BioWare Closes, Xbox Cuts Loom, Liquid Swords Files for Bankruptcy
Electronic Arts is closing BioWare and cancelling its next Mass Effect project as Xbox faces reports of further layoffs and a possible Game Pass redesign . Liquid Swords has filed for bankruptcy, while nearly 600 Activision QA workers have authorized a strike ahead of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4’s October 23 launch
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EA Closes BioWare and Cancels the Next Mass Effect
Electronic Arts is closing BioWare and cancelling its next Mass Effect project, with around 400 planned job cuts across the company, including roughly 50 at the studio . EA is also pausing an unannounced Sims project and trimming Skate developer Full Circle, while DICE and Respawn are collaborating on a project that has not been officially identified as a new Star Wars Battlefront
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Separately, EA confirms that its Fight Night boxing series is returning after a 15-year gap, but the teaser provides no release date, platforms or gameplay details .
Xbox Layoff Reports Coincide With Game Pass and Hardware Plans
Reports say Xbox is preparing three more rounds of layoffs in October, November and January 2027, with 1,868 job cuts made so far and 3,200 planned overall . Microsoft is also reportedly considering a Game Pass redesign that would let subscribers choose features such as console games, cloud gaming and multiplayer separately
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A next-generation Xbox handheld is reportedly targeted for the 2027 holiday season, followed by the Project Helix console in 2028 . Separate estimates put PlayStation 6 memory and storage costs above $680 per console and suggest its total cost could exceed $1,000, though that is not confirmed retail pricing
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Liquid Swords Bankruptcy Adds to Game Studio Cuts
Samson developer Liquid Swords has filed for bankruptcy after employees reportedly went unpaid for two months; founder Christofer Sundberg says console sales performed better than PC sales but were not enough to save the studio . Fishlabs has announced layoffs across its development and support teams, while Funcom is restructuring and bracing for layoffs after Dune: Awakening’s console release
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Sega Pulls Total War: Shogun 2 Edition Amid AI Accusations
Sega and Creative Assembly are temporarily removing Total War: Shogun 2 - Complete Edition from sale amid accusations of AI use, with no return date given . Indie developers are also limiting public demos over concerns about AI-assisted copying: Digital Sun restricted ReVamp testing to its Discord community, while Alliance Arts and Who You cancelled the public demo for Drunken Goddess Reflux
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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Launches October 23
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is due October 23, following campaign early access and the arrival of campaign reviews; its Nintendo Switch 2 version offers two upscaling options, including Nvidia DLSS . Nearly 600 unionized Activision QA workers have authorized strike action after more than two years of contract negotiations
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Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.5 Adds Console Mods and Edgerunners Content
CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 update 2.5 is set to arrive October 22 with cross-platform mod support on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox . The update also adds a dual-wielding skill for pistols and revolvers, cyberware customization and an Edgerunners-themed story quest
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Grand Theft Auto VI Marketing Reaches Miami
Rockstar and Take-Two are bringing Grand Theft Auto VI’s marketing campaign to Miami with modified cars inspired by vehicles in the game . The game is scheduled for November 19, 2026, and its campaign includes PlayStation 5 branding as Sony mounts a multi-million-dollar marketing push
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PEGI Raises Ratings for Games With Paid Random Items
PEGI is introducing a PEGI 16 “Paid random items” classification for digital-only games with paid random items, including existing games previously rated PEGI 3, 7 or 12 . The change affects games already available, with Overwatch, League of Legends and EA Sports FC among the named examples
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