Bethesda Dev Says Cuts Were Rare Before Xbox Took Over: 'All Of A Sudden We Have Yearly Layoffs'

Key Points:

• Xbox game developers, supported by the One Bethesda Game Studio union and the Communication Workers of America, are holding Save Our Devs rallies in nine cities and online to protest widespread layoffs at Microsoft and demand better treatment for remaining workers.
• The layoffs have affected 1,600 employees so far, with similar cuts planned before mid-next year, creating a culture of frequent and seemingly unavoidable job losses since Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda.
• Former Bethesda employees note that layoffs were rare under Zenimax ownership, and the current frequent layoffs harm both employee morale and the quality of games due to loss of experienced staff and institutional knowledge.
• Developers criticize Microsoft for ignoring a union proposal submitted in February to negotiate fair layoff terms, with layoffs proceeding without company response and impacting frontline workers rather than just middle management.
• The rallies aim to raise awareness about the ongoing layoffs, support affected workers, and challenge misconceptions about who is being laid off within Xbox studios.