Staff at Obsidian Leisure are reportedly involved concerning the studio’s future tasks after it was hit laborious by Microsoft’s Xbox layoffs.
Yesterday, Microsoft gaming boss Asha Sharma introduced probably the most “important” restructure in Xbox historical past, with 1,600 employees let go instantly, and one other 1,600 employees to comply with over the course of the present monetary yr. As half of the restructure, 4 studios are leaving Xbox to new administration, and one is now in session over its future.
In accordance to Kotaku, round 60-70 folks have been reduce from Obsidian, which is the first-person role-playing recreation specialist behind Avowed, The Outer Worlds, Grounded, Pentiment, and, most famously, Fallout: New Vegas. Some of the employees who’re leaving have been Obsidian veterans.
Kotaku quotes one one that stated they have been uncertain how Obsidian’s “large listing of tasks” might proceed following the cuts to the enterprise. Obsidian has but to announce a new recreation following the industrial failure of each Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2, however it’s persevering with to work on early entry recreation Grounded 2 and The Outer Worlds 2 DLC.
Might Obsidian be put to work on a model new Fallout or The Elder Scrolls recreation, or assist the event of new video games made primarily elsewhere? Sharma has made it clear that Xbox needs to double down on its greatest franchises. Bethesda boss Jill Braff has informed employees a lot the identical.
How do you rank Obsidian’s video games?
How do you rank Obsidian’s video games?
With out naming video games, Braff stated “to finest place Bethesda for future development, we’re shifting from a planning mannequin primarily centered on what’s subsequent for every unbiased studio to one which focuses on our strongest franchises and figuring out the content material roadmap that finest serves our gamers and Bethesda as a complete.”
“From there, we’ll align the precise expertise, expertise, and assets throughout the group to ship on these priorities,” Braff added. Might Obsidian be roped in to assist out?
Might Microsoft give Obsidian the order to make Fallout: New Vegas 2? “I do know everybody on the web, on each recreation we ever announce, will consistently reference again to, ‘When’s the following New Vegas?'” Obsidian’s VP of operations Marcus Morgan stated final yr, referencing the studio’s beloved Fallout recreation that is served because the inspiration for the hit Amazon TV collection’ second season setting.
There are additionally query marks over the thriller undertaking Tim Cain, one of the creators of the unique Fallout online game, rejoined Obsidian to work on in December 2025. Sharma has indicated that “none of our first social gathering publicly introduced video games or tasks are being cancelled as half of these reductions.” Cain’s undertaking stays unannounced.
Wesley is Director, Information at IGN. Discover him on Twitter at @wyp100. You’ll be able to attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.