Latest news with #DukeNukem
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Microsoft layoffs: Xbox faces turbulence - up to 2,000 jobs on the line as studio shutdowns loom
It looks like it's going to be a tough week for Xbox employees. There are rumors that Microsoft 's ongoing shake-up could lead to the loss of jobs. Developers are on edge and worried because they've heard rumors that entire studios are closing. Why are Xbox Studios at risk? Microsoft is preparing to lay off employees once more. As part of its organizational restructuring, the tech giant is reportedly planning to lay off employees in the Xbox division next week. Bloomberg reported that managers in its Xbox division are expecting significant layoffs. The Verge quickly supported that, claiming that managers had been notified internally and that the Xbox division might be affected by these cuts as early as next week. ALSO READ: Fito captured: The shocking crimes and net worth of Ecuador's most wanted man, José Adolfo Macias Will Xbox cut up to 2,000 jobs? Internal sources and a gaming industry veteran are warning of even deeper cuts, which is making things even more tense in Microsoft's gaming division. Live Events George Broussard, a seasoned industry veteran and one of the founders of Duke Nukem, wrote on Bluesky earlier today that internal sources anticipate the layoffs to be severe. He stated that up to 2,000 workers could be laid off, which could impact 10% of the Xbox workforce as a whole. The industry veteran has added to the mounting anxiety, and the situation does not appear to be improving. 'News has reported imminent Xbox layoffs , but I'm hearing internal developer stuff where people at most studios are anxious and worried,' Broussard stated. 'Word is that entire studios may be shuttered. Expectation is 1000-2000 people,' as quoted in a report by The Game Post. These cuts are besides those made earlier this year. Microsoft laid off 6,000 workers in May across its gaming division and other businesses. More than three hundred people were laid off earlier this month. Naturally, in early 2024, the company laid off 1,900 employees from ZeniMax, Activision Blizzard, and Xbox. But as of yet, no formal announcement has been made. How is this impacting employees? The increasing volume of reports and the specific information coming to light are making matters worse. Uncertain of whether they will still have jobs next week, developers are waiting in limbo. Rumors that entire studios are in jeopardy heighten the sense of urgency. FAQs How many Xbox employees could be laid off? Insiders fear that 1,000-2,000 jobs will be cut soon. Will Xbox close any of its studios? Rumors suggest that entire studios may be closed as part of the cuts. Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Metro
3 days ago
- Business
- Metro
Xbox layoffs expected to hit up to 2,000 people claims source
The next batch of Xbox layoffs could be the worst so far, with an industry insider predicting studio closures as well. It's been reported for some time that Microsoft is planning another major wave of layoffs throughout the company and a couple of days ago it was claimed that the Xbox division would be amongst those impacted. These layoffs will supposedly happen by the end of June, but previously no exact figures were given for how many people would be affected. If a new rumour is to be believed though, Xbox could lose upwards of 2,000 employees – approximately 10% of its entire workforce. The prediction comes from respected game designer George Broussard, who previously co-founded Apogee Software, better known nowadays as 3D Realms, and was one of the creators behind the Duke Nukem games. In a Bluesky post from earlier this morning, Broussard claims to have heard 'internal developer stuff' from within Microsoft, with anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 people expected to be let go. Not only that, but there are concerns that entire studios could be shut down, which is sadly all too believable. After all, Microsoft killed no less than three studios last year, including Tango Gameworks, despite its last game, Hi-Fi Rush, winning several awards and purportedly being a success in the eyes of Microsoft. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. News has reported imminent Xbox layoffs but I'm hearing internal developer stuff where people at most studios are anxious and worried. Word that entire studios may be shuttered. Expectation is 1000-2000 people. Xbox unit has about 10k people in it?, so 10-20%? Good luck to all involved. Brutal. — George Broussard (@ 2025-06-26T02:08:57.231Z Although Broussard estimates that Xbox has roughly 10,000 employees, our research puts the number at about 19,450, once you take into account subsidiaries like Bethesda and Activision Blizzard. Regardless, the worst case scenario of Microsoft letting go 2,000 employees would take a hefty chunk out of the Xbox workforce, putting the total post-pandemic losses at well over 4,000. That includes 650 employees that were let go last September, and almost 2,000 job cuts at the beginning of 2024. So far, more than 2,500 Xbox employees have been let go since Microsoft finalised its $75 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard, which remains the most expensive acquisition in the history of the games industry. Even if the actual numbers are at the lower end of Broussard's estimate, the next round of layoffs will bring the total job losses at Xbox to more than 3,500. More Trending While some cuts were inevitable, to eliminate duplicate jobs post-acquisition, the sheer volume of layoffs is well above the normal and exacerbated by both post-pandemic bloat and Microsoft's enthusiasm for AI. Microsoft may also be looking to cut costs due to the Activision Blizzard purchase not being as lucrative as hoped, with the addition of Call Of Duty games on Xbox Game Pass barely improving subscriber numbers and the series as a whole still bleeding players. This combined with dwindling hardware sales is no doubt what made Microsoft decide to port Xbox exclusives to PlayStation and Nintendo platforms, in a bid to bump up its revenue. Yet despite its games reaching new audiences and performing particularly well on PlayStation, it doesn't appear to be enough for Microsoft, not if it's considering killing more studios to help save money. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Microsoft confirms next gen Xbox home and portable consoles with AMD partnership MORE: Xbox aggregated game library coming to PC with hints of Steam support MORE: Xbox VR headset officially announced and it's much more expensive than normal
Geek Culture
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
Netflix's 'Devil May Cry' Series Creator Adi Shankar Teases A "Very Different" Season 2
Hot off announcing his plans for a Duke Nukem adaptation, Adi Shankar, showrunner of the Netflix animated series Devil May Cry , has revealed that Season 2 will be a whole new beast compared to its predecessor, embodying more of the video game's feel that fans expect. 'Season 2 is a vvvvveryyyyy different show.' Shankar wrote on X\Twitter in response to a fan question, 'Yes, Dante levels up. His skills improve and you'll see him embrace more of the iconic badassery fans of the game expect.' 'That said, I'm still telling a story, and great characters don't just win — they grow,' he continued, 'What makes Dante compelling isn't that he's unstoppable — it's that he learns and keeps getting stronger.' Still, some fans took to the platform to express their disappointment in the series, especially regarding its portrayal of the well-known franchise side-character Lady and the changes made to its overall plot. To this end, Shankar was quick to clarify that his version of the story wasn't set up to be canon. 'Each franchise is a different beast,' he told another fan on the platform, 'It really depends on the IP. With Devil May Cry , there was already a deep and conflicting continuity across games/manga/etc — so going non-canon and creating my own AU gave me room to honour the spirit without getting trapped in the timeline gymnastics.' With his comments, Devil May Cry's Season 2 is shaping up to be quite different from the first, but it remains to be seen if this change will fall in line with what fans of the games are expecting. The series was renewed in April this year, although it has yet to secure a release date. Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise 'duds' like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3 . He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying. Adi Shankar Devil May Cry Netflix
Geek Tyrant
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
CASTLEVANIA Producer Adi Shankar Acquires DUKE NUKEM Rights, Promises No-Nonsense Adaptation — GeekTyrant
After turning Castlevania into one of Netflix's most acclaimed animated series and landing a second season for his upcoming Devil May Cry adaptation, renegade producer Adi Shankar has now set his sights on another iconic piece of gaming history with Duke Nukem . In a recent interview with Esquire, Shankar casually dropped the news. 'I bought the rights to Duke Nukem . Not the gaming rights, but I bought it from Gearbox.' No big studio fanfare, no corporate announcement—just classic Shankar style. Of course, Duke Nukem has had a rough ride trying to leap into Hollywood. Several failed attempts have been made over the years, but Shankar thinks he knows why it never worked, and why it will now. 'Duke Nukem can't be made by a corporation because the moment a corporation makes Duke Nukem, it's no longer Duke Nukem. I don't intend on having anyone tell me what to do on this one.' That kind of creative independence is what's made Shankar's work stand out. He doesn't aim to sanitize or rebrand Duke. He wants to embrace the chaos of it: 'It's a middle finger to everybody. When Duke Nukem blew up, a bunch of people sat around trying to turn it into a brand, when it's just a middle finger.' A bombastic, politically incorrect anti-hero paired with a filmmaker who thrives on subverting expectations. With Shankar at the helm under his Bootleg Universe banner, it sounds like we'll be getting something that doesn't pull punches or cater to safe studio notes. His has a passion for pushing boundaries in adult animation. Beyond Castlevania and Devil May Cry , Shankar's fingerprints are on Netflix's The Guardians of Justice (Will Save You!) and Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix . What ties all of these projects together is a commitment to reclaiming American animation's wild side. 'I grew up on action-heavy Saturday cartoons. American Saturday morning cartoons were f—ing sick. I didn't even live in America and I watched them! 'They made me want to be here. But they were boxed in by broadcast standards, and I wondered what these stories would become if they weren't held back.' Now, he's answering that question himself, describing his creative mission as '[building] something new rooted in American action storytelling.' He adds: 'This genre needs a name, because it's not anime. It's something that lives between Saturday morning cartoons, prestige television, and R-rated cinema.' Whatever name that genre eventually earns, there's no doubt who's leading the charge. With Duke Nukem locked and loaded in his arsenal, Shankar's universe just got a little more unhinged, and I'm excited to see what he does with this. There was a Duke Nukem movie that was announced three years ago from Legendary Entertainment and the the Cobra Kai series team, Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, but I guess that's not happening anymore?
Geek Culture
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
'Duke Nukem' Adaptation Set By 'Devil May Cry' & ‘Castlevania' Showrunner Adi Shanker
Legendary gaming icon Duke Nukem is back, just not in a way most are expecting, as Adi Shankar, showrunner of Netflix's Devil May Cry and Castlevania animated series, has acquired the screen rights to the classic shooter franchise for his next game-to-screen adaptation. Speaking to Esqurie, Shankar spoke on his future plans, which, apart from season two of Devil May Cry , included a Duke Nukem show. 'I'm being approached with different IPs and companies that want to work with me,' he explained, 'I bought the rights to Duke Nukem. Not the gaming rights, but I bought it from Gearbox.' Duke Nukem 3D (1996) Even though the project is still in its infancy, Shankar already has plans for his take on the iconic '90s video game franchise. 'It's a middle finger to everybody,' he described when asked about his vision for the show, 'When Duke Nukem blew up, a bunch of people sat around trying to turn it into a brand, when it's just a middle finger. Duke Nukem can't be made by a corporation, because the moment a corporation makes Duke Nukem , it's no longer Duke Nukem . I don't intend on having anyone tell me what to do on this one.' From his comments alone, it seems like his adaptation will be as unapologetic and no-holds-barred as its gaming source material, which was made famous by its tongue-in-cheek nature, violence and self-aware immaturity. Duke Nukem Forever (2011) Duke Nukem entered the video game scene in 1991 as a series of 2D platformers created by Apogee Software Ltd. (now 3D Realms). The franchise would rise to fame in 1996 with Duke Nukem 3D , which transformed it into the FPS icon many know today. The series would go on to receive numerous sequels and spin-offs over 15 years, culminating in 2011's infamous Duke Nukem Forever , which was heavily criticised by critics and fans alike, effectively killing the series… until now, that is. Still, it's unclear what form the project will eventually take, be it an animated series like his previous works, a live-action TV show, or a movie. It's also unknown how his acquisition of the franchise's screen rights will affect Legendary Entertainment's Duke Nukem movie by Cobra Kai creators Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg. Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise 'duds' like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3 . He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying. Adi Shankar Devil May Cry adaptation duke nukem
