Leadership Archives

Winsage

June 15, 2025

User calls Windows 11 “pure horror,” Microsoft says it’s listening to feedback

Windows 11 has received mixed reviews, with some users expressing dissatisfaction as the mandatory upgrade deadline approaches on October 14, 2025. A user who switched to Fedora described Windows 11 as “pure horror,” citing issues with privacy, bloat, performance, bugs, and UI/UX. The Start Menu has become frustrating for some, leading to abandonment of the OS, although it is still used in professional settings. Brandon LeBlanc from Microsoft acknowledged the user's feedback and expressed hope for their return. Microsoft has made improvements based on user feedback, including refining features and enhancing the Settings app. Recent updates introduced a toggle to disable the Recommended feed in the Start menu and a redesigned layout for applications. However, users still have concerns about strict hardware requirements, performance issues, and aggressive promotion of Edge and Bing. Many find the inability to move the taskbar particularly frustrating.

AppWizard

June 12, 2025

Queens high school students take top prize in NYC Minecraft Battle of the Boroughs

A team of students from World Journalism Preparatory in Queens, named ‘Diamond Sword Bustamoney,’ won the inaugural NYC Video Games Festival in the high school division of the Minecraft Education “Battle of the Boroughs” competition. Their victory followed a three-stage tournament that included preliminary digital submissions, borough-level championships, and a final showdown on May 31. This is the first time a Queens school has won the title since the competition began in 2021. The event was organized by the New York City Department of Education in collaboration with Microsoft and the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, originally conceived during the COVID-19 pandemic. The team defeated the defending champions from Staten Island’s Tottenville High School. The winning team consists of five 11th-grade students.

AppWizard

June 11, 2025

Phil Rogers is Embracer Group’s next CEO

Phil Rogers will become the CEO of Embracer Group on August 1st, succeeding Lars Wingefors, who will transition to executive chair of the board in September. Rogers joined Embracer in 2022 and previously served as deputy CEO, leading Crystal Dynamics and Plaion. Kicki Wallje-Lund will take on the role of deputy chair. This leadership change follows the recent announcement of the spin-off of Coffee Stain into an independent entity.

AppWizard

June 9, 2025

Star Trek Beyond writer Jung to helm Mass Effect show

Doug Jung has been appointed as the head writer and showrunner for the upcoming Mass Effect TV series. He will also serve as an executive producer alongside Dan Casey and Michael Gamble. Amazon Studios announced the greenlighting of the series in November 2024, but no official release window has been provided.

AppWizard

June 6, 2025

Tencent now owns 16% of Helldivers maker Arrowhead

Tencent has acquired a 15.75 percent stake in Arrowhead Games, valuing the studio at SEK 5.1 billion (approximately .8 million). The founders of Arrowhead Games retain 84.24 percent ownership. Arrowhead reported a turnover of SEK 959 million ([openai_gpt model="gpt-4o-mini" prompt="Summarize the content and extract only the fact described in the text bellow. The summary shall NOT include a title, introduction and conclusion. Text: Chinese tech and entertainment titan Tencent has made a significant move in the gaming industry by acquiring a 15.75 percent stake in Arrowhead Games, the developer behind the popular title Helldivers 2. According to Swedish media outlet DI, Tencent's investment amounts to million, which places a valuation of SEK 5.1 billion (approximately 2.8 million) on Arrowhead. The founders of Arrowhead Games—Johan Pilestedt, Emil Englund, Malin Hedstrom, Peter Lindgren, and Anton Stenmark—retain the remaining 84.24 percent ownership of the studio. This strategic partnership not only underscores Tencent's growing influence in the gaming sector but also highlights Arrowhead's impressive financial performance, with a reported turnover of SEK 959 million (0.2 million) and a profit of SEK 729 million (.2 million). Success of Helldivers 2 Arrowhead's latest release, Helldivers 2, launched at the beginning of 2024, has garnered substantial acclaim, dominating the Steam charts for four consecutive weeks. Johan Pilestedt, the studio's chief creative officer and former CEO, expressed his pride in the team's accomplishments, stating, "It's fantastic fun, and I feel incredibly proud of what the team has managed to achieve. Above all, it's proof that what we do resonates with the player base." In discussing the implications of the Tencent partnership, Pilestedt remarked, "It also opens up opportunities for China as a market. Gaining access to the Chinese player base is the holy grail in the gaming industry." This sentiment reflects a broader trend in the gaming landscape, where access to the vast Chinese market is increasingly seen as a pivotal factor for success. In a notable leadership transition, Arrowhead promoted Shams Jorjani to the role of CEO in May 2024, signaling a new chapter for the studio as it navigates its growth trajectory in collaboration with Tencent." max_tokens="3500" temperature="0.3" top_p="1.0" best_of="1" presence_penalty="0.1" frequency_penalty="frequency_penalty"].2 million) and a profit of SEK 729 million ([openai_gpt model="gpt-4o-mini" prompt="Summarize the content and extract only the fact described in the text bellow. The summary shall NOT include a title, introduction and conclusion. Text: Chinese tech and entertainment titan Tencent has made a significant move in the gaming industry by acquiring a 15.75 percent stake in Arrowhead Games, the developer behind the popular title Helldivers 2. According to Swedish media outlet DI, Tencent's investment amounts to million, which places a valuation of SEK 5.1 billion (approximately 2.8 million) on Arrowhead. The founders of Arrowhead Games—Johan Pilestedt, Emil Englund, Malin Hedstrom, Peter Lindgren, and Anton Stenmark—retain the remaining 84.24 percent ownership of the studio. This strategic partnership not only underscores Tencent's growing influence in the gaming sector but also highlights Arrowhead's impressive financial performance, with a reported turnover of SEK 959 million (0.2 million) and a profit of SEK 729 million (.2 million). Success of Helldivers 2 Arrowhead's latest release, Helldivers 2, launched at the beginning of 2024, has garnered substantial acclaim, dominating the Steam charts for four consecutive weeks. Johan Pilestedt, the studio's chief creative officer and former CEO, expressed his pride in the team's accomplishments, stating, "It's fantastic fun, and I feel incredibly proud of what the team has managed to achieve. Above all, it's proof that what we do resonates with the player base." In discussing the implications of the Tencent partnership, Pilestedt remarked, "It also opens up opportunities for China as a market. Gaining access to the Chinese player base is the holy grail in the gaming industry." This sentiment reflects a broader trend in the gaming landscape, where access to the vast Chinese market is increasingly seen as a pivotal factor for success. In a notable leadership transition, Arrowhead promoted Shams Jorjani to the role of CEO in May 2024, signaling a new chapter for the studio as it navigates its growth trajectory in collaboration with Tencent." max_tokens="3500" temperature="0.3" top_p="1.0" best_of="1" presence_penalty="0.1" frequency_penalty="frequency_penalty"].2 million). Helldivers 2, released in early 2024, has topped the Steam charts for four weeks. Shams Jorjani was promoted to CEO of Arrowhead in May 2024.

Winsage

June 6, 2025

I wish this version of the Microsoft Store shipped 10 years ago

The Microsoft Store is undergoing significant changes to improve user experience, including a personalized homepage that showcases apps tailored to individual interests, accelerated search functionality for easier app discovery, and integration with Windows search. Earlier this year, Microsoft announced over 150 changes to the Store, focusing on user feedback to enhance engagement and satisfaction. The Store is used by over 250 million users each month, and strategic leadership changes have contributed to an improved user experience.

Winsage

June 6, 2025

Windows Weekly 935: Don’t Spritz Yourself

Leo and Paul discuss various topics on the latest episode of Windows Weekly, including Notepad, updates in Windows 11, Microsoft 365, artificial intelligence, and Xbox gaming. A new free newsletter offers time-saving tips and complimentary Field Guides for Windows 11 and Windows 10. Microsoft is reorganizing its AI initiatives and phasing out password management features in the Microsoft Authenticator app. The upcoming June 2025 update for Outlook will introduce new features, and Microsoft 365 Copilot now has general availability for Research and Analyst AI agents. The New York Times has licensed its content to Amazon, and Samsung is reconsidering its partnership with Gemini. Microsoft has delayed the launch of its first-party Xbox and Windows gaming handheld and has secured its first agreement with a game studio union. J Allard, a former Microsoft executive, is among many ex-Microsoft leaders now at Amazon. A tip suggests replacing OneDrive/Google Drive with a NAS, and Microsoft Edge 137 is highlighted as a significant update. Photoshop for Android is now available for free during its beta phase.

AppWizard

June 5, 2025

Build a Rocket Boy loses two c-suite execs ahead of MindsEye launch

Two senior executives at Build a Rocket Boy, Riley Graebner (chief legal officer) and Paul Bland (chief financial officer), have announced their departures ahead of the launch of the game MindsEye. Graebner, who served for three and a half years, noted the company's growth to over 450 employees and the successful launch of multiple products. Bland left after a two-year tenure. Co-CEO Mark Gerhard suggested that negative sentiment towards MindsEye may be influenced by external forces, although he did not provide evidence for this claim.

AppWizard

June 4, 2025

RuneScape maker Jagex confirms layoffs

Jagex has confirmed layoffs as part of a restructuring aimed at enhancing focus on RuneScape games and community growth. The layoffs primarily affected roles not directly involved in game development or player interaction, with some exceptions within the RuneScape team. Liam "Mod Hooli" Ashley, head of community and social, stated that the company's commitment to growing and investing in RuneScape 3 remains unchanged, and the game's roadmap will not be affected by these job reductions. The studio is prioritizing support for those impacted by the layoffs. This restructuring occurs under new CEO Jon Bellamy, following multiple rounds of layoffs in recent years.

Tech Optimizer

June 4, 2025

Snowflake to Acquire Crunchy Data for AI-Ready Postgres

Snowflake intends to acquire Crunchy Data, a provider of open-source PostgreSQL technology, to enhance its AI Data Cloud by integrating Crunchy Data's enterprise-grade Postgres offerings. The new product, "Snowflake Postgres," will be a developer-friendly, AI-ready database for mission-critical applications. Snowflake plans to invest approximately 0 million in this acquisition, which aims to support complex AI applications at scale and bring a team experienced in Postgres. This move comes amid a competitive cloud data market, with Snowflake's stock trading near its 52-week high. The acquisition is expected to influence how enterprises approach AI and data integration, potentially setting a new benchmark for cloud platforms.