Microsoft is rewarding the members who have been on Xbox Live the longest with special consoles. As revealed by Xbox Live’s Major Nelson on Twitter, Microsoft is “surprising some of the Xbox Live members that have been with us the longest” by sending them a special limited edition console featuring 10 year anniversary imagery.

A Microsoft spokesperson explained to IGN that “we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of Xbox Live by conducting special promotions for our members worldwide and today we began to surprise a select number of our loyal 10 year Xbox Live members in the U.S. with special edition anniversary consoles. These consoles were created for a special promotion and will not be available at retail locations.”

The console features a special “Xbox Live: A Decade of Entertainment” logo that includes imagery from the original Xbox, Kinect, the Vision camera and much more from Xbox’s history. In addition, the disc drive says “XBL 10” instead of the usual Xbox 360.

It’s unclear how many of the systems will be manufactured and what the specific qualifications are to earn one, but we’ve reached out to Microsoft and will update with any additional info we receive. Until then, watch out interview with Bungie’s Harold Ryan about Xbox Live’s 10th anniversary on Up At Noon:

Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s associate news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following @garfep on Twitter or garfep on IGN.

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Layoffs have hit Lord of the Rings Online developer Turbine. News of the layoffs first emerged this morning on Twitter, and a representative from Warner Bros. Interactive has now confirmed the news, providing IGN with the following statement:

“As part of the continual review of our business operations and fluctuating market conditions, we have had to make reductions in our Turbine workforce. The group continues to remain an integral part of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.”

Turbine previously worked on the Asheron’s Call franchise, Dungeons & Dragons Online and Lord of the Rings Online. The studio most recently developed Lord of the Rings Online: Riders of Rohan, which was released last month, and is also said to be working on a next-gen MMO.

IGN wishes the best of luck to anyone affected by today’s news.

Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s associate news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following @garfep on Twitter or garfep on IGN.

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This morning during Apple's iPad Mini event, Zynga employees began taking to Twitter en masse to report on significant layoffs at the troubled social gaming giant. Zynga has yet to make any official announcement and have not yet responded to our request for comment.

Individuals close to the situation are reporting that Zynga Austin bore the majority of cuts, with more than 100 jobs lost at that location. The entire Zynga Bingo and theVille teams have reported been let go, leaving only teams developing mobile products left at the office.

Gamasutra is also reporting layoffs or perhaps the closure of Zynga Boston and Zynga Chicago. TechCrunch reports that the San Francisco office is not seeing any layoffs today.

More Zynga employees have reported that an all-hands meeting has been scheduled for later this afternoon. A more solid picture of the extend and location of the layoffs is likely to follow.

Today's layoffs are the latest in a growing line of bad news for the social game maker. SuperData Research noted today that Zynga has less active players now than it had two years ago. Social game players are increasingly leaving Facebook in favor of mobile play. Most analysts agree that Zynga has failed to make the mobile transition rapidly enough.

Justin is Editor of IGN Wireless. You can follow him on Twitter at @ErrorJustin and on IGN.

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Lucas M. Thomas is campaigning that all currency on the planet be replaced with Picarats. You can follow him on Twitter, @lucasmthomas.

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What do we think?

The new Tomb Raider is out March 5, 2013.

Daemon is IGN's Senior Editor and Host. You should probably follow him on Twitter @DaemZero.

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