July 7, 2026 13:28
Blow to DOOM and The Elder Scrolls Online: Microsoft cuts id Software and ZeniMax Online by 50% Microsoft has
Blow to DOOM and The Elder Scrolls Online: Microsoft cuts id Software and ZeniMax Online by 50%
Microsoft has made significant changes at the Bethesda publishing house, cutting staff from a number of flagship studios.The division should focus on developing the Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, DOOM, Quake and Wolfenstein franchises.Information about layoffs comes from the social networks of the victims.
According to Bloomberg, the id Software studio was cut by 50% - that's about 95 specialists, including veterans.In particular, artist Colin Geller, programmer Dustin Land, and legendary public relations coordinator Adam Pyle (SyncError), who was responsible for Quake, lost their jobs.
The last major release from id Software was the shooter DOOM: The Dark Ages, released last year, which performed worse in sales than previous installments.However, it will receive the story expansion Revelations later this year.
Things are no better in the ZeniMax Online studio.The team also lost about 50% of its staff.
ZeniMax Online has been in crisis since 2025.According to management's plan, the studio gradually transferred resources from supporting the gradually obsolete The Elder Scrolls Online to developing a new cyberpunk MMO codenamed Project Blackbird.
According to media reports, the old management of Microsoft Gaming, represented by Phil Spencer, was very pleased with the progress made, but as a result, production was suddenly curtailed.The reason is that the company considered the costs of launching a new MMO to be excessive and high-risk.
As a result, ZeniMax Online lost a significant portion of its employees, including key developers and leaders.The current wave of layoffs will only make things worse, as staff losses will negatively impact support for The Elder Scrolls Online.
ZeniMax Online has already warned that they will be forced to reconsider the MMO development strategy.This applies to both the release of content and the implementation of elements promised to the community.
@gm_galactic #Xbox #game #Strategy #shooter
Microsoft has made significant changes at the Bethesda publishing house, cutting staff from a number of flagship studios.The division should focus on developing the Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, DOOM, Quake and Wolfenstein franchises.Information about layoffs comes from the social networks of the victims.
According to Bloomberg, the id Software studio was cut by 50% - that's about 95 specialists, including veterans.In particular, artist Colin Geller, programmer Dustin Land, and legendary public relations coordinator Adam Pyle (SyncError), who was responsible for Quake, lost their jobs.
The last major release from id Software was the shooter DOOM: The Dark Ages, released last year, which performed worse in sales than previous installments.However, it will receive the story expansion Revelations later this year.
Things are no better in the ZeniMax Online studio.The team also lost about 50% of its staff.
ZeniMax Online has been in crisis since 2025.According to management's plan, the studio gradually transferred resources from supporting the gradually obsolete The Elder Scrolls Online to developing a new cyberpunk MMO codenamed Project Blackbird.
According to media reports, the old management of Microsoft Gaming, represented by Phil Spencer, was very pleased with the progress made, but as a result, production was suddenly curtailed.The reason is that the company considered the costs of launching a new MMO to be excessive and high-risk.
As a result, ZeniMax Online lost a significant portion of its employees, including key developers and leaders.The current wave of layoffs will only make things worse, as staff losses will negatively impact support for The Elder Scrolls Online.
ZeniMax Online has already warned that they will be forced to reconsider the MMO development strategy.This applies to both the release of content and the implementation of elements promised to the community.
@gm_galactic #Xbox #game #Strategy #shooter