XBOX: 1,600 Layoffs Today, Another 1,600 Over the Next Year, Four Studios Now Independent or Sold, Arkane in Limbo
More broadly, Microsoft is cutting 4,800 jobs.
Today, Microsoft is laying off 2.1% of its workforce. This equates to 4,800 people that are being let go. The company's XBOX division is cutting about 20% of its entire workforce. All of this is being done in an effort to cut costs due to rising prices and expenses brought about by artificial intelligence (AI).
As a quick reminder: Microsoft plans to spend $190 billion on AI in 2026. In 2025, the company spent $80 billion...
Today, Microsoft is laying off 2.1% of its workforce. This equates to 4,800 people that are being let go. The company's XBOX division is cutting about 20% of its entire workforce. All of this is being done in an effort to cut costs due to rising prices and expenses brought about by artificial intelligence (AI).
As a quick reminder: Microsoft plans to spend $190 billion on AI in 2026. In 2025, the company spent $80 billion...
PlayStation is Killing Physical Game Discs
Digital only after January 2028.
Starting January 2028, Sony will no longer produce physical discs for new PlayStation game releases. All games released in January 2028 and after will be available only through digital stores such as the PlayStation Store.
Sony attempts to justify this move by claiming it's a "natural direction" in order to "adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs."...
Starting January 2028, Sony will no longer produce physical discs for new PlayStation game releases. All games released in January 2028 and after will be available only through digital stores such as the PlayStation Store.
Sony attempts to justify this move by claiming it's a "natural direction" in order to "adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs."...
GTA 6 Starts at $80 with a $100 FOMO Edition and with No Physical Disc Release
And single-player only.
Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive Software sure set the gaming news world on fire today with word that Grand Theft Auto 6 will retail at a minimum of $80. Not only will there be the base $79.99 edition for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, but there will also be a Grand Theft Auto 6: Ultimate Edition for $99.99 that adds in exclusive content.
Right out of the gate, we are told that Grand Theft Auto 6 will be single-player only. Well, at...
Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive Software sure set the gaming news world on fire today with word that Grand Theft Auto 6 will retail at a minimum of $80. Not only will there be the base $79.99 edition for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, but there will also be a Grand Theft Auto 6: Ultimate Edition for $99.99 that adds in exclusive content.
Right out of the gate, we are told that Grand Theft Auto 6 will be single-player only. Well, at...
Kaspersky Warns of Malware Spread Through Wallpaper Engine on Steam
Anime continues to be a danger to everyone.
The cybersecurity company Kaspersky has issued a warning about malware being spread through Steam Workshop files for Wallpaper Engine. Malware, hidden through user uploaded wallpaper packages, can lead to issues such as hijacked Steam accounts, the installation of backdoors to a user's PC, or even hidden crypto mining processes.
Wallpaper Engine includes support for various wallpaper formats: Static images, video, interactive...
The cybersecurity company Kaspersky has issued a warning about malware being spread through Steam Workshop files for Wallpaper Engine. Malware, hidden through user uploaded wallpaper packages, can lead to issues such as hijacked Steam accounts, the installation of backdoors to a user's PC, or even hidden crypto mining processes.
Wallpaper Engine includes support for various wallpaper formats: Static images, video, interactive...
Bungie Announces the End of Destiny 2
All good things...
Bungie is calling it quits on Destiny 2. The Sony owned Marathon developer announced the final live-service content update for Destiny 2. Today's announcement was a long time coming and one that most fans saw the writing on the wall for months ago.
That final content update for Destiny 2, Monument of Triumph, takes place on June 9, 2026. Bungie says that they will begin a "new journey as a studio" on that date with includes working on their...
Bungie is calling it quits on Destiny 2. The Sony owned Marathon developer announced the final live-service content update for Destiny 2. Today's announcement was a long time coming and one that most fans saw the writing on the wall for months ago.
That final content update for Destiny 2, Monument of Triumph, takes place on June 9, 2026. Bungie says that they will begin a "new journey as a studio" on that date with includes working on their...
Lord of Hatred Review: Diablo 4 Finally Finds Its Final Form
This is Diablo 4 at its best. I mean it this time. For real.
Returning to the world of Sanctuary for this latest chapter feels like a true homecoming for those of us who have spent hundreds of hours traversing its dark and unforgiving landscapes since the base game launched back in 2023. The release of the Lord of Hatred expansion marks a significant step forward in the narrative that was originally set in motion during the initial campaign and furthered by the events of the Vesse...
Returning to the world of Sanctuary for this latest chapter feels like a true homecoming for those of us who have spent hundreds of hours traversing its dark and unforgiving landscapes since the base game launched back in 2023. The release of the Lord of Hatred expansion marks a significant step forward in the narrative that was originally set in motion during the initial campaign and furthered by the events of the Vesse...
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Dota 2 - The Balance of Power Update is Big
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Created by:
Shawn Zipay
- Published: 12-16-2015, 02:44 AM
- 0 comments
Dota 2 - The Balance of Power Update is Big
Look, I'm going to be honest with you here. The way this update page is structured for this Dota 2 update kind of hurts my head at 2:30 in the morning. Hell, it would hurt my head if I read it at 2:30PM. I don't know what I'm looking at here. I haven't played Dota in ages so a lot of this doesn't make much sense at all to me. What you should probably do is head on over to the update page for tonight's big Dota 2 patch. Valve is calling it "The Balance of Power Update." I'm assuming th... -
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Latest Counter-Strike Update Reverts Recent Nerfs to Pistols and Rifles
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Created by:
Shawn Zipay
- Published: 12-15-2015, 10:48 PM
- 2 comments
Latest Counter-Strike Update Reverts Recent Nerfs to Pistols and Rifles
Tonight's patch for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive reverts the recent nerfs that were made to the pistols, the AK-47, the M4A4, and the M4A1-S. And thus, there was much rejoicing from the most vocal people in the CS:GO community. That is at least until they remember that the round timers were also changed recently and this starts all over again.
Ah well, let's just go right to the full changelog.
Changelog for CS:GO for December 15, 2015GAMEPLAY – Reverted recen... -
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Damage Control - Valve Nerfs the R8 Revolver in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
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Created by:
Shawn Zipay
- Published: 12-11-2015, 12:02 AM
- 0 comments
Damage Control - Valve Nerfs the R8 Revolver in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
It took just a few days, but Valve has scaled back the insane damage on the R8 Revolver that appeared in the big update this past Tuesday. Valve admitted that they really screwed up with this one and are trying to make things right.
While it typically takes more time to generate enough data to drive an update (and gameplay updates are always a bit disruptive), in this case it’s clear that we got the damage wrong and can respond immediately. So today we’re updating the R8 Revolver to... -
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Major Steam Controller Update Highlights - Joystick Mode, Mouse Regions, Touch Menu, and More
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Created by:
Shawn Zipay
- Published: 12-10-2015, 08:26 PM
- 0 comments
Major Steam Controller Update Highlights - Joystick Mode, Mouse Regions, Touch Menu, and More
Tonight, Valve offered up highlights for the major new features to hit the Steam Controller in the past month, and a couple that are just around the corner. They have added so many features to the Steam Controller that the ones mentioned in the headline weren't even half of the new features. Hell, they even put up a special page on Steam just for the highlights of the new additions to the Controller. We're talking about how gyro aiming has redefined aiming in games. They talk about the n... -
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Counter-Strike Update for December 9 Still Didn't Nerf the R8 Revolver
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Created by:
Shawn Zipay
- Published: 12-10-2015, 01:01 AM
- 1 comment
Counter-Strike Update for December 9 Still Didn't Nerf the R8 Revolver
Those looking for a nerf or adjustment for the recently added R8 Revolver to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive can probably just go back to your corners to continue moping. Tonight's update actually introduces an interesting new issue with the gun while fixing a few other issues with the game. The gun actually now costs just $700. However, the price for the gun in game still shows $850. Even more interesting is the fact that you need to have $850 on hand to purchase the gun, but upon pu... -
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Valve Issues Statement Regarding Steam Security and Trading
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Created by:
Shawn Zipay
- Published: 12-09-2015, 04:59 PM
- 1 comment
Valve Issues Statement Regarding Steam Security and Trading
Today is the day that the three day hold on trades goes into effect for non-Authenticator users. To go along with today's big change to trading, Valve issued a rather comprehensive statement on why this new policy is going into effect and why account security is so important.
Honestly, it was difficult to pick out any one item to single out from their statement. Below is their entire statement in full.
Compromised accounts and item theft Account theft has been aroun... -
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Fans Outraged Over Latest CS:GO Update that Introduced a New Gun, Kill Cam, and More
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Created by:
Shawn Zipay
- Published: 12-09-2015, 01:00 PM
- 3 comments
Fans Outraged Over Latest CS:GO Update that Introduced a New Gun, Kill Cam, and More
Last night, an update came out for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. This wasn't any run of the mill update either, this was a big hefty update that introduced a new weapon, a kill cam, a change in the C4 and round timers, and a bunch of other stuff. Needless to say, fans are upset. The initial burst of outrage came from the usual suspects when it comes to boo-hoo'ing over changes made to the game: The Counter-Strike "pros." They were upset that they might have to do what professiona... -
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Valve Introduces Three Day Hold on Trade Items for Non-Authenticator Users
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Created by:
Shawn Zipay
- Published: 11-26-2015, 04:00 PM
- 1 comment
Valve Introduces Three Day Hold on Trade Items for Non-Authenticator Users
Valve is introducing a three day hold on all trades between people that do not have their Steam accounts secured with the Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator. Valve recently tossed up a new Support page that details how you can prevent the 72-hour hold on all trades. It's actually quite simple.
What is a trade hold?...
A trade hold is a period of time where the items traded are held by Steam before they are delivered.
Why are trade holds necessary? Trade holds protect your -
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Where are the Reviews for the Steam Controller and Steam Link?
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Created by:
Shawn Zipay
- Published: 11-25-2015, 11:56 PM
- 0 comments
Where are the Reviews for the Steam Controller and Steam Link?
Hello denizens of Total Gaming Network! I feel as though I owe some sort of an explanation here as to where the promised reviews are for the Steam Controller and Steam Link.
Part of it is because I am hitting some terrible mental blockades that have really put a damper on creating anything cohesive as far as reviews go. It started with the Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns review and it has not let up since then. I'm not sure why I've been hit with such a terrible bout of writer's... -
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$250K Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Major at MLG Columbus 2016
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Created by:
Shawn Zipay
- Published: 11-20-2015, 05:52 PM
- 2 comments
$250K Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Major at MLG Columbus 2016
Mark your calendars for March 29 through April 3, because the next Major for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive will take place on those dates at MLG Columbus 2016. The event takes place in none other than Columbus, Ohio and will feature eight of the best teams from DreamHack Open Cluj-Napoca going up against eight challenging teams as decided by offline qualifiers.
These 16 teams will be competing for a slice of the $250,000 prize pool.
The six-day event will be streamed... -
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Early SteamOS Gaming Performance 'Significantly Worse' Than Windows
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Created by:
Shawn Zipay
- Published: 11-13-2015, 04:53 PM
- 1 comment
Early SteamOS Gaming Performance 'Significantly Worse' Than Windows
Ars Technica recently put SteamOS through its paces and found that Valve's new operating system performs "significantly worse" than Windows when it comes to playing games. That seems like a pretty big issue since the thing you're going to be doing the most on SteamOS is playing games. While SteamOS is currently the new kid in town, it still doesn't mean it shouldn't be compared to the most widely used operating system in use by a vast majority of Steam users. Ars found that the performance gap between... -
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Small Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Update Released - November 12, 2015
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Created by:
Shawn Zipay
- Published: 11-12-2015, 09:31 PM
- 0 comments
Small Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Update Released - November 12, 2015
A small update for CS:GO was released tonight.
Changelog for CS:GO for November 12, 2015SOUND
– Added new footstep sounds for tile surface type.
– Minor volume mix changes.
– First-person footsteps are now slightly quieter. Third-person footsteps are unchanged. -
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Steam Hardware Now Available - Link, Controller, and Machines
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Created by:
Shawn Zipay
- Published: 11-10-2015, 03:07 PM
- 0 comments
Steam Hardware Now Available - Link, Controller, and Machines
Valve officially released their lineup of Steam branded hardware today. This includes the Steam Controller (review incoming), the Steam Link (review incoming), and a lineup of Steam Machines from various manufacturers.
Valve today announces the official launch of its line of Steam Hardware devices in the US, Canada, UK, and Europe. A leading platform for PC, Mac, and Linux games, Steam offers more than 6,000 titles to millions of gamers around the... -
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Half-Life 2: Deathmatch Updated November 9, 2015
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Created by:
Shawn Zipay
- Published: 11-09-2015, 06:42 PM
- 0 comments
Half-Life 2: Deathmatch Updated November 9, 2015
An update for Half-Life 2: Deathmatch was just released by Valve.
Changelog for HL2: DM for November 9, 2015• Fixed "You do not have this 3rd party mod installed" error when joining game servers via the Steam server browser • Fixed ent_teleport causing a crash when issued by the server • Fixed buildcubemaps command not working for maps that already have cubemaps embedded • Fixed -buildcubemaps command line option generating black non-HDR cubemaps • Fixed a poten... -
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EnVyUs Are the DreamHack Cluj-Napoca 2015 Champions
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Created by:
Shawn Zipay
- Published: 11-01-2015, 11:37 PM
- 0 comments
EnVyUs Are the DreamHack Cluj-Napoca 2015 Champions
Team EnVyUs defeated Na`Vi this weekend to become the latest champions in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. They won in two rounds at DreamHack Cluj-Napoca 2015.
There is a bit more information at the Counter-Strike website.... -
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by Shawn ZipayMake up your own definition of "complete."
Was 2025 a big year for game completions for you, or were you more of a "stick to one never-ending, live-service game for the entire year" sort of player?
For this, you can take whatever definition you want as a game "completion." Beat the main story? Earned 100% of the game's achievements? Or simply played enough that you're satisfied with what you accomplished and have no plans to return any time...I did not complete any game in 202533.33%2I completed up to 10 games50.00%3I completed more than 10 games16.67%1-
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