Forza Horizon 5 creative director Mike Brown says Xbox Game Pass was a well-meaning idea that simply didn't attract enough subscribers to sustain its studio acquisitions. The Clutch developer believes the resulting layoffs are a direct consequence of that shortfall, not villainy from Xbox leadership.
Microsoft has restructured its Israeli office after an internal investigation into ethical violations, including the use of its cloud technology by the Israeli military. The move follows calls to boycott Xbox and other Microsoft subsidiaries. The company's Xbox brand is now under scrutiny as it prepares to relaunch under new leadership.
Xbox is seeing major leadership changes under CEO Asha Sharma, with new hires from AI and tech backgrounds and promotions of long-time Xbox veterans. The shakeup aims to make Xbox more community-focused and agile. Sharma's vision is to build a platform that is "affordable, personal, and open".
