Tag

Microsoft

All articles tagged with #microsoft

technology11 hours ago•2 min saved

Microsoft Staff Track AI Spending Reveals Wide Variability Across Teams

Microsoft is piloting an internal AI usage and spending tracker; analysis of about 350 self-reported entries shows a median AI spend of around $300 over the last 28 days, with some employees spending up to $28,000. Data are self-reported and not official, and there’s no clear link between AI usage and pay raises or promotions, reflecting broader Big Tech efforts to measure AI consumption as investment in AI infrastructure continues.

via Business Insider|

#ai-usage #internal-tool #microsoft

business17 hours ago•4 min saved

Inside Microsoft's Pay Snap: How Salaries, Bonuses and Stocks Are Handed Out

An internal, self-reported spreadsheet with about 600 Microsoft employees reveals how base pay, annual raises, cash bonuses, and stock awards vary by level and organization, offering a rare glimpse into the company's compensation strategy as it competes for AI and cloud talent; the data are not official and may skew lower due to self-reporting and a recent round of layoffs.

via Business Insider|

#ai #business #compensation

gaming22 hours ago•5 min saved

Double Fine Reclaims IP and Publishing Rights as Indie Studio

Double Fine has officially regained ownership of its IP and publishing rights from Microsoft after becoming an independent studio. In a interview with Kinda Funny Games, Tim Schafer explained that the IP transfer is complete (with Microsoft potentially holding some transitional rights) and urged fans to support the studio by purchasing its games, including Psychonauts, Kiln, and Keeper, to help extend its runway.

via TrueAchievements|

#double-fine #gaming #independent

business1 day ago•7 min saved

Take-Two goes after Microsoft, Discord, and X with subpoenas over GTA 6 leaks

Take-Two Interactive has subpoenaed Microsoft, Discord, and X in the Southern District of New York to obtain records tied to GTA 6 leaks, including user accounts, linked OneDrive/Xbox data, and a GitHub repository used to post leaked content. Microsoft and Discord must produce documents by September 4, 2026, with Discord saying it will review valid subpoenas. The action follows a wave of GTA 6 leaks ahead of Rockstar’s upcoming reveal.

via GamesIndustry.biz|

#business #discord #gta-6

hardware2 days ago•13 min saved

Gleaming Green Xbox X25 Likely Priced at $900

Kotaku reports that the translucent green Anniversary Xbox Series X25 is rumored to cost around $900 in the U.S. (€899.99 in Europe), with the controller shipping in October and the console in November, and no Black Friday deal expected. The price is about $100 more than the current $800 1TB Series X with a disc drive and roughly matches PS5 Pro pricing, though storage details aren’t confirmed. Microsoft has been raising hardware prices amid broader AI/data-center investments, and this model isn’t confirmed to include a storage bump. For collectors, the original Halo Edition Xbox still fetches around $750 on eBay.

via Kotaku|

#hardware #limited-edition-console #microsoft

technology2 days ago•9 min saved

Microsoft Rolls Out Standalone Tool to Force Bing Across Windows 11 Browsers

Microsoft released a standalone tool called MicrosoftSettings.exe (Microsoft Recommended Search Settings) that prompts users to set Bing as the default search across Edge, Chrome, and Firefox and then installs a Chrome extension to enforce Bing, followed by a redirect to the Microsoft Rewards page after setup; the app isn’t distributed via Windows Update or the Microsoft Store and uses a WinUI shell with WebView2 to push the extension. Chrome and Brave warn about the extension, and prompts to revert can appear, illustrating Microsoft’s ongoing effort to push Bing across browsers—even allowing sign-in to Bing with Google or Apple accounts.

via Windows Latest|

#bing #browser-extension #chrome

technology3 days ago•4 min saved

Double Fine Regains Independence From Microsoft as Union Push Fades and Layoffs Hit

Double Fine is officially independent from Microsoft, reclaiming IP ownership and signaling a new phase with publishing rights returning to Compulsion. Tim Schafer outlined a Kickstarter-backed Amnesia Fortnight and a live, backer-driven game jam to prototype new ideas. However, the studio laid off 23 employees, and the prior union push appears withdrawn with little update, leaving the studio’s long-term future uncertain as it seeks new deals.

via Aftermath|

#double-fine #independence #layoffs

gaming3 days ago•139 min saved

GTA 6 leaks trigger Take-Two subpoena of Microsoft, with Microsoft saying it’s cooperating

Take-Two filed a DMCA subpoena in New York to identify GTA 6 leakers and force providers (including Microsoft, Discord, and Google) to hand over information, with the aim of locating infringers and defending Take-Two’s IP. Microsoft has since said it’s working with Take-Two and Rockstar Games to protect intellectual property. GTA 6 is scheduled for November 19, 2026, as an Xbox Series X|S and PS5 exclusive, and the case highlights how leaks and platform data intersect during a highly anticipated launch.

via Windows Central|

#gaming #gta-6 #microsoft

gaming3 days ago•18 min saved

Take-Two subpoenas Microsoft and Discord over GTA VI leaks

Take-Two filed subpoenas to identify alleged infringers after apparent GTA VI leaks, targeting Microsoft and Discord for information on copyrighted audiovisuals, artwork, and other elements watermarked by the leak group CyberLeek, with responses due by September 4 as the game’s Netflix preview on August 27 approaches and the November 19 release looms.

via The Verge|

#discord #gaming #gta-vi

security3 days ago•1 min saved

Microsoft Entra ID CVE-2026-69836: Critical RCE Not Exploited, No Action Required

Microsoft warned of a critical Entra ID vulnerability (CVE-2026-69836, CVSS 10.0) that could enable remote code execution, but the company later corrected that it has not been exploited in the wild and that no customer action is required, saying the issue has been fully mitigated.

via The Hacker News|

#cve-2026-69836 #entra-id #microsoft

video-games4 days ago•4 min saved

Compulsion Regains IP, Takes Publishing Back From Microsoft

Compulsion says it has regained ownership of its IP and will reown publishing rights, meaning sales of its games (including South Of Midnight) will now benefit the studio instead of Microsoft, during a transition period with platform holders.

via Aftermath|

#compulsion #ip-ownership #microsoft

business4 days ago•5 min saved

Compulsion Games regains independence, buys back IP from Microsoft

Compulsion Games completed a management buyout to separate from Microsoft and reclaim ownership of its IP, with publishing rights returning to the studio. CEO Guillaume Provost says the team will operate independently, pursuing a sustainable path, exploring collaborations, and gradually transferring titles to all stores as the transition proceeds. Some staff changes occurred, but the core team remains to build a self-sustaining studio.

via GamesBeat|

#business #compulsion-games #independent-studio

technology5 days ago•165 min saved

Windows 11 Insider August Builds Signal a New Phase for the OS

Microsoft’s August Windows 11 Insider builds introduce a fully customizable context menu with an App extensions submenu, plus personalization tweaks (better background handling and wallpaper reliability), a refreshed Magnifier, easier Camera Roll backup to OneDrive, Windows Recovery Environment networking improvements, and the removal of WMIC and the Drag Tray—marking a move toward giving users more control while continuing to modernize core OS components like File Explorer.

via Windows Central|

#context-menu #file-explorer #microsoft

business5 days ago•5 min saved

Xbox Job Cuts Spark Union Protests Over Bethesda Expertise Drain

Microsoft is cutting about 3,200 Xbox roles (1,600 already eliminated; remaining slated by mid-2027). OneBGS and CWA organized rallies in nine cities to protest the layoffs, representing nearly 4,000 unionized Xbox workers across ZeniMax studios, and the CWA has filed an unfair-labor-practice complaint with the NLRB. Microsoft calls the move a strategic reset, while workers warn that layoffs are becoming an annual issue that erodes veteran knowledge and could affect upcoming titles like The Elder Scrolls VI.

via Wccftech|

#bethesda-game-studios #business #layoffs

technology6 days ago•164 min saved

Tiny Windows 11 File Explorer tweak sparks big UI debate

A minor change to how Windows 11's File Explorer displays file sizes has sparked a broader debate about UI updates: readers are split between embracing a more modern look and clinging to legacy behavior, underscoring the challenge Microsoft faces in pleasing billions of users. Observers suggest giving users toggle options to keep or switch off new UI elements as Windows continues to evolve.

via Windows Central|

#backwards-compatibility #file-explorer #microsoft