Multiple outlets report that Xbox’s recent layoffs are disrupting development at Bethesda Game Studios and raising concerns about The Elder Scrolls 6. Citing anonymous Bethesda employees speaking to IGN, the reports say more than 50 people working on the RPG have been laid off, with impacts across “every discipline,” including programmers, artists, and designers. Staff describe morale at the studio as severely damaged, using phrases such as “crushing effect on morale” and “shattered.” Several sources also say employees fear the cuts could extend the timeline for The Elder Scrolls 6. The concern is that the project may lose experienced staff mid-development and that any replacement hiring could involve onboarding new hires or cheaper contracted labor, slowing progress and potentially requiring additional crunch to catch up.
The articles also note that The Elder Scrolls 6 has been in development for years since its 2018 announcement, with some previous reporting placing the game a couple of years away from release. Overall, the outlets present the layoffs as a broader staffing and organizational shock that affects not only morale but also expectations for future scheduling at Bethesda.
