John Carmack reacts to massive layoffs at id Software: ‘My ‘Microsoft will probably be a good steward of the brand’ statement isn’t aging well’

John Carmack has reacted to massive layoffs at id Software, the studio that he co-founded in 1991, by its current owner, Microsoft. The company is cutting 136 roles (reports indicate over half of its headcount) at the Doom studio, which just released an expansion for Doom: The Dark Ages this week. “My ‘Microsoft will probably…

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US Federal Reserve taps Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, who just laid off 3,200 employees, to lead task force on jobs

The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, the body overseeing the implementation of United States monetary policy, has announced the creation of five task forces intended to evaluate and improve the Fed’s operations. In a press release, Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh named the “external advisers” who will lead each task force, ranging from…

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The most deranged videogame challenge run I’ve seen: A no-hit playthrough of the ‘Unfair’ difficulty in a 100-hour RPG

No hit or no damage playthroughs have become an increasingly common badge of honor online, especially in precise, timing-driven action games like the Souls series. But what about in a dice rolling, stats and RNG-heavy CRPG? Davey Gunface on YouTube not only proved it’s possible, he did so in perhaps the most tedious circumstances: Pathfinder:…

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Microsoft filing shows total ZeniMax layoffs at 379, with over half coming from Elder Scrolls Online studio that’s lost at least 60% of its staff in the past year

As reported by MMORPG, we now know the full scope of the layoffs at ZeniMax Online Studios (The Elder Scrolls Online) and ZeniMax Media, parent company of Bethesda Game Studios. A Maryland WARN Act notice shows 213 employees laid off from ZeniMax Online, and 166 from ZeniMax Media, for a total of 379. ZeniMax Media…

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