GamingBolt

By now, you’ve heard more than enough about the layoffs at Xbox, which studios have seemingly been hit the worst, and so on. But even those who survived the initial devastation don’t have much cause to celebrate, especially with even more layoffs planned for the rest of fiscal year 2027.

PlayStation ending disc manufacturing in 2028 has ruffled more than enough feathers in recent weeks, but despite Project Helix reportedly not having a disc drive, Xbox seems to be taking a different route. Earlier this month, it was reported that it’s looking to allow disc owners to convert to digital licenses, and it’s apparently entering testing this week for Xbox Insiders.

To say that single-player gaming is a proven successful business model would be an understatement, especially for publishers like Capcom, PlayStation and so on. The company continues to invest in big-budget titles like Marvel’s Wolverine, Intergalactic, and God of War Laufey, but that hasn’t stopped it from trying, yet again, with live service. That’s despite low player counts for Marathon and Fairgame$ being mired in development hell since its announcement.

With layoffs affecting every division of Xbox, it’s somewhat of a relief that Blizzard Entertainment reportedly remains minimally affected. Then again, with 1,600 additional layoffs planned for this fiscal year, it could very well take some hits.

Amid all the depressing news surrounding Xbox’s layoffs, at least one title under its purview, developed independently by Toys for Bob, is coming along without any apparent hangups. We’re, of course, talking about Spyro: A Realm Beyond, revealed at the recent Xbox Games Showcase and planned to release next year. Besides serving as the newest mainline Spyro since Year of the Dragon (we don’t talk about the reboots), it promises to be the first entry to offer true free-flying.

Xbox’s recent mass layoffs have been tragic for several developers, including Obsidian Entertainment, Bethesda, and ZeniMax Online Studios, especially since there’s more coming in the next 12 months. However, perhaps the most baffling are those surrounding id Software, which was reportedly gutted. It’s all the more bizarre considering how well DOOM: The Dark Ages was received last year.

About a day after launching on Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced has sold over two million copies. How it compares to the original is unknown, but going by Steam numbers alone, it’s already surging ahead of Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

Marvel’s Wolverine may have the most hype around it, but you can’t count Arc System Works out, especially with how good its latest Marvel-themed fighter has looked. Of course, aside from a fully featured online mode with rollback netcode, Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls includes Episode Mode. It follows the chronicles of all five teams as they attempt to defeat the Champion, lest the Earth perish.

Just when you thought it was relegated to Marvel’s Wolverine in the wake of Grand Theft Auto 6’s lack of a physical disc, it seems every upcoming PlayStation title is now under scrutiny. Santa Monica Studio, for instance, confirmed on Twitter that God of War Laufey would be available to purchase on disc at launch. Far be it from this to put a dent in Sony’s decision to discontinue disc production for new games from January 2028 onwards.

After backlash to the introduction of paid progression options in EA Sports College Football 27’s Road to Glory and Dynasty modes, the developer has confirmed that they will be removed today. While it insists these were added “independent of deeper mode progression” to provide “more choice” for players, the team admitted that they “missed the mark.” The downside is that those with College Points remaining won’t be able to use them in either mode, so use them now while they’re still valid.