A recent report has revealed a worrying development in Xbox’s ongoing restructuring of Bethesda assets. During a town hall meeting, employees of ZeniMax Online Studios, which maintains The Elder Scrolls Online, were offered voluntary severance packages.
The Bethesda gaming community was rocked by the news that Xbox had decided to shut down the studios behind Mighty DOOM, Hi-Fi Rush, and Redfall as part of its ongoing restructuring efforts. This decision, which also involves the dissolution of Roundhouse Games, has significant implications for the future of these games and their dedicated fan base.
Despite this, even ZeniMax Online Studios is unsafe from ongoing reprioritization.
This is because some employees of ZeniMax have reportedly been offered voluntary severance packages, which means they’re being asked to leave the studio with pay. The offer was extended to “producers, quality assurance testers, and other staff.
ZeniMax top executive Jill Braff also said during a town hall meeting, which Xbox Gaming Studios chief Matt Booty attended, that she hopes the restructuring will enable them to focus on fewer products. This may imply that some games handled by ZeniMax will also get the axe.
With this latest development, the future of Bethesda's top-producing games, including The Elder Scrolls Online, remains uncertain. The game, currently celebrating its 10th anniversary, may be at risk of an early end to its planned events.
That could be perplexing as The Elder Scrolls Online appears to have a thriving game community currently engaged in public testing the upcoming Gold Road chapter. However, even 3 million players in March 2023 and a win at The Games Awards didn’t stop Xbox from slamming the lid on Hi-Fi Rush.
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