Monday, 5 October 2026
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Xbox

Xbox is in the middle of a wide reorganization of its game studios, announced September 22, that moves Halo to a new Activision team, merges Turn 10 and Playground Games, and begins a closure consultation for Ninja Theory. The next Halo game will be led by a dedicated team at Activision separate from the Call of Duty team.

Synthesized from 24 Yomimono stories · updated 2h ago

The most recent stories about Xbox describe a wide reorganization of its game studios announced on September 22, 2026. The next Halo game will be led by a new dedicated team at Activision, separate from the Call of Duty team, with a small group staying at Halo Studios to support existing titles and the community. Rare and World's Edge also move under Activision. Bethesda takes oversight of Obsidian Entertainment, which continues Grounded and a new Fallout project with Bethesda Game Studios. Turn 10 Studios and Playground Games merge into one studio handling Forza and Fable. King absorbs Microsoft Casual Games. Microsoft will cut 268 positions across Halo Studios, other first-party studios, and Xbox Game Studios management and shared services. Bethesda president Jill Braff told Obsidian employees the move is mainly a change in reporting structure, with current management including CEO Feargus Urquhart continuing to lead the studio, and no plans to rework current development plans.

Gears of War: E-Day opened early access on October 2, 2026, for Premium Edition buyers and Game Pass subscribers who pay for the Premium Upgrade, ahead of a standard launch on October 7 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and Steam. Metacritic sits at 87 from 52 Xbox Series X|S reviews and 84 from 27 PC reviews. The game is a prequel set 14 years before the original Gears of War. Game Pass added 13 titles from September 16 to October 6, including four day-one releases.

Xbox's 25th anniversary runs through hardware and events. The Xbox Series X25 limited edition bundle costs $899.99 and releases November 13, 2026, with a separate controller releasing October 20 at 11,100 yen. FanFest Tokyo ran on the first day of Tokyo Game Show 2026 across 7 countries and 8 cities. In Japan, Series X|S prices rose 30,000 yen on August 1, taking the Series X 1TB disc model to 117,980 yen.

Kojima Productions announced on September 10 that PHYSINT will be published in partnership with Xbox, after Sony Interactive Entertainment notified the studio in mid-June that the project would be canceled. The Xbox partnership expands on the existing collaboration behind OD. Hideo Kojima appeared at Xbox FanFest Tokyo, and Xbox division CEO Asha Sharma visited Kojima Productions.

Key facts

Studio reorganization
Microsoft announced a reorganization of its Xbox game studios on September 22, 2026; the next Halo game will be led by a dedicated team at Activision, and Rare and World's Edge move under Activision. ↗
Obsidian reporting change
Bethesda president Jill Braff told Obsidian employees the move under Bethesda Softworks is mainly a change in reporting structure, with no plans to rework current development plans. ↗
Gears of War: E-Day early access
Early access opened on October 2, 2026 for Premium Edition buyers and Game Pass subscribers who pay for the Premium Upgrade; the standard edition follows on October 7. ↗
Gears of War: E-Day critical reception
Metacritic sits at 87 from 52 Xbox Series X|S reviews and 84 from 27 PC reviews. ↗
Xbox Series X25 bundle
The limited edition bundle costs $899.99 and releases November 13, 2026; the Xbox Wireless Controller X25 Special Edition releases October 20, 2026 for 11,100 yen. ↗
Japan price increase
Microsoft raised the price of every Xbox Series X and Series S model sold in Japan by 30,000 yen on August 1, 2026; the Series X 1TB disc model now sells for 117,980 yen. ↗
PHYSINT publisher change
Kojima Productions announced on September 10, 2026 that PHYSINT will be published in partnership with Xbox; Hideo Kojima said Sony Interactive Entertainment notified him in mid-June 2026 the project would be canceled. ↗
Xbox FanFest Tokyo
Xbox FanFest Tokyo ran at Terrada Warehouse B&C HALL in Tennozu Isle on the first day of Tokyo Game Show 2026 as the Tokyo stop of a tour across 7 countries and 8 cities. ↗

Timeline

Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every fact links the story it came from.

Facts

Release
game · 2026-10-01 · Japan · 2026-09-17
Release
game · 2026-10-01 · overseas · 2026-08-20

Connections

Staff change
obsidian entertainment
Produces
halo, physint
Voice cast of
larry hryb
Produces of
ikea

Structured graph also available as JSON at /public/entities/xbox. CC BY 4.0.

All coverage

1d ago

Bethesda Tells Obsidian Staff Reporting Change Only After Xbox Restructure

Bethesda president Jill Braff told Obsidian Entertainment employees that the studio's move under Bethesda Softworks is mainly a change in reporting structure. The Xbox division reorganization Microsoft announced on September 22, 2026 places Obsidian under Bethesda's purview. Braff said in the email that Obsidian's creativity and strengths remain at the core of the studio and its works, that current management including CEO Feargus Urquhart continues to lead the studio, and that the Fallout series stays with Bethesda Game Studios. According to the email text published by IGN, Braff also said there are no plans to rework current development plans or ask teams to change the work they are doing. Obsidian is working on a new Fallout project with Bethesda Game Studios, and Braff said more details will be shared in the coming months. Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier reported in July that Josh Sawyer, a director on Fallout: New Vegas, is expected to lead the project.

1d ago

Gears of War: E-Day Opens Premium Early Access Ahead of October 7 Launch

Xbox Game Studios began early access for Gears of War: E-Day on October 2, 2026, the same day it released a launch trailer for the game. Early access is open to buyers of the Premium Edition and to Game Pass subscribers who pay for the Premium Upgrade; the Premium Edition is priced at 14,000 yen including tax. Developer The Coalition built the game as a prequel set 14 years before the original Gears of War, covering Emergence Day, when the Locust emerged from beneath the planet Sera and killed roughly a quarter of humanity. The trailer shows a younger Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago alongside gameplay footage. The standard edition follows on October 7 Japan time for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and Steam, with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass support. At the time of writing, Metacritic sits at 87 from 52 Xbox Series X|S reviews and 84 from 27 PC reviews.

1d ago

Xbox Moves Halo to Activision, Shifts Studio Oversight, Cuts 268 Jobs

Microsoft announced a wide reorganization of its Xbox game studios on September 22. The next Halo game will be led by a new dedicated team at Activision, separate from the Call of Duty team, with a small group staying at Halo Studios to support existing titles and the community. Rare and World's Edge also move under Activision. Bethesda takes oversight of Obsidian Entertainment, which continues Grounded and a new Fallout project with Bethesda Game Studios. Turn 10 Studios and Playground Games merge into one studio handling Forza and Fable. King absorbs Microsoft Casual Games. Microsoft will cut 268 positions across Halo Studios, other first-party studios, and Xbox Game Studios management and shared services. Matt Booty said about three-quarters of the reorganization plan is complete. Two sale agreements for Ninja Theory fell through, and the company begins employee consultations on a closure proposal. Consultations for Arkane continue through the end of the year.

Sep 21

Hideo Kojima Appears At Xbox FanFest Tokyo Watch Party

Xbox FanFest Tokyo ran at Terrada Warehouse B&C HALL in Tennozu Isle on the first day of Tokyo Game Show 2026, marking Xbox's 25th anniversary as the Tokyo stop of a tour across 7 countries and 8 cities. The venue featured demos including Minecraft Dungeons II and Forza Horizon 6, a talk with Larry Hryb, and a watch party for the Xbox Games Showcase 2026 Broadcast, where Hideo Kojima appeared on stage as a surprise.

Sep 17

IKEA And XBOX Launch YXSTABY Gaming Furniture Collection On October 1

IKEA Japan will release the YXSTABY collection, a collaboration with Microsoft's Xbox brand, starting October 1, 2026. The lineup has nine products, and sales will run at IKEA stores nationwide, the IKEA online store, and the IKEA app. Each product was developed by one designer from IKEA and one from Xbox. IKEA brought more than 80 years of home furnishing work, and Xbox brought 25 years of gameplay knowledge. Items include the Gaming Stick-Shaped Stool at 7,990 yen, the Gaming Lounge Chair at 15,990 yen, the Gaming TV Stand with Casters at 17,990 yen, and the Gaming Side Table with Casters at 24,990 yen. The cheaper end has the Gaming D-Pad Cushion and the Gaming D-Pad Controller Platter at 1,999 yen each, plus the Gaming Controller Display Box and the Gaming Laptop Stand with Storage at 3,999 yen each. The design motif throughout is the Xbox Wireless Controller.

Sep 17

ASUS Opens Pre-orders for ROG Xbox Ally X20 at 258,800 Yen

ASUS opened pre-orders on September 17 for the ROG Xbox Ally X20, a portable gaming PC developed with Xbox, and set an October 16 release date in Japan at 258,800 yen. The unit ships with an AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor, 24GB of unified memory, a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, and Windows 11 Home. The display is a 7.4-inch OLED at 1,920x1,080 with a 120Hz refresh rate and 1400 nits peak brightness, and bezels are cut by about 60 percent while the body stays at roughly 756g. ASUS also changed the controls: a rotary D-pad that switches between 8-direction and 4-direction layouts, plus TMR analog sticks. Memory and storage match the 2025 ROG Xbox Ally X, so the changes are in the screen, the shell, and the inputs. A 20th anniversary bundle with AR glasses and cases lists at 442,800 yen, and the AR glasses alone at 119,980 yen on the same day.

Sep 15

Xbox Game Pass Adds 13 Titles Through Early October 2026

Microsoft has revealed the Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass lineup running from September 16 to October 6, 2026, a slate of 13 titles. Four arrive on day one: Kernel Hearts on September 17, Well Dweller on September 22, Minecraft Dungeons II on September 29, and Gears of War: E-Day on October 6. Rematch joins the Essential plan catalog on September 25.

Sep 14

Kojima Poses With Xbox Chief Asha Sharma As She Visits Kojima Productions

Asha Sharma, who leads Microsoft's Xbox division, visited Kojima Productions in Japan and appeared in a photo with Hideo Kojima that he posted to social media. Sharma took over the Xbox division after Phil Spencer, who had led it since 2014. Game Spark notes the visit could involve discussion of Kojima's projects PHYSINT and OD, both announced without release dates.

Sep 11

PlayStation Pulls Out Of PHYSINT As Kojima Productions Turns To Xbox

Kojima Productions says PlayStation withdrew from PHYSINT, the espionage game it had been developing with Sony. Hideo Kojima said a notice stating the project would be canceled arrived from Sony Interactive Entertainment in mid-June, and that the studio spent three months seeking a new partner before signing with Xbox. PlayStation said its relationship with Kojima remains strong after 30 years of collaboration.

Sep 10

ASUS to Show ROG 20th Anniversary Models in Japan at Tokyo Game Show 2026

ASUS JAPAN announced on September 10, 2026 that it will exhibit at Tokyo Game Show 2026, which runs from September 17 to September 21 at Makuhari Messe, at booth 06-N03 in Hall 6. The booth will center on ROG Edition 20, a lineup marking the 20th anniversary of the Republic of Gamers brand, and several products will get their first showing in Japan. Those include the ROG XBOX Ally X20 handheld, the roughly 104L ROG G1000 Edition 20 desktop PC, the ROG Swift OLED PG27AQWP-G Edition 20 monitor, and the ROG Crosshair X870E Edition 20 motherboard. The ROG Swift OLED PG259QWS Ace and ROG Strix OLED XG259QWPG Ace monitors, both announced at COMPUTEX 2026 and Gamescom 2026, will also be shown in Japan for the first time. Public days are September 19, 20, and 21, and visitors can play titles on the ROG XBOX Ally X20 and on ASUS and ROG gaming PCs.

Sep 10

Kojima Productions Shifts PHYSINT From PlayStation to Xbox Partnership

Kojima Productions announced on September 10, 2026 that its new-generation action espionage game PHYSINT will be published in partnership with Xbox, ending its collaboration with PlayStation Studios. Hideo Kojima said Sony Interactive Entertainment notified him in mid-June 2026 that the in-production PHYSINT project would be canceled. Kojima wrote on X that PHYSINT is an important project for him and for Kojima Productions, so he spent about three months searching for a new partner and settled on Xbox, a party with whom he can share a vision for the future. The Xbox partnership expands on the existing collaboration behind OD, which is also set for Xbox Game Studios. Xbox division CEO Asha Sharma said Kojima's attitude of challenging conventional concepts is the kind of creativity Xbox wants to support. PlayStation Studios said it made the difficult decision to step away after careful consideration and continues to hold Kojima's vision for the game in deep respect. Release date and price for PHYSINT are undecided.

Aug 29

Xbox Series X25 Pre-Orders Open August 27, Console Ships November 13

Microsoft set a pre-order date for the Xbox Series X25, a limited edition Xbox Series X marking the 25th anniversary of Xbox. The bundle includes a specially designed console with an engraved serial number, a matching controller, and a download of Halo: Campaign Evolved. It costs $899.99 USD and releases November 13, 2026. The Xbox Wireless Controller X25 Special Edition is sold separately for 11,100 yen, releasing October 20, 2026.

Aug 27

ROG XBOX Ally X20 20th Anniversary Model Headed to Japan in October

ASUS announced on August 26, 2026, that the ROG XBOX Ally X20, a 20th anniversary portable gaming PC under its Republic of Gamers brand, will launch in Japan from mid-October 2026. The device, first revealed at COMPUTEX TAIPEI in June and shown as a working unit at gamescom 2026, upgrades the display from a 7-inch LCD to a 7.4-inch OLED panel with 1920x1080 resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and 1400 nits peak brightness, earning DisplayHDR True Black 1400 certification. It retains the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor, 24GB of LPDDR5X memory, and 1TB NVMe SSD from the previous model. The gamepad gains TMR analog sticks, which use tunnel magnetoresistance sensors for precision and durability, and a rotating D-pad that switches between 4-direction and 8-direction input. A semi-transparent black chassis with gold internal accents distinguishes the anniversary edition. Overseas pre-orders are open at $1,299.99 for the standalone unit and $2,499.99 for the bundle, which includes ROG XREAL R1 Edition 20 AR glasses with 240Hz micro-OLED displays, a dbrand Killswitch case, a Pelican protector case, and a 68W charger. Japanese pricing and details arrive in late September.

Aug 20

Mattel Brick Shop Recreates Original Xbox at 1/1 Scale

Mattel announced the Mattel Brick Shop Microsoft Xbox Building Toy Kit, a 1/1 scale block recreation of the original Xbox console and Duke controller built from 3,509 blocks. The kit includes dioramas for Psychonauts, Halo, and The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, and plays the startup sequence with light and sound effects. It releases overseas on October 1 for 63,500 yen.

Aug 18

Halo: Campaign Evolved Brings the Series to PlayStation for the First Time

XBOX Game Studios released Halo: Campaign Evolved on July 29, 2026, for PC, PS5, and Xbox. Developed by Halo Studios, the title is a remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved from 2001. The release marks the series' first appearance on a PlayStation platform, with co-op support for up to four players.

Aug 6

Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2026 Broadcast Set for September 17 With FanFest

Microsoft will air the Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2026 Broadcast on September 17 at 7 p.m. JST, timed to the Tokyo Game Show 2026 opening that day. The stream will present the latest Xbox information and will run alongside the community event Xbox FanFest Tokyo. FanFest applications are open to Japan residents aged 18 and older, with free entry and an August 17 deadline.

Aug 3

Xbox Series X|S Prices Rise 30,000 Yen Across All Models in Japan

Microsoft raised the price of every Xbox Series X and Series S model sold in Japan by 30,000 yen on August 1, 2026. The increase was confirmed at domestic retailers such as Yodobashi.com, where the Xbox Series X 1TB disc drive model now sells for 117,980 yen, the 1TB all-digital model for 109,980 yen, and the Xbox Series S 1TB all-digital model for 97,480 yen. The old prices were 87,980 yen, 79,980 yen, and 67,480 yen respectively. Microsoft had announced the worldwide revision in June, stating that 1TB models would rise by $150, though the yen amount was not specified at the time. The new prices were not yet posted on the official Xbox Japan X account or website as of the afternoon of August 1, but store listings already reflected the change. Gamers on X voiced frustration over the size of the increase, which comes amid a broader wave of hardware price hikes driven by rising storage and memory costs. Other consoles, including the PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, and Steam Deck, have also seen price increases recently.

Jul 17

Bethesda Reveals Fallout 5 Pre-Production, Fallout 3 and New Vegas Remasters

Bethesda Game Studios published a detailed status update on its official X account on July 17, 2026, covering the development pipeline for its major franchises. The studio confirmed that Fallout 5 has entered pre-production and is being built using Creation Engine 3, the same engine powering Starfield and The Elder Scrolls VI. In addition, remastered versions of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas are in development. Bethesda also announced a new, unannounced Fallout project being co-developed with Obsidian Entertainment, the original creator of Fallout: New Vegas. The Elder Scrolls VI remains the studio's top priority, with development proceeding as planned. For Fallout 76, a major expansion called Raven Rock, set as a prequel to Fallout 3, is scheduled for 2027. The Fallout TV series is in production for a third season, and Fallout Shelter is receiving a new season of content. Bethesda stated that this year's Fallout Day broadcast will not be streamed, but a live event in Washington, D.C. is planned for 2027 to mark the series' 30th anniversary.

Jun 16

Multiple Xbox Game Studios Reportedly Facing Closure, Including Ninja Theory

Multiple outlets report that several studios under Xbox Game Studios are at risk of closure, with Ninja Theory, Compulsion Games, and Double Fine named as those facing potential shutdown or forced independence. According to The Verge, Ninja Theory staff were informed of the closure on June 15, 2026, and the studio hopes a buyer can be found. Bloomberg reports that Compulsion Games and Double Fine are in discussions to leave Xbox Game Studios. The reports follow the recent resignation of Xbox Game Studios head Craig Duncan and Chief of Staff Louise O'Connor, as reported by The Game Business. These moves come after Xbox CEO Asha Sharma announced a business reset earlier this year, which included plans for large-scale layoffs and budget cuts. The studios in question were all acquired by Microsoft between 2018 and 2019. Ninja Theory had just announced a new title, 'Senua', at the Xbox Games Showcase days before the reported closure. Microsoft has not officially commented on the reports.

Jun 9

Xbox Game Pass Lost Millions of Subscribers After Price Hike, New CEO Says

Xbox Chief Strategy Officer Matthew Ball revealed at Summer Game Fest 2026 that Xbox Game Pass lost millions of subscribers following a price overhaul in October 2025. The top-tier Ultimate plan nearly doubled in Japan from ¥1,450 to ¥2,750 per month. New Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, in a Fortune interview published June 10, acknowledged the price increase made the service unaffordable and said subscriber numbers are now returning to growth after a price cut in April 2026 reduced Ultimate to ¥1,550 per month. Sharma also outlined a return to Xbox console exclusives, calling it a necessary path for the platform. He said the company will start with a few representative exclusive titles and plans more as the business improves. Sharma noted that titles already announced for multi-platform release will launch as originally planned.

Jun 7

Persona 6 Announced at Xbox Games Showcase 2026

Sega and Atlus announced Persona 6 during the Xbox Games Showcase 2026 livestream on June 8, 2026. The reveal came in the form of a brief teaser trailer with no gameplay or release date shown. The game is confirmed for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store. The announcement was part of a larger broadcast that also included a new limited edition Xbox Series X console. Microsoft revealed the Xbox Series X 25th Anniversary Special Edition, a green translucent console with an engraved "XBOX 25" logo, scheduled for November 2026. A matching Xbox Wireless Controller 25th Anniversary Edition will launch in October 2026. The controller and console incorporate design elements from across Xbox's 25-year history. Sales in Japan have not been confirmed for the limited edition hardware.

Jun 7

Persona 4 Revival Launches February 18, 2027

Atlus announced during the Xbox Games Showcase 2026 livestream on June 7 that Persona 4 Revival, a full remake of the 2008 role-playing game Persona 4, will launch on February 18, 2027. The game will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC with Xbox Game Pass, and PC via Steam. Pre-orders are now open. The remake modernizes visuals, battles, and events, according to 4Gamer.net. The original Persona 4 followed a student who moves to a rural town, investigates the urban legend of the Midnight Channel, and solves a series of murders. The game later received a Vita port titled Persona 4 Golden and inspired spin-offs including Persona 4 Arena and Persona 4: Dancing All Night. Atlus previously released a remake of Persona 3, titled Persona 3 Reload, in February 2024. The announcement was part of a broader showcase that also revealed a release date for the Fable reboot, set for February 23, 2027.

Jun 7

State of Decay 3 Release Window Set for 2027

Xbox Game Studios announced during the Xbox Games Showcase 2026 livestream on June 8 that State of Decay 3 will launch in 2027. The game is the latest entry in the open-world zombie survival series developed by Undead Labs. A new gameplay trailer accompanied the announcement, showing combat against hordes of zombies and narrative scenes. The trailer confirmed that the game will be released on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. It will also be available on Xbox Game Pass from day one of release. The trailer focuses on gameplay footage, including battles against evolved zombie types. Players will lead a survivor community, making decisions about where to live, what to build, and who to welcome into their group. The announcement follows a six-year gap since the initial concept trailer for State of Decay 3, which was shown in 2020. That earlier trailer featured a zombie deer that the developers later said would not appear in the final game. The 2026 showcase provided the first substantial look at actual gameplay and a concrete release window.

Jun 1

ASUS Announces ROG Xbox Ally X20 With OLED Display and TMR Joysticks

ASUS announced the ROG Xbox Ally X20, a special 20th-anniversary model of its portable gaming PC, on June 1 at Computex 2026. The device upgrades the standard model's 7-inch LCD to a 7.4-inch OLED panel supporting VESA DisplayHDR 1000 and Dolby Vision, with peak brightness of 1400 nits. It adopts TMR (Tunneling Magnetoresistance) joysticks from GuliKit to reduce drift and features a deformable D-pad that switches between 4-direction and 8-direction input by rotating it 90 degrees. The chassis is translucent black, revealing gold internal components and a limited-edition badge. The SoC remains the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme with 24GB of memory and 1TB of storage. The device will not be sold individually; it comes as a bundle that includes the ROG XREAL R1 Edition 20 AR glasses, which project a virtual 171-inch display. The price and release date have not been announced. ASUS previously avoided OLED in the Ally series due to power consumption concerns but adopted it after finding a suitable panel.