Activision Takes Over Halo, Xbox Fires 268 - Kinda Funny Games Daily 09.22.26
episode
Kinda Funny Games Daily: Video Games News Podcast
2h 11m
5 speakers
8 chapters
transcribed 5 hours ago
Transcript
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Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
What is the new Shape of Dreams release announcement?
Shape of Dreams is now available on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch 2, and Steam. Journey into the Rapids to celebrate the first anniversary with new content and more fast-paced action. If you want to get our shows ad-free and our exclusive shows, go to patreon.com slash kindoffunny. Today's gaming news stories include Activision is taking over Halo, Obsidian is now under Bethesda, and more restructures and layoffs under Xbox. We'll have all this and more because this is kind of funny games daily.
What's up and welcome to a super stuffed jam-packed episode of Kinda Funny Games Daily for Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026. Of course, I'm your host, Tim Geddes. I'm joined today by a motley crew, a bigger crew than normal. Instead of doing our Games Daily and Gamescast, this news is big enough. It's going to be a double-sized episode for all of the discussion that this crew right now will have. That crew consists of Blessing Adeoye Jr. Hello, Tim. Greg Miller. Hello, Tim. And Snowbike Mike. Hi, Tim. Hi, Mike. How are you doing? Tim, I'm great.
You know, I told you this morning, I'm back.
Who are the hosts and what is the agenda for today’s news roundup?
Where's the Xbox, son? Why don't you bring the Xbox, son, to work today? You know, unfortunately, we don't light the beam for a day like this. This is a day you don't get to light the beam. And, Tim, it's another one of those X-Cast days where it's, how do we fix Halo? It
sure is. It sure is. They have some ideas. Yeah. We will talk
about those. Yeah,
they got some ideas. We'll talk all about that throughout the show here. Remember, if you're watching live, be part of the show by super chatting on YouTube.com slash kind of funny games. And we couldn't do this without our producers over on Patreon. So thank you to Omega Buster, Delaney, the Psalm Twining, and Michael Pesavento. For now, let's begin with what is and forever will be the Roper Report slash topic of the show. We have... I don't know what to do! Star Wars News, we have four stories today. A Beaker's Desert! Story number one. Continuing our reset. This comes from Matt Booty at Xbox. This message was just sent to the team Xbox employees globally. Team, I'm writing to share several updates as part of the Xbox reset outlined earlier this year.
First, we're eliminating 268 roles across Halo Studios, other first party studios, and the XGS management and central functions layer. The actions completed since July, inclusive of the studio divestitures, bring us roughly three quarters of the way through previously announced restructuring. I'm deeply grateful for what our colleagues have built, and I know how difficult today will be for those leaving and the teams around them. Second, we are reorganizing our studios. The goal is to strengthen our franchises and games by operating fewer business units, aligning groups that already work closely together, and focusing our publishing expertise. Activision will expand its remit to World's Edge as well as Rare.
Activision will also be developing the next Halo title, led by a new purpose-built team that is separate from ongoing development and plans for Call of Duty. A small team at Halo Studios will continue supporting the Halo community and games in market. God, we could stop there and talk about all that. But I want to get through everything, and then we'll go back and kind of, like, tackle everything bit by bit. But Bethesda will expand its remit to include Obsidian, which will continue its current projects, including Grounded, as well as the new Fallout project made in collaboration with Bethesda Game Studios. King will expand its remit to include Microsoft Casual Games, uniting our two global leaders in casual game design and live operations.
Playground and Turn 10 will come together as one studio focused on the Forza and Fable franchises. These two studios have been creative and franchise partners for over a decade, and today's changes will formally move their work into one team. Third, an update on our studio divestitures. In August, Compulsion and Double Fine returned to management with their IP, back catalogs, and runway funding.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the new Shape of Dreams release announcement?
0:00–1:13
2
Who are the hosts and what is the agenda for today’s news roundup?
1:13–6:47
3
What does Matt Booty’s Xbox reset email reveal about layoffs and studio reorganizations?
6:47–22:48
4
How is Activision’s takeover of Halo and the future of the franchise being discussed?
22:48–1:09:56
5
How are the Fallout development teams being reorganized under Bethesda?
1:09:56–1:25:06
6
What is the outlook for the upcoming Fable and Forza releases?
1:25:06–1:42:37
7
Will Activision’s takeover improve Halo’s future and could it lead to a Halo‑Call of Duty crossover?
1:42:37–1:59:23
8
How do the hosts wrap up the episode with super chats and final thoughts?
1:59:23–2:11:37
Speakers
5 identifiedMore from Kinda Funny Games Daily: Video Games News Podcast
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