It's a bad week for the industry as Xbox lays off employees, cancels projects, and closes studios run by industry veterans.

News

• 2:46 Switch price increase announced for Canada - https://www.gematsu.com/2025/06/switch-price-increase-announced-for-canada

• 7:54 Nintendo confirms Donkey Kong Bananza is being made by the Mario Odyssey team - https://www.eurogamer.net/nintendo-confirms-donkey-kong-bananza-is-being-made-by-the-mario-odyssey-team

• 14:55 Phil Spencer’s Memo to Staff About Upcoming Microsoft and Xbox Layoffs - https://insider-gaming.com/phil-spencer-message-to-staff/#:~:text=Insider%20Gaming%20has%20been%20provided,impact%20colleagues%20across%20our%20organization

• 23:22 Sources: Everwild has been cancelled as Xbox layoffs hit Rare - https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/sources-everwild-has-been-cancelled-as-xbox-layoffs-hit-rare/

• 27:13 Microsoft is closing down Xbox studio The Initiative, with Perfect Dark killed as well — joining Everwild and ZeniMax's new IP, and other unannounced projects - https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/microsoft-is-closing-down-xbox-studio-the-initiative

• 31:44 Xbox Executives Were Blown Away by an Upcoming Game. Then They Canceled It - https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-07-03/microsoft-s-xbox-cancels-blackbird-an-upcoming-game-that-impressed-executives

• 38:01 John Romero’s next FPS has lost funding in the wake of the Microsoft cuts - https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/john-romeros-next-fps-has-lost-funding-in-the-wake-of-the-microsoft-cuts/

• 50:47 Hideo Kojima's "OD" is still in development with Xbox, at least for today - https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/hideo-kojimas-od-is-still-in-development-with-xbox-at-least-for-today

• 55:47 Halo Studios teases fans ‘won’t want to miss’ upcoming game event - https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/halo-studios-teases-fans-wont-want-to-miss-upcoming-game-event/

• 1:01:14 PlayStation hit Helldivers 2 is officially coming Xbox with crossplay - https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/playstation-hit-helldivers-2-is-officially-coming-xbox-with-crossplay/

  
  

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