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Microsoft want to record your face and feed it to a generative AI, telling it to go off and design a game from your frown
PC

Microsoft want to record your face and feed it to a generative AI, telling it to go off and design a game from your frown

A new patent from Microsoft shows how they want to record your facial expressions, show them to an AI, and have it redesign the game you're playing. It's not only your face they want, but also any words you might be muttering, growls you might be making, or, dare I say, even purrs. The broader technology described in the patent is a process for game designers to prompt an AI to build out the narrative elements of a game, including objectives, sidequests, NPCs, dialogue, and items. Rather than s

State of Decay 3 studio Undead Labs lay off "a significant number" of "exceptionally talented developers" after gaining independence from Xbox
PC

State of Decay 3 studio Undead Labs lay off "a significant number" of "exceptionally talented developers" after gaining independence from Xbox

Less than 24 hours after confirming they've managed to secure a future outside of Xbox by going independent, State of Decay 3 studio Undead Labs have announced that they've had to lay off "a significant number" of staff as part of that transition. The news follows a second round of mass layoffs this year at the studios still under Microsoft's thumb. Undead Labs were one of the five studios Microsoft announced plans to split with during an initial round of layoffs in July. Read more

Age of Empires studio World's Edge reportedly lose nearly half their staff and a new game project in mass Xbox layoffs
PC

Age of Empires studio World's Edge reportedly lose nearly half their staff and a new game project in mass Xbox layoffs

Further details have emerged of the impact that Microsoft’s Xbox consolidation and job cuts programme is having on affected workers. World’s Edge, the studio that effectively manages strategy megaseries Age of Empires, has allegedly been hit hard, with an unnamed but verified creative director posting on industry forum ResetEra that "just under half" of all staff had been let go in the process of moving from Xbox’s direct control to Activision’s. Read more