Xbox Loses 37-Year Veteran as Minecraft Finally Adds Sitting Interaction
A wave of major stories has hit the gaming industry, headlined by significant changes at Microsoft’s Xbox division and a long-awaited feature update for Minecraft. Xbox platform vice president Kevin LaChapelle has confirmed his departure after 37 years with the company, while separate reports suggest Xbox previously blocked Atlus titles from launching on Nintendo Switch 2. Meanwhile, Doom The Dark Ages has received new paid DLC, Blizzard’s lawsuit against a major World of Warcraft private server has taken an unexpected turn, and Mojang Studios has finally answered a fan request that has persisted for over a decade.
Kevin LaChapelle, a 37-year veteran of Microsoft who joined the company in 1989, has confirmed his departure as part of recent Xbox layoffs. LaChapelle was a key architect behind Xbox’s backward compatibility program, which brought hundreds of Xbox 360 and original Xbox titles to modern consoles. He also led the development of Xbox Cloud Gaming, making him a foundational figure in the cloud gaming space. His exit marks one of the highest-profile departures in the current wave of restructuring at the Xbox division.
According to爆料人Nash Weedle, Xbox previously signed a restrictive agreement with Atlus that prevented the company’s new titles from launching on Nintendo Switch 2 — but not on Sony platforms. The deal was reportedly aimed at using popular JRPG franchises like Persona to attract Japanese players to Xbox and Game Pass. This may explain why Persona 3 Reload and Persona 4 have not been announced for Switch 2. However, the爆料 suggests Atlus has refused to renew the agreement under new Xbox management led by Asha Sharma, potentially clearing the way for future Atlus releases on Nintendo’s next console.
Doom The Dark Ages has launched its major paid DLC Apocalypse, priced at approximately ¥109 (~$15) in the China region, with “Very Positive” early reviews. Separately, Blizzard’s copyright lawsuit against Project Ascension, the largest World of Warcraft private server, has taken a dramatic turn. The server’s team has hired lawyers and filed a counter-notice seeking more time to respond, while simultaneously pushing out a massive new update with original classes and skills. Meanwhile, Minecraft has added sitting functionality via a new Cushion item with 16 color variants, crafted from three wool slabs of the same color. A Straw Bed crafted from three hay bales allows players to safely skip nights without resetting spawn points. These features are currently available in the 26.3 Snapshot 3 test build and are expected to arrive in the full game with the autumn 2026 update. After 17 years, Minecraft players can finally sit down.
