Jack back in for news on Xbox cuts, Battlefield’s budget, and Helldivers 2

Another week has gone by, and yes, it’s a big one.

I write these posts Tuesday nights before bed, so if something breaks on a Wednesday, just know: my take’s coming.

With that knowledge, jack in and let’s crawl through this mess together.

Xbox Lays Off Over 9,000 Employees

Not all 9,000 cuts were from their video game studios, but many got hit hard. King, Bethesda, Rare, and more were impacted to varying degrees in the round of layoffs. This continues to be a brutal couple of years for game devs across the board. 

Why This Matters: Multiple games were wiped. Everwild, in development since 2019, is gone. The Perfect Dark reboot and the entire studio behind it were shut down completely.

My Take: These aren’t just mystery projects or prototypes we don’t know about; these were games people cared about. They’ve been years in the making. Phil Spencer says he needs to run a sustainable business, but this just feels like Microsoft is cutting deep to keep their gaming division afloat. There are supposedly plenty of games still coming. Let’s hope they survive long enough to launch.

Question: What should the future of Microsoft’s gaming division look like?

Battlefield 6 Budget Tops $400 Million

After the poor response to Battlefield 2042, EA is ready to pump big money into the franchise’s return to modern combat. An official announcement could come any time now, with a deadline targeting release before March 2026.

Why This Matters: $400 million is a huge number. Big budget movies can cost that much to make, and this is part of a long-running game franchise. The development of the game is spread across multiple teams. Game devs are stressed, overworked and unhappy, according to the article. It’s a massive undertaking with the added stress of needing to rebound from the shortcomings of 2042. 

My Take: I skipped Battlefield 2042 completely. Partly because I didn’t have time to play as often, and partly because it had a bad reputation. I still played Battlefield V occasionally even after 2042 was released. The multiplayer is a great change of pace from Call of Duty, and I hope they can hammer out their issues with this one and deliver a good game.

Question: Are you excited to see the franchise come back into the modern world? 

Helldivers 2 Makes the Jump to Xbox 

In a rare turn of events, a PlayStation game is coming to Xbox. Helldivers 2 launched in 2024 and will hit Xbox in August 2025. It’s one of the only games to make this jump.

Why This Matters: Game exclusivity is getting increasingly diluted. PlayStation exclusives typically get PC releases, and Xbox has been sending their best—Gears of War and Forza—on their way to the Sony consoles.

My Take: It’s a surprising move. Phil Spencer says Xbox is undoubtedly going to be in the next-gen of consoles, but all signs point to them looking to diversify their offerings enough that a console release might not matter anymore. On the one hand, I’m fine with games crossing back and forth. On the other…what’s the point in me owning multiple systems anymore?

Question: Do you want console exclusivity to end?

Quick Bites

This week had a bunch of chatter that I want to hit real quick:

• Cyberpunk has been in the news a couple of times, but not for the video game itself. Edgerunners is getting a prequel manga, and I’m bummed I’ll have to wait until February of next year. Meanwhile, the upcoming sequel season on Netflix will be even sadder. If Lucy dies we riot.
• Cody Rhodes is officially joining the Street Fighter movie. The casting makes sense, and I’m cautiously hopeful.
• Great news: Xbox Game Pass is profitable even with first-party costs being factored in. The subscription service is a must-have and is one of the few ways I’ve been able to try such a variety of games over the last few years.
• The Last of Us Part II Remastered (how has it already had a remaster?) got a new update: chronological mode. I guess I now have an excuse to go back and finish my PS4 copy of the game, then turn around and buy it again.

There’s a lot more news I skipped, so drop me some comments or hit me up on X, @darkstarshady, if you want to continue the conversation.