Xbox is making employees come back to the office four days a week. Starting February 1, 2027, Xbox staff in the Puget Sound area who live within 50 commuting miles of Microsoft’s Redmond campus will have to be in the office at least four days a week. That’s one more day than Microsoft’s current three-day policy, and even existing exemptions will need to be reapplied for. Asha is really doing great moves, these people need to move their asses and work

Xbox Cloud Gaming is getting a pay-as-you-go option for people who don’t have Game Pass. Microsoft will sell cloud gaming hours in three bundles: > 10 hours — $3.99 > 25 hours — $7.99 > 50 hours — $11.99 The hours don’t expire, so you can use them whenever you want. GTA VI won’t be available to stream on PC through Xbox Cloud Gaming.

Xbox strategy manager Brandon Stirrup has deleted his X account after facing a lot of backlash over his recent comments about AI in game development. Stirrup had spoken openly about Xbox using AI and said developers who refuse to embrace AI shouldn’t be in the business of making games. He deactivated it because of the large number of replies he was getting. There are also claims that Microsoft isn’t happy about the situation and that it has caused some internal discussion

Xbox reportedly had much bigger plans for Halo 2 and Halo 3 remakes than fans may have expected. The projects, reportedly known internally as “Project Manihi,” were being developed by Halo Studios before layoffs and the subsequent restructuring around Halo. The planned Halo 2 remake could have included: -Dual-wielding -A more complete multiplayer experience -Classic gameplay elements The Halo 3 remake was reportedly even more ambitious, with: -Multiplayer -Forge -Theater -Firefight -Additional missions The idea was apparently to make the remakes feel like major flagship releases rather than simple visual upgrades. The plans were ultimately scrapped following the layoffs.

Xbox might be preparing to keep physical games around for longer. A new Microsoft job listing for an Xbox Games Supply Strategist says the person will help manage the launch of physical Xbox games across all platforms. The job includes: -Planning physical game launches -Managing manufacturing and distribution -Handling inventory -Managing sales and retail channels -Planning physical games throughout their entire life cycle

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma doesn’t want Xbox to keep relying on the same big franchises forever. She wants the company to make new games that could become just as successful. According to Windows Central, Sharma wants Xbox to build “enduring” new IP while turning Fallout, Call of Duty and World of Warcraft into billion-dollar global brands. Sharma also hinted that more changes to Xbox’s studios could be on the way, following plans to move franchises like Halo and Sea of Thieves under Activision.

Xbox's new XP division brings together four "areas of investment," including Xbox Pictures, Xbox Products, Xbox Partnerships, and Xbox Places. We've got more details here: