South of Midnight creative director David Sears admitted in an interview that, if he had overseen Xbox’s budget decisions, he likely would not have approved funding for the studio’s project. Sears linked this stance to similar criticisms from Double Fine, suggesting that Xbox’s policy of granting studios full creative freedom has become unsustainable. He praised Microsoft’s support but warned that the current model could lead to costly outcomes and questioned its long‑term viability. [...]

Microsoft announced that Windows 11 version 26H2 (build 26300.9818 or later) now keeps up to 2 GB more active data in RAM on 8 GB‑RAM PCs, reducing memory pressure and improving responsiveness. Telemetry shows a 20 % boost in UI latency and a lab test recorded up to a 40 % faster heavy‑multitasking scenario after the update. Fresh‑install RAM usage fell from roughly 5 GB to 3.3 GB, and the OS now compresses less‑active data more aggressively, keeping it in memory instead of paging to slower [...]

Microsoft’s Xbox division saw further turmoil after chief operating officer Helen Chiang left abruptly in late July, weeks after her appointment. Chiang, a 21‑year veteran, posted a brief LinkedIn note denying reports that she was fired for policy violations and citing “serious concerns” about Microsoft’s handling of

Microsoft is celebrating the Xbox brand’s 25th anniversary by offering a limited‑time promotion that bundles 25 downloadable Xbox games at no cost for customers who purchase a new Windows 11 PC. The deal, announced in early November, applies to eligible devices sold by participating retailers and requires activation through the Microsoft Store within 30 days of purchase. The game library spans titles from the original Xbox era to recent releases, including popular franchises such as “Halo,” “Forza,” and “Minecraft.” [...]

Microsoft confirmed that its legacy Optimize Drives utility – the built‑in defragmenter and SSD‑trimmer – is slated for a modern redesign, adding it to the company’s WinUI 3 migration list. The note came from March Rogers, a partner director of design, after a user asked on X whether the tool could be rebuilt with WinUI 3 or folded into Settings. While Microsoft did not specify a timeline or final UI choice, the acknowledgment signals continued effort to [...]

Microsoft announced that Windows 10’s extended security support will end on 12 October 2027, leaving roughly eleven months for users to transition to Windows 11. To accelerate the migration, the company is now offering the Windows 11 26H2 update—marketed as a “faster” build—to eligible Windows 10 PCs directly through Windows Update, bypassing the slower rollout of previous 25H2 and 24H2 versions. The 26H2 update, which began deployment on 29 September, is already available to all qualifying devices and promises performance gains such as lower RAM usage, quicker [...]

Microsoft’s Xbox UK account posted an image suggesting World of Warcraft: Forever would launch on Xbox in November, prompting a Reddit surge that the game might finally reach consoles. The post, which also featured Shrek 2: Remastered, was quickly removed, and Xbox UK issued an apology stating the title is limited to PC and Mac via Battle.net and that the earlier tweet was a mistake. The incident has reignited speculation about a console port, fueled by earlier hints such as [...]