Bethesda, id Software reportedly hit hard by Microsoft layoffs
Ars Technica • • technology
Key Points:
- Microsoft announced 3,200 layoffs across its Xbox division, with significant cuts reported at game developers id Software and Bethesda, including about 90 employees at id and substantial reductions at Bethesda Studios.
- Approximately half of id Software’s team, including most coders, were laid off, prompting concern from industry veterans like co-founder John Romero and programmer Michael Maynard, who lamented the impact on the studio’s legacy.
- Bethesda President Jill Braff expressed gratitude to affected employees and indicated the studio will shift focus to its strongest franchises, potentially impacting newer projects like Starfield and The Elder Scrolls Online, which reportedly lost up to half of its developers.
- Microsoft plans additional layoffs of 1,600 employees throughout the fiscal year beyond the initial 1,600 cuts, contributing to uncertainty among remaining staff at Bethesda and other studios.
