ZeniMax Studios Hit by Significant Xbox Layoffs
ZeniMax Media is undergoing substantial staff reductions across its studios. ZeniMax Online Studios, developer of Elder Scrolls Online, has reportedly lost half its content team. While Bethesda is said to be stable, other ZeniMax divisions face deep cuts.
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The Elder Scrolls Online's developer deserved better than to get sucker-punched by Microsoft twice in two yearsMicrosoft's recent layoffs at ZeniMax Online Studios, impacting an estimated 60% of the workforce, are criticized as cruel and short-sighted. Despite The Elder Scrolls Online's profitability and a recent positive shift in player sentiment and development strategy, the studio has faced significant workforce reductions, including the cancellation of the long-in-development Project Blackbird. This analysis argues that these cuts jeopardize the future of the MMO and the Elder Scrolls franchise's presence in the gaming landscape.
Microsoft filing shows total ZeniMax layoffs at 379, with over half coming from Elder Scrolls Online studio that's lost at least 60% of its staff in the past yearMicrosoft's acquisition of ZeniMax Media has resulted in significant layoffs, with a total of 379 employees affected across ZeniMax Online Studios and ZeniMax Media. ZeniMax Online Studios, the developer of The Elder Scrolls Online, has seen over half of its staff depart in the past year, reducing its workforce to approximately 40% of its previous size despite the game's consistent revenue.
Xbox had laid off 379 Zenimax workers in MarylandMicrosoft's Xbox division has laid off 379 employees across ZeniMax Media Inc. and ZeniMax Online Studios in Maryland. The cuts, effective September 4, 2026, impact 213 workers at The Elder Scrolls Online developer and 166 at ZeniMax Media Inc. This follows a broader trend of job reductions at Xbox, with a total of 3,200 roles being cut across the division.
The Elder Scrolls Online Studio Layoffs Affect 213 EmployeesZeniMax Online Studios has laid off 213 employees, a significant portion of its workforce, following Microsoft's broader layoffs impacting Xbox. This reduction has led to a shift in the content roadmap for the MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online. Former employees expressed disappointment and concern over the impact on the game's development and the team's well-being.
Former Elder Scrolls Online designer laments the destruction of layoffs: 'There’s really no one left and no…A former content designer for The Elder Scrolls Online, Andrew Young, expressed anger and sadness over recent layoffs at ZeniMax Online Studios, which reportedly cut the team in half. Young lamented the loss of dedicated staff and the impact on the game's future development, noting that key figures like game director Matt Firor had previously departed due to earlier Microsoft layoffs. Community manager Jessica Folsom confirmed that roadmaps would be shifting due to the cuts.
Elder Scrolls Online developer left reeling by Xbox layoffs—with teams gutted, senior talent gone, and roadmaps…ZeniMax Online Studios, the developer of Elder Scrolls Online, has been significantly impacted by recent Xbox layoffs, with reports indicating that half of the active content development team has been let go. This follows a previous round of job losses at the studio in 2025 and raises concerns about the future of the game's roadmap and development.
DOOM, The Elder Scrolls Online Studios “Cutting a Significant Number of Staff” – RumorReports indicate that id Software and ZeniMax Online Studios, both part of ZeniMax Media, are experiencing significant layoffs. While these studios are not closing, a substantial number of staff are being let go. This news follows broader layoffs at Xbox and impacts studios responsible for franchises like DOOM and The Elder Scrolls Online.
Elder Scrolls and Fallout developer Bethesda "will be fine" as "they make all the money," but layoffs for the rest of ZeniMax "have begun," Duke Nukem co-creator saysGeorge Broussard, co-creator of Duke Nukem, has confirmed that layoffs have begun at ZeniMax Media, the parent company of Bethesda Game Studios. While Bethesda is reportedly unaffected due to its profitability, other studios under ZeniMax may face deeper cuts. Broussard attributes these issues partly to mismanagement and recent changes within Microsoft's Xbox division.