{"id":11614,"date":"2026-07-11T01:16:23","date_gmt":"2026-07-10T22:16:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/?p=11614"},"modified":"2026-07-11T03:24:58","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T23:54:58","slug":"fallout-5-the-elder-scrolls-6-blade-and-more-as-xbox-layoffs-hit-hard-whats-going-on-at-bethesda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/2026\/07\/11\/fallout-5-the-elder-scrolls-6-blade-and-more-as-xbox-layoffs-hit-hard-whats-going-on-at-bethesda\/","title":{"rendered":"Fallout 5, The Elder Scrolls 6, Blade, and More: As Xbox Layoffs Hit Hard, What&#8217;s Going on at Bethesda"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Bethesda was hit hard by this week\u2019s Xbox layoffs, with cuts to The Elder Scrolls and Fallout developer Bethesda Game Studios, Doom developer id Software, and The Elder Scrolls Online developer ZeniMax Online Studios, among other parts of the business.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">A Maryland WARN Act notice shows 213 employees were laid off from ZOS&#8217;s office in Cockeysville, MD, and 166 from ZeniMax Media Inc. in Rockville, MD, for a total of 379. 96 staff who worked at id Software&#8217;s office in Richardson, Texas, were cut, alongside a further 40 remote roles. While it\u2019s difficult to pin down exactly what the affected staff were working on at these studios because there are blended teams across Bethesda locations, the WARN numbers undoubtedly make for difficult reading.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">The restructure at Xbox \u2014 1,600 staff lost their jobs on Monday, with another 1,600 to go over the course of the next 12 months \u2014 has called into question the future of not just the studios Microsoft has on its books, but the quality of the games it\u2019s working on. New Xbox CEO Asha Sharma\u2019s strategy is clear: studios will collaborate more closely from now on, with a focus on bigger franchises such as Halo, Minecraft, Candy Crush, Fallout, and The Elder Scrolls. As revealed by IGN this week, in an email to Bethesda staff sent following Sharma&#8217;s memo on Monday, Bethesda boss Jill Braff said the layoffs and change in strategy \u201creflect the realities of our industry and business \u2013 and our responsibility to ensure Bethesda is operating from a more stable foundation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><span data-cy=\"slideshow-view-trigger\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-preview\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 slideshow-preview\">\n<h3 class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-1085005187\" data-cy=\"slideshow-preview-title\">The 100 Best Xbox Games of All Time<\/h3>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-container\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 images-container\"><button type=\"button\" data-cy=\"hero-image\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 hero-image\">&lt;img alt=&quot;What is an Xbox? Microsoft has spent 25 years trying to answer the question, but for fans, the answer is easy: \u201cXbox\u201d evokes one-eared headsets wired into the memory card slots of massive controllers with breakaway cords. A dashboard with gleaming skeuomorphic blades and avatars adorned in earned accessories. That sound that plays when a hard-earned Achievement finally pops. \u201cXbox\u201d means heavy-duty hardware. Tactile sensations. Friends connecting for the first time. And that\u2019s before we even get to the games.<\/p>\n<p>It may be that the very idea of an Xbox game is coming to an end. Microsoft has undeniably shifted its tactics, with a new focus on multi-platform releases, handheld Xboxes that are actually miniature Windows computers, and the potential that future Xbox consoles may simply be gaming PCs. So now seems as good a time as any to look back at the entire history of Microsoft\u2019s console journey and rank the best Xbox games, with help from our friends at Outside Xbox, the multimillion-subscriber channel that serves up weekly videos about video games and video game-adjacent things<\/p>\n<p>When we say \u201cthe best Xbox games,\u201d we mean the ones that most evoke that weighty sense of \u201cXboxness.\u201d Some are first-party, most are exclusives, and all of them are indelibly tied to the legacy of and fondness for a platform that\u2019s left a massive mark on gaming. These are the 100 Best Xbox Games of All Time. We&#8217;ll be updating this list daily with 25 games at 7am PST\/10am ET\/3pm GMT from Tuesday, 20th January to Friday, 23rd January, until number one is revealed.<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; decoding=&#8221;async&#8221; class=&#8221;progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity&#8221; loading=&#8221;lazy&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/fallout-5-the-elder-scrolls-6-blade-and-more-as-xbox-layoffs-hit-hard-whats-going-on-at-bethesda.gif&#8221; data-cy=&#8221;progressive-image&#8221;&gt;<span class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button button--primary jsx-3381835873 jsx-4266531355 row-pagination-button next contained centered round large\" data-cy=\"paginate next\" title=\"Open Slideshow\"><span class=\"ign-icon right-chevron jsx-2750866048 jsx-2919720488\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"right-chevron\"><\/span><\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">&#8220;To be successful in the future, we need to change course,\u201d Braff continued. \u201cWe must strengthen our business, return to sustainable growth, and ensure we can continue investing in our franchises and our players. I know that doesn&#8217;t make a day like today any easier.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">But what does that actually mean for Bethesda going forward? Without naming games, Braff said \u201cto best position Bethesda for future growth, we are shifting from a planning model primarily centered on what&#8217;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.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">\u201cFrom there, we\u2019ll align the right talent, technology, and resources across the organization to deliver on those priorities,\u201d Braff added.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">While Xbox sorts its new strategy out, remaining staff are left to wonder if they will be next as part of future rounds of layoffs. After all, Microsoft still has over 1,000 Xbox staff to cut before the end of its financial year. It is an anxious time across Xbox, as it is across the wider video game industry.<\/p>\n<h2 data-cy=\"title2\" class=\"title2 jsx-1903782357 jsx-3735650234\">The Elder Scrolls 6 \u2014 what\u2019s happening with it?<\/h2>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">This week, IGN reported on concern expressed by staff at BGS that the Xbox layoffs would have a &#8220;substantial and cascading effect&#8221; on the development of The Elder Scrolls 6. Morale took a hit, we heard, and there were fears of future development crunch. The Elder Scrolls 6 is reportedly at least two more years away from release, despite being announced in 2018, and there are fears it could even be delayed.<\/p>\n<p><span data-cy=\"faceoff-view-trigger\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">&#8220;There is a fear that we are going to be replaced by cheaper, contracted labor, or we will hire folks to replace them that will need to be onboarded (our tools are proprietary, other devs aren&#8217;t going to know how they work) resulting in more delays, and we&#8217;ll need to crunch to make up the time,&#8221; one Bethesda developer told IGN.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">&#8220;We&#8217;ve all been very excited and hyped for TES 6 and this has had a crushing effect on morale,&#8221; said another staff member. &#8220;We were already running a tight ship and are worried about this delaying the game (though a final release date was not yet chosen as far as we know).&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Meanwhile, the BGS union, OneBGS, plans to march outside the studio\u2019s four offices (Rockville, Austin, Dallas, and Montreal) on July 15. In a note sent to IGN, the union said 35 positions at BGS were cut in the U.S. and at least 12 more in Montreal, Canada.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">\u201cMicrosoft and BGS are trying to frame these 35 cuts as an \u2018entrepreneurial change in the scope of business,\u2019 claiming they are transitioning from a \u2018studio-based business model to a franchise-based model\u2019 to dodge their legal obligation to bargain the decision with us,\u201d the union alleged. \u201cWe completely reject this corporate wordplay. Changing a title on a PowerPoint slide does not erase our legal right to a say in our working conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><span data-cy=\"tierlist-view-trigger\"><\/p>\n<section class=\"box-wrapper jsx-2673806401\" id=\"xbox-games-series-tier-list\" data-cy=\"xbox-games-series-tier-list\">\n<div class=\"card jsx-1339469126 jsx-1355461925 box jsx-2627838217\"><span class=\"stack jsx-3547261442 jsx-2986308351\"><span class=\"stack jsx-2959124702 jsx-4269505506 TierListHeader_header__xyy5a\"><span class=\"stack jsx-3647836811 jsx-4269505506 TierListHeader_title__UxzQx\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"ign-icon icon-tier-list jsx-2750866048 jsx-1879929830\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"false\" data-cy=\"icon-tier-list\" alt=\"Tier List\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/TierList.c19f1c86.svg?cors=0\"><\/p>\n<h3 data-cy=\"title3\" class=\"title3 jsx-12333944 jsx-2321054750 TierListHeader_full__J6p2u\">Xbox Games Series Tier List<\/h3>\n<h3 class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-957202555 TierListHeader_compact__7JWp1 balanced\">Xbox Games Series Tier List<\/h3>\n<p><\/span><\/span><span class=\"stack jsx-3547261442\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">As OneBGS sets out to apply pressure on Microsoft to negotiate how these layoffs will impact staff, work on games continues, even under such difficult circumstances. A source familiar with Bethesda\u2019s restructure expressed confidence in BGS\u2019 continued ability to develop The Elder Scrolls 6, and insisted the studio&#8217;s plans and ambitions for the hotly anticipated RPG remained the same, despite the layoffs. <\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Anything can \u2014 and usually does \u2014 change during video game development, so it\u2019s impossible to say now if The Elder Scrolls 6 will suffer a delay, either internally or publically. But as it stands, the game is said to be on track, even if being on track means it\u2019s two years away from release.<\/p>\n<h2 data-cy=\"title2\" class=\"title2 jsx-1903782357 jsx-3735650234\">Fallout 5, Fallout 76, Fallout Shelter, and a Fallout game from Obsidian, with more Fallout to come<\/h2>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Bloomberg has reported that Fallout: New Vegas developer Obsidian Entertainment is now working on a new Fallout game having suffered from the Xbox layoffs itself. Bethesda is said to be working to support Obsidian on development of this Fallout game. It is a clear signal of intent: Sharma wants Bethesda to do more Fallout more quickly.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">A source familiar with the plans told IGN that there are several Fallout projects in development across Bethesda and its partners, including Fallout 5. It feels ridiculous to consider Fallout 5 right now, but Bethesda development chief Todd Howard has spoken openly about it coming after The Elder Scrolls 6, and has confirmed that it will take into account the canon events of the Fallout TV series. The intention is very much for Fallout 5 to be released, eventually.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">The \u201clive\u201d Fallout project is Fallout 76, which IGN understands remains a significant operation, and there are no changes to that development team\u2019s plans as of yet. A source said Fallout 76 still has hundreds of developers working on it, and the multiplayer game retains millions of players.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Meanwhile, Fallout Shelter is alive and kicking. And of course, Amazon\u2019s Fallout TV show continues, with Season 3 filming now. The existence of a Fallout 3 remaster is an open secret at this point.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Sharma\u2019s new drive for collaboration across Xbox studios on its biggest franchises applies to Fallout, as you&#8217;d expect, and the Obsidian Fallout game is a part of that. And there is a lot more Fallout coming from BGS, too. The question is, how fast can new Fallout projects be turned around?<\/p>\n<h2 data-cy=\"title2\" class=\"title2 jsx-1903782357 jsx-3735650234\">Concern over The Elder Scrolls Online<\/h2>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">One game that has undoubtedly been impacted by the Xbox layoffs is The Elder Scrolls Online, whose development roadmap was forced to change as a result. It\u2019s unclear exactly how many staff directly working on ESO were cut, but there is justifiable concern about the fate of those who remain, as well as the game itself.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">A source familiar with the situation at the studio told IGN that ZOS is supporting the new season model for ESO while also looking for ways to collaborate more closely with BGS to support the Elder Scrolls franchise as a whole, which sounds to me like helping get The Elder Scrolls 6 out the door.<\/p>\n<h2 data-cy=\"title2\" class=\"title2 jsx-1903782357 jsx-3735650234\">What next for Starfield?<\/h2>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Following the announcement of the Xbox layoffs, fans were quick to point out that Starfield was absent from Bethesda&#8217;s priority list. Starfield largely failed to meet fan expectations upon its 2023 launch, and subsequent updates and expansions haven&#8217;t really moved the needle. Still, some of the game&#8217;s more hardcore fans had hoped that Starfield would go on to at least get more expansions, and maybe even a sequel, establishing itself as Bethesda&#8217;s third franchise. Sources told IGN that there are no changes to the current Starfield roadmap, and the team is still working on updates and content. What that means exactly, remains unclear. A Nintendo Switch 2 version is reportedly in the works.<\/p>\n<h2 data-cy=\"title2\" class=\"title2 jsx-1903782357 jsx-3735650234\">Hope for Arkane and Marvel\u2019s Blade to survive<\/h2>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Microsoft has said Arkane Lyon studio management had begun a consultation with the Works Council in France to &#8220;review potential strategic options.\u201d Le Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Vid\u00e9o (STJV), the French non-representative independent video game workers union, told IGN it was waiting for an internal meeting between studio leadership and worker representatives to learn more.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">The situation with Arkane Lyon, developer of Deathloop, could drag on for some time, leaving staff facing an anxious wait to discover their fate. But the hope is the studio will eventually find a buyer, as Hellblade developer Ninja Theory and State of Decay developer Undead Labs have done, and that Blade will see the light of day.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">IGN understands that prior to this week&#8217;s layoffs, Blade was on track for a reveal early next year and a release Q4 2027. IGN has asked Marvel Games for comment but it has yet to respond.<\/p>\n<h2 data-cy=\"title2\" class=\"title2 jsx-1903782357 jsx-3735650234\">id Software hopes to make great games again<\/h2>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Today, Doom developer id Software issued a statement responding to the layoffs, saying it was now at the staffing level it had back when it made the much-loved 2016 Doom reboot. It also insisted it was still capable of making \u201cgreat games,\u201d and pushed back on the suggestion that there\u2019s essentially no-one left at the company working on id Tech, the game engine it and fellow Bethesda-owned studio MachineGames uses to build their games. Xbox confirmed to IGN that &#8220;there are dozens of people working on id Tech across multiple locations,&#8221; and that previous reports that there was only one person left in Texas are &#8220;inaccurate.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Here\u2019s the statement in full, posted to id Software&#8217;s X \/ Twitter page:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Thank you all for the support this week.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>While our studio was impacted, those changes were spread across teams. We still have the crew we need to build the games and tech we&#8217;re known for. The team today is about the same size we were when making Doom 2016. We have always had a flat studio where everyone is a maker, and we will remain true to that philosophy moving forward.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>We are focused on supporting each other and the team members impacted. We&#8217;re going to keep building the great games and tech that have defined us for the past 35 years, and we&#8217;re looking forward to seeing you at QuakeCon this August.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">While id Software currently has no announced project following the release of Doom: The Dark Ages and its DLC, IGN understands that the studio is prototyping a number of potential projects, with the belief it is still capable of building its own games. According to GamesBeat, id was formulating new game ideas, such as a John Wick-style original IP, a new Perfect Dark game, and a multiplayer \/ co-op Doom game, before the layoffs hit.<\/p>\n<h2 data-cy=\"title2\" class=\"title2 jsx-1903782357 jsx-3735650234\">MachineGames safe for now<\/h2>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">MachineGames was unaffected by this week\u2019s layoffs, with Wolfenstein 3 in the works. But as a European studio (it\u2019s based in Sweden), it may face cuts further down the line, cuts that would have to abide by local labor law, leaving staff looking over their shoulder even as they build a new shooter. A sequel to the well-received Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, however, remains up in the air, despite it setting up another entry.<\/p>\n<h2 data-cy=\"title2\" class=\"title2 jsx-1903782357 jsx-3735650234\">Big questions remain for Bethesda, and for Xbox<\/h2>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Xbox staff have been on the receiving end of a bloodbath this week. By Asha Sharma\u2019s admission, it is \u201cthe most significant restructure in Xbox history.\u201d Microsoft\u2019s gaming business faces profound questions it must answer over the next few years, not just on its ability to grow profit, as Sharma has said Xbox must, but on its ability to make hit games and grow Game Pass. Some are speculating that Microsoft could sell Xbox off, spin it off as a wholly-owned subsidiary, partner with another company to run it as a join venture, or sell parts of the business to the highest bidders. Then there\u2019s the hardware \u201ccrisis,\u201d which could see the next-gen Xbox, codenamed Project Helix, cost north of $1,000.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Could The Elder Scrolls 6 launch alongside it?<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><em>Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"media_block\"><a href=\"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/fallout-5-the-elder-scrolls-6-blade-and-more-as-xbox-layoffs-hit-hard-whats-going-on-at-bethesda.webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/fallout-5-the-elder-scrolls-6-blade-and-more-as-xbox-layoffs-hit-hard-whats-going-on-at-bethesda.webp\" class=\"media_thumbnail\"><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"media_block\"><a href=\"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/fallout-5-the-elder-scrolls-6-blade-and-more-as-xbox-layoffs-hit-hard-whats-going-on-at-bethesda.webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/fallout-5-the-elder-scrolls-6-blade-and-more-as-xbox-layoffs-hit-hard-whats-going-on-at-bethesda.webp\" class=\"media_thumbnail\"><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11615,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[50],"class_list":["post-11614","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-49","tag-50"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11614","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11614"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11614\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11616,"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11614\/revisions\/11616"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11615"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11614"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11614"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11614"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}