One of the biggest shakeups that took place in the recent round of layoffs at Xbox which has resulted in a total of 268 employees being let go from the company, is developer Obsidian Entertainment, the studio behind titles like Outer Worlds, Grounded, and Avowed, will now operate under Bethesda Game Studios. As Obsidian has previously made Fallout: New Vegas and is currently working on a new game set in the same Universe, it makes sense for the studio to now be a part of Bethesda.
However, in a recent memo sent to all staff, Bethesda boss Jill Braff has emphasized that despite the merger, Obsidian as a studio will continue to retain it’s unique creative identity and it’s current leadership will remain unchanged as well.
“The creative identity and strengths that make Obsidian distinct will remain at the core of their studio and work,” Braff stated in the email. “[CEO] Feargus [Urquhart] and the Obsidian leadership team will continue to lead Obsidian, with the studio reporting to me. Bethesda Game Studios will continue to lead the Fallout franchise.
“Together, the teams will build on their longstanding relationship and the early work already underway on a new Fallout project, with more to share in the months ahead. This structure supports the franchise-led model we’ve been strengthening while keeping accountability for both the studio and the franchise clear.”
He also made it clear that there won’t be any change or adjustments to the current roadmap for Obsidian which means they can continue their current development projects just as they had planned previously.
“I also recognize that employees across our studios, publishing, and business teams will have questions about what this means for our current priorities, roadmap, and responsibilities. To be clear, we’re not resetting our roadmap or asking teams to change what they’re focused on. We’ll take the time to understand how teams can best support one another, and where closer partnership can benefit our players and fans. We’ll continue communicating as we progress.”
