After the recent brutal layoffs by Microsoft that have impacted around 9000 employees across various subsidiaries and branches, Romera Games, which is a small studio founded in 2015, have reported that Bethesda Softworks has also cancelled funding for an unannounced title. It’s also revealed that several other studios who were developing games that haven’t been announced yet, have had their funding cut off by Bethesda.
Romero Games posted the following on their social media account:
“We have some difficult news to share. Last night, we learned that our publisher has canceled funding for our game along with several other unannounced projects at other studios. This was a strategic decision made at a high level within the publisher, well above our visibility or control. We deeply wish there had been something, anything, we could have done to prevent this outcome.
This absolutely isn’t a reflection of our team’s work, performance, or the quality of the project itself. We hit every milestone on time, every time, consistently received high praise, and easily passed all our internal gates. We are incredibly proud of the work being done, and of the talented team behind it. The best we’ve worked with.
We’re currently evaluating next steps and working quickly to support our team. Many of us have worked together for more than a decade, some for over 20 years. It’s an extremely difficult day, and we’re heartbroken that it’s come to this. If you know of any opportunities or ways you can help our incredible team, please reach out. Thank you to everyone who’s offered support and kindness and encouragment during this difficult time.”
The massive wave of layoffs by Microsoft has been both tragic and devastating for many studios, including highly acclaimed ones like Turn 10 who are the developers for Forza Motorsport, the flagship and long running sim racing series for the Xbox platform. Forza Motorsport’s future is also currently in doubt with most of the studio gone and the remaining few devs focused solely on it’s Open World Spinoff the Forza Horizon series of games.
