Bethesda developers report shift toward recurring layoffs under Microsoft

Bethesda Game Studios employees have spoken out regarding the shift in corporate culture following the studio's acquisition by Microsoft. Lead Character Artist Alex Nguyen and Technical Producer Nathan Hahn noted that under previous ownership by ZeniMax, layoffs were rare and were not the primary response to project difficulties.

Nguyen highlighted that even after problematic launches such as ‘Fallout 76’ and ‘The Elder Scrolls Online’, ZeniMax typically provided teams with the necessary time to repair and improve their games rather than resorting to job cuts. This stability was cited as a key factor in long-term employee loyalty.

In contrast, the developers described a new environment under Microsoft characterized by recurring layoffs. Hahn emphasized that these cuts present a significant risk to game quality and institutional knowledge, noting that losing experienced staff forces remaining employees to spend time rebuilding expertise that was previously lost.