Gaming News — 2026-07-09#

Top Story#

Xbox is in the middle of a brutal, historic restructuring led by CEO Asha Sharma, resulting in a staggering 1,600 immediate layoffs and another 1,600 planned over the year. These massive cuts have severely impacted the Bethesda team developing The Elder Scrolls 6 and gutted legendary Doom developer id Software, raising fears of massive delays and shaking the industry to its core.

News & Reviews#

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Has Already Earned the Series’ Biggest Player Peak on Steam · IGN Ubisoft’s ground-up remake of its beloved pirate adventure launched with nearly 100,000 concurrent players on Steam, setting a massive new record for the entire franchise. Earning a stellar 9/10 review score, it breathes fresh life into a classic and has already beaten the lifetime sales of Ubisoft’s other massive pirate endeavor, Skull & Bones. It’s exactly the kind of definitive hit the beleaguered publisher needed after a tough few years.

John Carmack Responds to id Software Layoffs · IGN Following Microsoft’s gutting of roughly half of id Software’s staff, studio co-founder John Carmack stated that the developer was likely a “marginal business” for the tech giant. Noting that games need to be financially successful and not just “beloved,” Carmack highlighted the brutal realities of today’s market, where mega-hits like Minecraft seemingly prop up legacy studios. The layoffs unfortunately leave id Software’s future unwritten, with promising pitches for Perfect Dark and a John Wick-inspired game now in limbo.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2 Ports Out Now on PS5, But They Come at a High Cost · IGN Activision has dropped Black Ops 1 and 2 natively onto PS4 and PS5, but they are asking a massive $40 per game, plus another $30 each if you want the season passes. Shelling out $140 for fifteen-year-old games with missing content like theater mode is absolutely absurd for most gamers. Fortunately, PlayStation Plus subscribers can snatch them at a steep discount of $20 per game and $9 per season pass until August 6, which softens the blow significantly.

GTA Online’s Next Big Update, the Kortz Center Heist, Releases Next Week · IGN Rockstar is giving GTA Online players what might be the last major heist before GTA 6 launches in November. Releasing on July 14, the Kortz Center Heist will let players plan elaborate, multi-approach robberies of a prestigious art museum, running their operations out of a new mansion art studio. Eagle-eyed fans have already spotted awesome Easter eggs among the stealable paintings, including nods to Red Dead Redemption and GTA 4.

HyperMegaTech Super Pocket Rare Edition Review · IGN The latest $69.99 Super Pocket handheld packs an impressive 14 built-in games from legendary developer Rare, stretching from classic ZX Spectrum titles to a natively running port of Banjo-Kazooie. While the small 2.8-inch screen and retro controls present a learning curve for navigating complex 3D titles, the robust library and Evercade cartridge compatibility make it an incredible value for classic gaming enthusiasts.

Free Games & Deals#

This week, the Epic Games Store is practically begging you to start your own business with two excellent freebies: Tattoo Tycoon, where you design ink and manage a parlor, and Nova Lands, an engaging factory-building and island management sim. Both are free to claim until July 16. On the hardware front, Dell is offering a ridiculous $2,500 off an Alienware 16X Aurora RTX 5070 Gaming Laptop loaded with 64GB of RAM and a 4TB SSD, bringing this absolute powerhouse down to $2,479.99.

Also Worth Knowing#

Former Dragon Age Lead Writer Says BioWare’s Fantasy Series is Unlikely to Ever Return Under EA (IGN): Following The Veilguard’s underwhelming performance, series veteran David Gaider believes EA is highly unlikely to fund another entry anytime soon.
Scream Operator: Haunted House Manager Announced for PC (IGN): A new 2D pixel-art management sim coming to PC in 2027 will let you build, manage, and dispatch ride vehicles in your very own haunted house.
Pokémon Go 10 Year Anniversary Celebration (IGN): Scopely Explore is celebrating a decade of Pokémon Go today, with massive in-game events and rumors pointing to an epic Mewtwo takeover in Times Square.
Laid-Off MindsEye Developers Plan Protest Outside Company Office (IGN): Former Build a Rocket Boy staff are protesting outside the studio’s Edinburgh office after the company opted to fly fans out for a playtest following mass layoffs.
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma Is Advising the Federal Reserve (IGN): Shortly after triggering brutal layoffs, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has been appointed to a Federal Reserve taskforce focusing on the economic impact of new technologies like AI.