Microsoft Is Undermining Activision’s Independence With Latest Layoffs, FTC Says
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Microsoft Is Undermining Activision’s Independence With Latest Layoffs, FTC Says

Microsoft Is Undermining Activision’s Independence With Latest Layoffs, FTC Says

Microsoft’s current announcement of 1,900 layoffs inside its Xbox division, together with Activision Blizzard staff who joined Microsoft with the buyout, has prompted the US authorities to name Microsoft out. The US’ Federal Commerce Fee (FTC) stated in a memo (via The Verge) that the layoff plan “contradicts” how Microsoft represented itself in its proceedings to get the deal executed within the first place.

Microsoft’s $74.5 billion deal to purchase Activision Blizzard is already executed, however the FTC stated it’s making an attempt to quickly pause the buyout pending the FTC’s judgment of it on antitrust deserves.

“Microsoft’s not too long ago reported plan to get rid of 1,900 jobs in its online game division, together with in its newly acquired Activision unit, contradicts the foregoing representations it made to this courtroom,” FTC counsel Imad D. Abyad stated.

In its personal announcement detailing the layoffs, Microsoft stated it was making cuts in “areas of overlap” that existed between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard. The FTC stated that is “inconsistent with Microsoft’s suggestion to this courtroom that the 2 corporations will function independently post-merger.”

Microsoft’s current spherical of 1,900 layoffs impacted builders and employees from throughout Activision Blizzard, in addition to roles that existed inside Microsoft. The Xbox crew at Microsoft had round 22,000 staff previous to the cuts.

GameSpot has contacted Microsoft in an try and get extra particulars.

In different Xbox information, it has been reported that Microsoft is contemplating bringing a few of its video games, together with Starfield, Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle, and Gears of Warfare, to PlayStation and Nintendo. This isn’t but confirmed, however the firm has stated it is going to share extra particulars quickly.

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With Final Fantasy VII Rebirth releasing simply later this week, Final Fantasy VII Remake received a shock replace, tweaking one of Tifa’s outfits and breaking a closely used mod.

The replace was launched throughout PlayStation and PC final evening. Sq. Enix did not reveal full patch notes for model 1.003, solely itemizing “updates to a number of bugs” on its Steam web page. Followers, nonetheless, have been fast to note one change particularly with regard to 1 of Tifa’s outfits.

Warning: Potential spoiler for Final Fantasy 7 beneath.

As noticed on ResetEra, Tifa’s cowgirl-inspired outfit in a Nibelheim flashback was modified barely so as to add a black undershirt underneath her white button-up. The change is probably going a continuity one, because the outfit as patched extra intently resembles its design in Rebirth.

Tifa's outfit after the patch, more closely resembling the design in Rebirth. Screenshot credit: <a href=
Tifa’s outfit after the patch, extra intently resembling the design in Rebirth. Screenshot credit score: NovumVeritas on ResetEra

Additionally important is the truth that the replace breaks the essential FFVIIHook mod on PC, as reported by wccftech. Per its official description, FFVIIHook “unlocks the dev-console, giving entry to console instructions & simple adjustments to the video games CVars – together with permitting free INI recordsdata to be loaded in from the video games config folder!”

FFVIIHook was extensively used to repair some of Final Fantasy 7 Remake’s most jarring points on PC, together with stuttering, however, as reported by several comments today, is now not suitable with the brand new replace.

It is the primary replace in months for Final Fantasy VII Remake, as the main target has largely turned to Rebirth as we gear up for its launch. We gave Rebirth a 9/10 in our evaluate, with Michael Higham writing that it “impressively builds off of what Remake set in movement, each as a best-in-class action-RPG full of thrilling challenges and an awe-inspiring recreation of a world that has meant a lot to so many for therefore lengthy.”

Alex Stedman is a Senior Information Editor with IGN, overseeing leisure reporting. When she’s not writing or modifying, you will discover her studying fantasy novels or enjoying Dungeons & Dragons.

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Windows

Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag Players Rise 200% Upon Skull and Bones’ Release

The variety of folks enjoying Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag has risen 200% on Steam after the discharge of fellow Ubisoft pirate recreation Skull and Bones.

As reported by PCGamesN, the participant numbers of 2013’s Black Flag have floated both facet of 1,000 for years. In keeping with monitoring web site SteamDB, nonetheless, this quantity spiked on February 16: the day Skull and Bones lastly launched after years of troubled improvement.

Black Flag rose to 1,679 gamers upon launch, adopted by 2,600 on February 17, and 3,226 on February 18. That development has continued, not dipping beneath 2,401 since reaching a brand new peak of three,594 on February 25. Skull and Bones has but to launch on Steam, with Ubisoft favouring a PC launch on the Epic Video games Retailer and its personal storefront, so participant numbers are unavailable.

Introduced in 2017, Skull and Bones initially regarded set to offer gamers with extra of what made Black Flag so widespread: intense and dramatic ocean adventuring and fight. Six delays seemingly brought on pleasure to dwindle, nonetheless, and Skull and Bones has lastly arrived in 2024 to little fanfare. “Skull and Bones is a maritime RPG with a powerful basis, even when it appears like a live-service first draft,” IGN stated in our 7/10 evaluation.

Ubisoft’s advertising and marketing for the sport has seemingly impressed a number of thousand gamers to return as an alternative to Black Flag, even with an eight-hour free trial of Skull and Bones obtainable.

In our 8/10 evaluation of the previous, IGN stated: “Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag is a beautiful, incredible sequel that offers you the liberty to make your personal enjoyable.”

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll speak about The Witcher all day.

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