Microsoft announced devastating cuts to several Bethesda studios, including Arkane Austin, Hi-Fi Rush, Tango Gameworks, and Alpha Dog Games. Layoffs are inevitable, though the tech giant did not specify how many staff will be losing their jobs.
Fortunately, studios such as Doom developer id Software, Bethesda Game Studios, Machine Games, and Arkane Lyon (working on Marvel’s Blade) will not be affected by the cuts. However, this news comes as a blow to fans eagerly awaiting updates for Redfall, a vampire co-op game, as all development on the game has been halted.
Microsoft attributed the cuts to a “reprioritization of titles and resources,” according to an email from head of Xbox Game Studios Matt Booty. This decision has not been well-received, with Arkane Lyon chief Dinga Bakaba expressing disappointment, calling the cuts “absolutely terrible.”
These layoffs are part of a larger trend sweeping the video game industry, with high-profile studios cutting staff or shutting down. Estimates suggest over 10,000 workers were laid off in the industry last year, with one-third of game developers directly impacted by layoffs.
As the gaming community absorbs the news of these cuts, many are left wondering what the future holds for these talented developers and the projects they were working on. The impact of these layoffs will surely ripple throughout the industry, highlighting the precarious nature of employment in the world of game development.
“Social media scholar. Reader. Zombieaholic. Hardcore music maven. Web fanatic. Coffee practitioner. Explorer.”