Key information
Microsoft's gaming division experienced a more positive week following a period dominated by news of layoffs and the transfer of Halo to Activision. CEO Asha Sharma was recently featured in a New York Times profile where she denied that the platform-holder was for sale, while also stating that they have a long way to go with Microsoft.
On the software front, the review embargo lifted for Gears of War: E-Day, which serves as a flagship for Sharma's partial return to console-exclusive games. The title achieved an 87 on Metacritic as one of the better-reviewed AAA games of the year, alongside Minecraft Dungeons 2.
In addition to software releases, Xbox began testing Mythic Achievements as an answer to rival PlayStation's trophies. Furthermore, Xbox officially launched its disc-to-digital feature following a testing period.
The new disc-to-digital feature allows players to claim digital licenses for games they own on disc. This enables users to preserve titles for future consoles without disc drives by using an old Xbox One or logging into a friend's console.
