbox Game Pass, And Here's What The Reviews Say

'I Want Them To Sponsor Me' - World Cup Star Erling Haaland Reveals His Love Of Xbox

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