Microsoft's Xbox Pulls Out of Project Fantasy Video Game From IO Interactive
Microsoft's Xbox has withdrawn funding and partnership from IO Interactive's upcoming online fantasy RPG project.
📍 Where it landed
Xbox ended its deal to fund and publish IO Interactive's online RPG, Project Fantasy. This decision led to layoffs at IO Interactive and caused backlash regarding cuts within the Xbox gaming division.
Epilogue added 42d ago, after coverage quieted.
Quick answers
What happened to IO Interactive's fantasy game?
Microsoft's Xbox pulled out of the project, leading to a loss of funding and an external partner.
How has this affected IO Interactive's workforce?
The company has announced layoffs following the publisher's decision to pull the plug on the fantasy game.
Is IO Interactive stopping development on new franchises?
No, the developer claims its next franchise will continue.
🌍 Around the world
Newsylist detected this story across 3 language editions of the world's news.
Detected by matching proper nouns and figures that survive translation. Times reflect when each edition's coverage was first indexed.
The brief
Microsoft's Xbox has pulled out of a project involving an online fantasy RPG developed by IO Interactive. Following the loss of this external partner and funding, IO Interactive has announced staff layoffs.
Coverage from Bloomberg, IGN, and Kotaku emphasizes the loss of the partnership, while PC Gamer links the move to expected Xbox cuts. The Verge notes that IO Interactive is the developer behind 007 First Light.
IO Interactive claims that its next franchise will continue despite the layoffs and the loss of the publisher's support.
Synthesized by Newsylist from the headlines below under a strict no-invention contract. ✓ fact-checked: all claims supported by sources Updated 45d ago.
The reporting (15)
- Xbox ends deal to fund and publish IO Interactive's Project Fantasy; redundancies expected GamesIndustry.biz · 45d ago
- Xbox Cuts, Which Haven't Even Happened Yet, Are Already Causing Turmoil In The Games Industry Aftermath · 45d ago
- IO Interactive Confirms Layoffs Following End of Project Fantasy Partnership [UPDATE] Insider Gaming · 45d ago
- Microsoft Faces New Backlash As More Xbox Layoffs Gut Gaming Division, Kill IO Interactive Deal channelnews.com.au · 45d ago
- 007 First Light, Hitman Developer IO Interactive Announces Layoffs After 'Relationship With an External Partner' on Fantasy Project Ends IGN Africa · 45d ago
- Xbox Pulls Out of ‘Project Fantasy’ Video Game From IO Interactive; Hideo Kojima’s ‘OD’ Still in the Works Yahoo Finance UK · 45d ago
- Xbox Pulls Out of ‘Project Fantasy’ Video Game From IO Interactive; Hideo Kojima’s ‘OD’ Still in the Works Variety · 45d ago
- IO Interactive Faces Layoffs After Xbox Ends Partnership For Its Upcoming Online RPG Project Fantasy Game Informer · 45d ago
- IO Interactive to lay off staff after Xbox exits Project Fantasy Game Developer · 45d ago
- Xbox Issues Statement After Pulling Out Of Project Fantasy Pure Xbox · 45d ago
- IO Interactive's Fantasy IP Loses 'External Partner' Amid Xbox Cuts Kotaku · 45d ago
- Ahead of next week's expected Xbox bloodbath, IO Interactive loses funding for its online fantasy RPG PC Gamer · 45d ago
- IO Interactive Announces Layoffs After Publisher Pulls the Plug on Fantasy Game IGN · 45d ago
- 007 First Light’s developer lays off staff but claims its next franchise will continue The Verge · 45d ago
- Microsoft's Xbox Pulls Out of Project Fantasy Video Game From IO Interactive Bloomberg.com · 45d ago broke it first
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