Gaming Industry Weekly — 2026-09-24

Top Stories

Xbox Eliminates 268 Roles in Continued "Reset"

Xbox leadership sent a memo to employees globally this week confirming that 268 roles are being eliminated across Halo Studios, other first-party studios, and the Xbox Game Studios management and central functions layer. The cuts are part of the restructuring "reset" the company outlined earlier in the year.

The announcement lands just days after Xbox's high-profile Tokyo Game Show 2026 showcase, making the contrast between public-facing marketing and internal cuts all the more stark. Affected teams reportedly include staff working on Halo and studio management functions.

Beyond Good and Evil 2 Gets Encouraging Update

Ubisoft's notoriously long-gestating Beyond Good and Evil 2 has received what outlets are calling an encouraging update, offering hope to fans who have been waiting for the sequel for years. Details remain limited, but the report suggests the project is still moving forward.

New Releases & Announcements

• September 22 Xbox Launch Wave — Xbox Series X|S/PC: Ten games launched on Xbox on September 22, including one of 2026's highest-rated Game Pass titles, headlined by "two newbies" in the daily roundup.
• Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, next episode — multi-platform: Simulation Daily's September 22 news roundup covered the next episode in the Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis mini-series.
• Active Matter Update 0.4.0.135 & Apex Legends update — PC/PS5/XSX and more: September 22 shipping announcements included a major Active Matter patch and a new Apex Legends update across platforms, alongside Street Fighter 6 Event Beast Market on PC.

Esports & Competitive

• VALORANT Champions 2026 opens in Shanghai: The 16-team, S-Tier tournament began September 24 with a $2,250,000 prize pool. G2 Esports blanked TYLOO 2-0 in the Group C opener, quieting the home crowd; NRG and Nongshim are drawn together in Group D.
• Kalshi prediction market on Champions favorites: Betting markets have named a top four of candidates ahead of theVALORANT event in Shanghai, with power rankings highlighting favorites, contenders, and dark horses.
• League of Legends — Europe vs. Korea in 2026: A new analysis highlights how Europe has dominated the LoL scene in 2026, comparing the region's performance against Korea and North America.
• IESF World Esports Championship 2026: Indonesia will host WEC26 from December 15 to 20, with five games and more than 500 athletes competing across events.

Platform & Store Updates

• Nintendo: The September 2026 Nintendo Direct announced a new Kirby game and a fresh 2D Metroid experience, per GamesRadar's updated release calendar; Kirby and the World Beyond is listed for Switch 2 with a mid-2027 window.
• PS6 speculation: Metro's Games Inbox readers this week debate whether the PS6 release will be delayed beyond 2027, reflecting growing console-cycle uncertainty.

Industry Moves

• Xbox/Microsoft: 268 roles cut across Halo Studios, other first-party studios, and XGS management layers as the "reset" continues — the second major trimming round this year.
• GamesIndustry.biz layoffs tracker: The publication's layoffs topic page was updated September 22, 2026, indicating fresh job-cut coverage across the industry.

What to Watch Next Week

• VALORANT Champions 2026 group stage continues through early October in Shanghai, with playoffs running to October 18.
• The full VALORANT Champions bracket runs through Groups A–D GSL play, with key Group D matches involving NRG and Nongshim.
• Watch for more detail on Ubisoft's Beyond Good and Evil 2 following this week's encouraging update.
• IESF World Esports Championship 2026 in Indonesia (December 15–20) — qualification rules and game lineup worth tracking.