Leadership Archives

Winsage

April 3, 2025

Microsoft at 50: how adaptability under Nadella is paying off

Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft fifty years ago to sell a version of the Basic computer language for the Altair. Microsoft has evolved from its initial focus on PC software to commanding a vast network of global data centers and recently investing in generative AI. The company faced challenges from the rise of the internet and smartphones, which shifted focus away from PCs, leading to stagnation in its stock price. Satya Nadella became CEO in 2014 and shifted Microsoft towards a cloud-first strategy, embracing open-source software and partnering with OpenAI for exclusive access to AI models. Under his leadership, Microsoft has adapted to changes in the tech landscape, although the impact of generative AI remains uncertain. Since Nadella's appointment, Microsoft's stock price has increased tenfold, raising its market value to nearly .8 trillion.

AppWizard

April 2, 2025

Over 1.5m people have played Atomfall

Atomfall has attracted over 1.5 million players since its launch on March 27th, achieving one million players within its first weekend. The game is available through the Xbox Game Pass subscription service and debuted on multiple platforms, including PC, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles. It became the 15th highest-grossing title on Steam within its first week. Rebellion, the studio behind Atomfall, considers this launch their most successful to date.

AppWizard

April 2, 2025

The PC game releases we’re most excited about in April

The PC gaming landscape remains active in April, with notable releases scheduled. Key titles include: - April 1: Koira - Cute puppy adventure - April 2: Bugaboo Pocket - Entomology life-sim - April 3: Sand - Extraction shooter with giant walkers - April 8: South of Midnight - Action-adventure southern folktale - April 8: Burden of Command - Tactical leadership RPG - April 9: Descenders Next - Downhill snowboarding - April 9: Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days (early access) - April 10: Crashlands 2 - Open world crafting RPG - April 10: Hollywood Animal - Hollywood studio management - April 10: Steel Seed - Sci-fi stealth action adventure - April 10: The Talos Principle: Reawakened - Unreal 5 remake - April 10: Monaco 2 - Co-op heist sequel - April 14: Repose - Black and white adventure - April 14: Stygian: Outer Gods - Survival horror RPG - April 17: Mandragora - Side-scrolling, dark fantasy RPG - April 17: Phantom Breaker - Pixel art beat'em up - April 17: Tempopo - Rhythmic garden puzzler - April 18: Lunar Remastered Collection - '90s RPG classics - April 22: War Rats: The Rat em Up - April 23: Sunderfolk - Couch co-op RPG - April 23: The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy - April 24: Detective Dotson - Crime-solving as a Bollywood hopeful - April 24: Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves - April 24: Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero - April 28: Badlands Crew - Offroad battles Additionally, various gaming events are scheduled throughout the month.

AppWizard

April 1, 2025

EA alum Adolf Kristjansson is Starbreeze’s new CEO

Adolf Kristjansson has been appointed as the new CEO of Swedish gaming company Starbreeze, replacing interim CEO Mats Juhl, who held the position since May 2024. Kristjansson has extensive experience in the gaming industry, having worked at Electronic Arts for over a decade and previously held roles at Tæknival / BT and GAME. He has also served on the boards of Silverfox and Thunderful Group. Kristjansson expressed enthusiasm for Starbreeze's projects, including an upcoming Dungeons & Dragons title and the expansion of the Payday franchise. Starbreeze chair Jürgen Goeldner welcomed Kristjansson and thanked Mats Juhl for his contributions as interim CEO.

AppWizard

March 31, 2025

Myst maker Cyan Worlds has made layoffs

Cyan Worlds has reduced its workforce by half, eliminating 12 positions due to challenging industry conditions. The management acknowledged the difficult situation and maintained open communication with the team about potential challenges. They offered severance packages to affected employees and invited other developers to consider the available talent. The studio's focus is on securing financing for their next project and stabilizing operations.

AppWizard

March 28, 2025

How to use ChatGPT: A beginner’s guide to the most popular AI chatbot

ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, was launched in late 2022 and has evolved into a versatile tool for tasks such as composing emails, generating essays, brainstorming ideas, translating languages, assisting with coding, and answering questions. OpenAI offers a free version and paid plans for additional features. Users can access ChatGPT via its website or app without creating an account, although registration unlocks features like saving chat history. The user base has grown to over 400 million weekly users within six months. OpenAI's subscription plans include a free tier, a Plus plan at per month, and a Pro plan at 0 per month. ChatGPT can assist with advice, data analysis, browsing, deep research, image generation with DALL·E, and file uploads. Features include Voice Mode for spoken interaction, ChatGPT Canvas for visual organization, and ChatGPT Tasks for scheduling reminders. ChatGPT can also generate images and videos, with the upgraded GPT-4o image generator available to Plus subscribers. The desktop app is available for Windows and MacOS, and users can try ChatGPT without logging in. Accuracy may vary, and users are advised to fact-check responses.

AppWizard

March 28, 2025

Warner reportedly axes Hogwarts Legacy expansion

Warner Bros has halted the development of an expansion for Hogwarts Legacy due to concerns that the amount of content did not justify the proposed price. The expansion was being developed by Avalanche Software in collaboration with Rocksteady Studios. Rocksteady has faced challenges, including layoffs and ceasing support for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which contributed to Warner Bros' admission of underperformance in its gaming division. The company also decided to close three studios, including Monolith Productions, and experienced a leadership change with the departure of gaming division head David Haddad.

AppWizard

March 26, 2025

Sales revenue dips at CD Projekt for 2024, but profitability has increased

CD Projekt recorded sales revenue of zł985 million for the 2024 financial year, a 17 percent decrease from the previous year. The revenue included zł588.8 million from Cyberpunk 2077 and its Phantom Liberty expansion. The company's net profit declined by 2.5 percent to zł469.9 million, while the net profit margin improved from 39.1 percent to 47.7 percent, largely due to CD Projekt Red's profit margin of 58.5 percent. GOG reported a profit margin of 0.6 percent. CFO Piotr Nielubowicz noted that Cyberpunk 2077 and its expansion generated nearly 600 million PLN in earnings, and The Witcher 3 continues to attract players. Joint CEO Michał Nowakowski announced plans for Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition on macOS and a new animation project set for release on Netflix in 2024.

AppWizard

March 26, 2025

The Atlantic Publishes Attack Plans That Pete Hegseth Shared On Signal Messaging App

The Atlantic reported on U.S. military strategy discussions involving Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and senior Trump administration officials, which were inadvertently shared with the magazine's editor, Jeffrey Goldberg. The conversations focused on military strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen. Goldberg initially withheld specific details from the messages to protect U.S. personnel's safety. Following the publication, Trump administration officials claimed the exchanged information was not classified and attempted to discredit Goldberg. Hegseth asserted that the group was not discussing war plans. Despite the administration's stance, Goldberg and journalist Shane Harris argued for transparency regarding the texts, emphasizing the risks associated with sharing sensitive information through nonsecure channels. The texts revealed operational details, including timing and targeting of strikes, with a message sent just before U.S. warplanes were deployed. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated that no classified information was shared but objected to the publication, framing it as an internal discussion. She differentiated between "war plans" and "attack plans," a distinction that created confusion.

AppWizard

March 26, 2025

What is Signal, the messaging app Trump team used to share war plans?

Top officials from the Trump administration mistakenly included journalist Jeffrey Goldberg in an encrypted chat on the Signal messaging app, discussing military strategies against Yemen's Houthi rebel group. This incident has led to calls from Democratic and some Republican lawmakers for a congressional investigation into a potential security breach. Goldberg reported being added to the chat on March 13, which aimed to coordinate U.S. military responses to Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. The inclusion of an outsider in the chat raises concerns about the protocols for sharing classified information on commercial messaging platforms. Under U.S. law, mishandling classified information can result in criminal charges, although it is unclear if any laws were violated in this case. Signal is known for its secure messaging capabilities, utilizing end-to-end encryption, and does not track or store user data beyond basic account information. The app has gained popularity among privacy advocates, journalists, and government organizations.