The ongoing restructuring and layoffs at Xbox may lead to Bethesda Game Studios’ upcoming action role-playing game, The Elder Scrolls VI, facing further delay.
According to a report from IGN, more than 50 employees have reportedly been laid off across Bethesda Game Studios, affecting multiple disciplines. Sources speaking anonymously told the outlet that the departures include experienced developers who have played important roles in the studio for years, raising concerns about the development timeline for The Elder Scrolls VI and overall morale.
One Bethesda employee told IGN that the layoffs would have a “substantial and cascading effect on the game and morale of this studio.” Another source added that the job losses affected “every discipline: programmers, artists, and designers,” noting that “one person who’s been at the company since Morrowind was cut.”
While Bethesda has stated that it intends to prioritize major series such as The Elder Scrolls and Fallout, employees who spoke to IGN fear the opposite could happen in the short term. They believe the loss of experienced developers may delay progress on The Elder Scrolls VI, despite it being one of Xbox’s highest-profile upcoming titles.
One developer expressed concern that the studio could increasingly rely on external contractors to replace departing staff, creating additional challenges due to Bethesda’s proprietary development tools. The employee told IGN, “There is a fear that we are going to be replaced by cheaper, contracted labor… resulting in more delays, and we’ll need to crunch to make up the time.”
Another staff member echoed those concerns, saying, “We’ve all been very excited and hyped for TES 6 and this has had a crushing effect on morale. We were already running a tight ship and are worried about this delaying the game.” The source also noted that, as far as they were aware, the game still does not have a concrete release date.
