Microsoft’s Azure services are currently facing a significant disruption, impacting several major platforms including Xbox game downloads and Minecraft. This outage has left gamers and developers scrambling as connectivity issues continue to persist.
Widespread Connectivity Issues and Their Causes
Microsoft has disclosed that the root of the problem stems from “an inadvertent configuration change” in the Azure Front Door (AFD) service. These issues reportedly started at around 16:00 UTC and have not yet been resolved. Efforts are underway to address the problem, but the outage continues to affect many users, prompting warnings from Xbox game publishers.
Impact on Gaming and User Experience
The outage has led to announcements from developers such as Obsidian Entertainment, which noted that The Outer Worlds 2 might face availability issues on Xbox and PC. This disruption has broader implications, affecting online games like Minecraft, as confirmed by various sources including Down Detector. No timeline has been provided for when services will be restored.
Recent History of Cloud Service Outages
The current Azure outage follows closely on the heels of last week’s massive AWS outage, which also caused widespread internet disruptions, affecting platforms such as PSN, Fortnite, and Roblox. Those issues were resolved within hours, but the current Azure situation remains unresolved, with users eagerly awaiting a return to normalcy.