Bethesda Says Layoffs Won't Affect The Elder Scrolls VI Development
Bethesda's public reassurance that layoffs won't delay The Elder Scrolls VI is notable because the studio simultaneously faces criticism over its handling of severance for laid-off staff, creating a tension between its long-term project promises and short-term labor relations.
Key Facts
- Bethesda stated in a July 23 video responding to YouTuber MrMattyPlays that layoffs will not affect The Elder Scrolls VI's development roadmap.
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is scheduled for release on Nintendo Switch 2 on August 12.
- Bethesda said it intends to reflect optimizations from the Switch 2 version of Oblivion Remastered onto console and PC versions.
- The release date for The Elder Scrolls VI remains undecided.
Reporting from 2 sources: GameBusiness.jp, Game Spark.
Bethesda Game Studios has stated that recent large-scale layoffs will not affect the development roadmap for The Elder Scrolls VI. The company responded to questions from YouTuber MrMattyPlays in a video published July 23. When asked whether the layoffs would delay the game, Bethesda asserted that the roadmap will not be affected. The studio also commented on The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, which is set to release on Nintendo Switch 2 on August 12. Bethesda said the development team is currently focused on the Switch 2 release but intends to reflect optimizations gained from that version onto console and PC versions. The release date for The Elder Scrolls VI remains undecided. The layoffs, part of broader cuts in Microsoft's Xbox division, drew criticism after reports that Bethesda informed affected employees they would receive only the legally minimum severance without union negotiation. A Canadian employee reportedly received a termination notice with a different explanation than initially given.
Bethesda Game Studios responded to questions from YouTuber MrMattyPlays in a video released July 23, addressing concerns about the impact of recent layoffs on The Elder Scrolls VI. The studio stated that the development roadmap for the game will not be affected. The Elder Scrolls VI does not yet have a release date. Separately, Bethesda commented on The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, which launches on Nintendo Switch 2 on August 12. While the team is currently focused on that release, the studio said it plans to carry optimizations from the Switch 2 version over to console and PC versions. The layoffs, part of broader cuts in Microsoft's Xbox division, drew criticism after reports that Bethesda informed affected employees they would receive only the legally minimum severance without negotiating with the union. A Canadian employee reportedly received a termination notice with a different explanation than initially given. The company has been releasing information on new entries in series like Fallout 5 alongside The Elder Scrolls VI, which some observers saw as an effort to dispel concerns about the studio's direction.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.