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Bethesda President Addresses Obsidian Amid Questions About Whether It Will Be Demoted To A Support Studio
Kotaku • • technology
Key Points:
- Obsidian Entertainment has been reassigned under Bethesda within Xbox’s organizational structure, raising questions about its future creative independence.
- Jill Braff, Microsoft’s president of Bethesda and Casual Games, emphasized that Obsidian’s distinct creative identity will remain intact, with the studio continuing to be led by CEO Feargus Urquhart.
- Bethesda Game Studios will continue to lead the Fallout franchise, with Obsidian collaborating on upcoming projects under a “franchise-led model” focused on established IPs like Fallout and The Elder Scrolls.
- This shift reflects Xbox’s new strategy under CEO Asha Sharma to prioritize major franchises over original titles, contrasting with previous hands-off approaches that allowed studios more creative freedom.
- The restructuring, which included layoffs at Obsidian, aligns Xbox’s approach more closely with models used by companies like Activision Blizzard, where studios focus on franchise-driven development potentially at the expense of unique studio identities.
