Xbox is undergoing a significant restructuring, with 3,200 people being laid off across Activision, Bethesda and ZeniMax, Blizzard, and Xbox Game Studios. Recently, there were reports that studios within Bethesda’s organization, including id Software and ZeniMax Online Studios, would not be closed entirely, but would face cuts involving a “significant number of staff,” and now, there are more details about it.
As reported by Game Developer, about 50% of workers have been let go, which allegedly amounts to over 90 positions. A source claims that the QA department lost a major part of its team.
In an internal email referenced by IGN, Bethesda boss Jill Braff said that the new strategy will be focusing on key franchises: “to best position Bethesda for future growth, we are shifting from a planning model primarily centered on what’s next for each independent studio to one that focuses on our strongest franchises and determining the content roadmap that best serves our players and Bethesda as a whole.”