XBOX Games Showcase 2026 thoughts?

[dhaabi]

Remember when Microsoft announced Ninja Theory's third installment in the Hellblade series just eight days ago? Now, they've announced that the studio is closing.

Double Fine Productions and Compulsion Games are also reportedly negotiating with Microsoft to avoid being shuttered. While I'm sure if that does ultimately happen it would result in the loss of many's jobs, I think it would ultimately benefit Double Fine particularly in the long-term future as they re-build themselves up as the indie studio they had been. If there's anything third-party studios have realized in the last few years especially, it's that being tied to a major publisher who only sees you as a disposable asset in this present moment isn't in your best interest.

Anyway, Xbox is so back.

[kamikazekeeg]

I believe something they said the other week or so ago they talked about the likelihood of there being firings and closures, but to do it to a studio that they just supported the new game announcement of is wild.  I mean, I never expected them to get another game as I thought the last one didn't do well, but still crazy to be discussing their closure after a new game announcement.  Feel bad for all the studios to see the hit and hope they get cut off from Microsoft instead of seeing a studio closure.

[weirdfeline]

From a business perspective in 2026 it doesn't make sense that Double Fine worked on and released Kiln, maybe before the new leadership took over it was approved as something new to be added to Game Pass but it never looked like something that would turn a profit. They seem to have been one of the only studios that were allowed to still make smaller projects and have multiple games in development at once instead of just going from Psychonauts 2 to the next large game.

Compulsion took eight years to deliver a new game and while I personally think it looks like an enjoyable game it doesn't seem to have reached much of a fanbase despite multiple awards.

Ninja Theory makes the least sense of the three. I just praised their turnaround time between titles and while Hellblade II also didn't seem to resonate with players like the first did their history shows they are capable of much more.

it's easy to hate XBOX for this but if they are open to letting them go independent that seems like a nice compromise. Asha seems to be doing whatever she can to save the XBOX brand and XBOX as a whole from Microsoft. Focusing on their studios that do deliver each time makes sense.

[weirdfeline]

State of Decay developers Undead Labs may also be in trouble: https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2026/06/rumour-state-of-decay-3-dev-also-facing-xbox-axe-weeks-after-game-was-revealed-for-ps5

[kamikazekeeg]

I was looking at the State of Decay 3 wiki as I was curious about how long it had been in development and it had been for awhile, but not as long as I thought, because apparently the 2020 announcement was done when the game was just a concept, no development had even started.  It's still had a long development time, probably a solid 5 years of it so far, but wild that it's on the brink of release and they are thinking of unloading them and perhaps cancelling the game.  I liked the series when I played it, it wasn't the best, it needed work in some areas, but I really liked the idea.  Hopefully it can get sorted out and the game can still happen.  Like that might be enticing to someone for purchase if there is a game almost ready for release.

[kamikazekeeg]

And now it seems that Microsoft is looking to shut down or sell off Arkane, and in turn canceling the Marvel Blade game.  Very rough times right now.

[2ko]

I wanted to like Xbox man. I really did. I was day one for Xbone after the phenomenal 360 days, because even after they dropped the ball on the xbone launch I thought they would turn it around. I mean, this was the same guys that offered free repair and replacements for Red-Ringing consoles. They were no strangers to biting the bullet and doing what was right for the consumer in the past and ensuring gamers were taken care of.

But after an abysmal generation with basically 0 support from them my faith was worn thin. Watching PS4 players get yearly blockbusters while the Xbone struggled to get a single good game on it was rough. And I dunno if it was just nostalgia for the 360 era or what but I believed that they had it in them to turn it around, so when they acquired all these studios I thought they finally got back on track,

Who was I kidding though? All these devs completely wasted. How has there been so few games released? What the hell are they doing? Like 2/3 games are cancelled, and the ones that actually make it out the door are luke-warm at best. And its clear as day from the first 10 minutes of playing them that they were never, at any point, very good games. How did they spend 6-7 years on these things and no one noticed they were making a mediocre game?

I'm glad I didn't buy a Series X. Not only would I have been burned (again), I am not supporting these guys anymore. They do nothing for their players who have supported them for years, and are actively ruining large parts of the space I love. So many devs I loved will be shut down, and series that will be locked away never to be seen again like they have done with Banjo or Perfect Dark. I guess after what happened with Rare I should never have trusted them, but it won't happen again.

[weirdfeline]

Double Fine and Compulsion are independent again and retain their IP. Ninja Theory and Undead Labs have been sold but it doesn't say who owns them. Arkane's future seems uncertain.

https://x.com/asha_shar/status/2074124008795369482

[kamikazekeeg]

*EDIT*

4800 Microsoft employees being fired, 1600 of which are Xbox employees, bad times.