Unlocked Xbox’s Brutal ‘Reset’ + Who Bought State of Decay 3 and Senua? – Unlocked 749
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Jul 9, 2026 Khalif Adams, a gaming industry commentator, and Brian Altano, a longtime games journalist, unpack Xbox's sweeping reset and studio spinouts. They debate who might have bought Undead Labs and Ninja Theory. Conversation covers Double Fine's new path, Game Pass's troubles, and strategic pivots Microsoft could make moving forward.
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Xbox Restructure Preserves Studios But Cuts Jobs
- Microsoft cut 3,200 Xbox jobs and spun several studios to new owners rather than outright closing them.
- Undead Labs and Ninja Theory were transferred with funding to finish State of Decay 3 and Senua, while Double Fine and Compulsion went independent with IP and runway.
Who Could Buy State Of Decay 3
- Potential buyers for Undead Labs include deep-pocketed players like Tencent or Take-Two (2K) because State of Decay 3 is near-launch and commercially promising.
- Khalif Adams favors Tencent for capital; Ryan McCaffrey lists 2K as a strategic match given live-service ambitions.
Ninja Theory's Fit With Epic Or Sony
- Ninja Theory fits cinematic, Unreal Engine–centric partners like Epic or Sony due to their history with Hellblade and virtual-production tech.
- Brian Altano noted Sony published Heavenly Sword and Hellblade, creating prior business ties that make Sony a plausible buyer.