Asa Bredin, the head of Mojang Studios, has announced his resignation to focus on personal goals. Kayleen Walters, a Vice President at Microsoft Gaming, will succeed him.
Mojang has appointed Kayleen Walters as its new studio head, effective immediately, succeeding Åsa Bredin, who will remain until the end of February for a smooth transition. Walters, who joined Microsoft in 2018, will also continue as Microsoft Gaming's VP and head of franchise development. She previously worked at Lucasfilm as VP of franchise marketing and planning. Additionally, Amy Stillion, currently overseeing content and studios at Microsoft, will join Mojang's leadership team to lead the people experience team in Redmond, WA. Helen Chiang, VP of the Minecraft franchise, highlighted the importance of the new leadership in addressing marketplace challenges.
The launch of features that would allow Android users to buy and play games directly from the Xbox app has been delayed due to a court's stay on the Play Store overhaul order.
Microsoft's Xbox app on Android will delay the introduction of new features initially planned for late 2024 due to a temporary administrative stay granted by U.S. courts. Sarah Bond, president of Xbox, indicated that users will have to wait longer to purchase and play games directly through the app. The features were expected to launch in November following a court order requiring Google to open its app store to third-party competitors. Despite the setback, Bond stated that the functionality is ready and awaiting the court's final decision. Xbox Cloud Gaming has introduced a "Stream Your Own Game" option, allowing users to stream 50 titles they own. Microsoft is also delaying the launch of its mobile gaming store for further market research and faces challenges with Xbox Cloud Gaming's reliability and the spread of the Xbox Play Anywhere feature. Upcoming titles for 2025 include Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and STALKER 2, with a steady influx of third-party games.
Microsoft's Xbox brand is focusing on multiplatform game releases, aiming for games to be playable across various devices, including Xbox consoles, PCs, and cloud gaming. Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, stated that the upcoming titles Ara: History Untold, Towerborne, and the World of Warcraft expansion The War Within are exceptions and not indicative of a broader trend towards PC exclusivity. He emphasized the goal of making games accessible on all platforms and highlighted the Xbox Play Anywhere feature, which allows purchases on one platform to be accessible on another with the same Microsoft account. Spencer noted that not all content currently supports this feature but aims for a unified gaming experience across the Xbox ecosystem.
Microsoft will introduce game sales directly through its Xbox App on Android in November. Xbox president Sarah Bond announced that players will be able to purchase and play games within the app, although specific titles have not been revealed. There is uncertainty regarding whether this initiative is linked to Microsoft's plans for a mobile app store, which was initially expected to launch in the summer with first-party titles like Candy Crush and Minecraft. Industry insiders suggest that the mobile store may operate independently from the Xbox app and is being developed with unnamed partners. Bond's announcement also mentioned a recent US court ruling that allows rival app stores to access Google Play, but experts believe this will not significantly change the mobile gaming market dynamics.
Microsoft will allow users to purchase and play video games through its Xbox app for Android starting in November, following a U.S. judge's ruling that Google must offer alternatives to its Google Play app store on Android devices.
Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, announced the return of StarCraft Remastered and StarCraft II during the Tokyo Game Show, with a launch date set for November 5. Both titles will feature free-to-play multiplayer suites and will be available at no additional cost for subscribers of PC Game Pass or Game Pass Ultimate. StarCraft was originally released in 1998 and StarCraft II in 2010.
- Microsoft is introducing a cloud gaming feature to the enhanced PC Game Pass subscription service.
- Challenges such as latency, connectivity, and compatibility with devices may arise with the integration of cloud gaming technology.
- The cloud gaming feature will provide greater flexibility for subscribers to play games on various devices.
- Subscribers in areas with limited internet access may experience disruptions or lower-quality gameplay with the cloud gaming service.
