Tom Warren

Xbox president Sarah Bond revealed earlier this year that a new Xbox mobile store would be launching in July. Xbox fan Klobrille discovered an Xbox mobile store webpage recently, which suggests Xbox Insiders will get access first. “Testing has begun for our browser-based mobile store,” says Kari Perez, head of Xbox communications in a statement to The Verge. “Our work is progressing well and we will have more to share in the future.”

I’m hearing that Obsidian is about to announce an Avowed delay. The team had been targeting a November release, but with Xbox exclusive S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 delayed to November, things are getting stacked for Xbox games in the all-important holiday season. More on the Avowed delay and Xbox employees being back under one roof in this week’s issue of Notepad.

Microsoft employees are getting an extra bonus that will work out to between 10-25 percent of the value of their regular annual bonus, according to an internal memo seen by The Verge. The announcement comes at the end of Microsoft’s fiscal year, as the company’s cloud and AI efforts have continued to improve its stock price. The bonus will also help with employee retention in a competitive AI market.