What's going on with Xbox's id Software? Here's why rumors of the DOOM studio's impending demise are completely premature.

windowscentral.com Jul 10, 2026

What’s going on with Xbox’s id Software? Here’s why rumors of the DOOM studio’s impending demise are completely premature.

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Jul 10, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Jez Corden, a prominent Xbox and Microsoft news reporter, has built a career covering the gaming and tech industry through his work at Windows Central, his podcast TheXB2, and his active presence on X. With a background in IT and web design, Corden has spent over a decade delivering exclusive insights and analysis on Xbox, Windows, and emerging technologies.

💡 Why It Matters

· Corden’s deep expertise and long-standing credibility give his reporting on Xbox and Microsoft significant weight in the gaming community, especially as rumors about major studios like id Software spark speculation.
· His ability to separate fact from fiction helps clarify high-stakes industry developments for fans and professionals alike.

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‘I Just Can’t Believe My Luck’ — Dark Souls Superfan Peter Serafinowicz…

Actor Peter Serafinowicz, known for roles in Star Wars, Guardians of the Galaxy, and John Wick, landed a role in the upcoming Elden Ring movie after bonding with director Alex Garland over their shared passion for Dark Souls. Serafinowicz, who previously provided voice work for Dark Souls 2 and later games, including male character death sounds, revealed that a chance meeting with Garland years ago led to their friendship and eventually his casting.

💡 The story highlights how niche passions can lead to unexpected career opportunities. Serafinowicz’s dedication to Dark Souls not only earned him a unique place in gaming history but also connected him with a major Hollywood director, proving that shared interests can bridge industries and create real-world impact.

ign.com · Jul 10

‘This Is a Deeply Odd State of Affairs’ — Tech Experts Slam…

Tech experts at Digital Foundry criticized Activision for the poor graphical performance of the PlayStation 5 ports of Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2. Despite the PS5’s capabilities, the games run at 1080p with no anti-aliasing and a capped 60Hz frame rate. The PS5 versions also retain outdated visual flaws from the original 2010 release. The ports are available for $40 each, with additional DLC priced at $29.99 per game, totaling $140 for the full experience.

💡 The lack of modern visual upgrades highlights a missed opportunity to showcase the PS5’s power, especially as players expect more from remastered classics. The pricing and technical shortcomings raise questions about Activision’s commitment to delivering a polished product for newer hardware.

windowscentral.com · Jul 10

Ubisoft rewards its Barcelona branch for Assassin’s Creed Black Flag: Resynced’s strong…

Ubisoft Barcelona’s team that delivered the critically praised remaster Assassin’s Creed Black Flag: Resynced has been hit with 51 layoffs, according to Insider Gaming. The game launched with an 84 Metacritic score and strong fan reception on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PC, yet the studio’s designers were dismissed without a new project assignment, despite having raised concerns about the lack of future work as early as 2025. Employees describe the cuts as part of a broader pattern of mistreatment and top‑down management that erodes workers’ rights. In response, the remaining staff plan to strike on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from June 30 to July 16, 2026. The layoffs follow Ubisoft’s practice of reallocating teams to upcoming titles well before current projects finish.

💡 The strike highlights growing labor unrest at a major game publisher, testing whether public pressure can force Ubisoft to rethink its project‑allocation and staffing policies.

ign.com · Jul 10

‘Additional Packs Are Entirely Optional’: Ubisoft Responds to Assassin’s Creed Black Flag…

Ubisoft’s remake of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag, titled Black Flag Resynced, launched on Steam at $60 and immediately drew criticism for offering $85 worth of optional DLC on day one. The launch includes ten $10 cosmetic packs—four character skins, four ship skins, and two themed bundles—plus a $5 map pack that reveals all collectibles. Players complained the volume and pricing of add‑ons, with some calling the deluxe edition misleading and threatening refunds. Ubisoft responded on Steam, emphasizing that the standard edition contains the full story, missions and world, and that all extra packs are purely optional. Despite the backlash, critics praised the visual upgrades and new content, and the title set a franchise record of roughly 100,000 concurrent Steam players.

💡 The outcry underscores growing player intolerance for extensive day‑one microtransactions in remastered titles, pressuring developers to balance revenue models with consumer expectations.

playstationlifestyle.net · Jul 10

Long-Forgotten PlayStation Exclusive RPG Still Coming, Dev Says

Cygames has confirmed that Project Awakening, a PlayStation-exclusive action RPG originally announced in 2016, remains in active development. First revealed as a PS4 exclusive in 2018, the title saw a trial version rated in 2019 but never released. During a recent Famitsu interview marking the company’s 15th anniversary, Cygames president Koichi Watanabe stated that development is steadily progressing and the game is beginning to take shape. While the overall direction remains consistent with earlier visions, the team continues to polish the project by adding new elements. Watanabe expressed confidence that the team is working effectively, though no specific release window or platform details were provided. The update suggests the game is still a considerable distance from launch and is unlikely to arrive during the current console generation. This confirmation ends years of speculation regarding the project’s status, proving it has not been cancelled despite the long silence since its initial reveal.

💡 The confirmation validates Cygames' commitment to a high-profile, long-delayed title, reassuring fans that the studio prioritizes quality over rushed releases. It also underscores the unpredictable nature of modern game development cycles, where exclusives can remain in production for nearly a decade.

fastcompany.com · Jul 10

10 years later, ‘Pokémon Go’ is as popular as ever

Pokémon Go celebrates its tenth anniversary, marking a decade since former Google engineers launched the augmented reality mobile game. The title transformed global gaming by overlaying digital creatures onto real-world maps, encouraging physical exploration. Scopely, which acquired the franchise for $3.5 billion last year, reports sustained engagement with tens of millions of monthly players. Daily playtime increased 10% year-over-year, and the game generated over $1 billion in revenue in 2024. Cumulative earnings have surpassed $9 billion, ranking it as the fifth-most-lucrative mobile game historically. Ed Wu, now president of games at Scopely, emphasizes the original vision of making Pokémon feel real. The team is currently developing features to encourage deeper outdoor exploration, including potential integration with national parks. Despite initial skepticism, the game’s unique premise has ensured its longevity and continued financial success in the competitive mobile gaming market.

💡 The game’s decade-long dominance proves that location-based augmented reality remains a viable, high-revenue business model. Its success challenges the industry assumption that mobile hits have short lifespans, demonstrating that physical-world integration drives sustained user engagement.