The Xbox 360 launched 20 years ago this week, beating the PlayStation 3 to market by a full year. Microsoft’s console defined a generation with groundbreaking online features and exclusive games, despite the infamous Red Ring of Death issues.
Asus is ramping up production of its Xbox Rog Ally handheld gaming devices after initial sales exceeded expectations. The company says premium models priced at $600 and $1,000 are in particularly high demand despite the steep price points.
In a surprising move, Sony is bringing the Horizon universe to mobile and PC as an MMO developed by NCSoft. The game, Horizon Steel Frontiers, completely bypasses PlayStation consoles despite being a PlayStation Studios title. This represents a significant shift in Sony’s platform strategy.
Crystal Dynamics has laid off nearly 30 developers in its third round of cuts this year. The studio claims this restructuring is necessary to optimize development of its next Tomb Raider game, which has faced significant challenges.
Netflix is jumping into the daily puzzle game trend with a new app called Netflix Puzzled. The free app for subscribers will feature puzzles based on popular shows like Stranger Things and Squid Game, coming soon to iOS, Android and the Tudum website.
Bobby Kotick says Activision almost bought Minecraft in 2014 but backed out when creator Markus “Notch” Persson warned he and his leadership team were quitting. Microsoft ultimately paid $2.5 billion for the game and studio, turning it into one of gaming’s biggest success stories.
Major game publishers went all-in on games-as-a-service, only to face massive failures and layoffs. The race for the next Fortnite turned into a costly lesson in market saturation and player loyalty. Now the industry is retreating back to what actually works.
Valve has unveiled three major hardware products that mark its biggest push into gaming hardware in years. The Steam Machine returns with modern AMD Zen 4 and RDNA 3 graphics, while the Steam Frame represents Valve’s first VR headset. All products are scheduled to ship in early 2026.
Apple Arcade is getting some serious firepower next month with Cult of the Lamb and PowerWash Simulator leading the December 4 lineup. The service also gets a new Vision Pro exclusive this week. It’s a surprisingly strong end-of-year push.
Finnish indie studio Yrdvaab has secured over €130,000 in EU funding to continue development of space strategy game Ephemeris. This follows a €200,000 private investment round earlier this year, bringing their total funding to €330,000 despite a failed crowdfunding campaign that raised only €8,400.
