The Bethesda Game Studios Union has alleged that human resources personnel at the studio's Rockville, Maryland office instructed staff to remove a "Celebration of Service" display intended to honor colleagues laid off during recent Xbox restructuring. The union shared on social media that the display was taken down "almost immediately" after its creation.
According to the union, the display was situated in a common area, which HR cited as the reason for its removal. Bethesda employees had reportedly used such common areas for various team-related purposes, including displaying fan works, without prior issue. However, the union stated that HR deemed the "Celebration of Service" inappropriate for this space.
The incident follows widespread layoffs across Microsoft's gaming division, which impacted 1,600 employees. Bethesda Game Studios itself reportedly saw "significant" staff reductions. The union noted that many affected employees had dedicated decades to the studio, including senior roles in programming, art, design, and testing. Among those let go was Christiane Meister, a senior character artist with a 27-year tenure, who contributed to the Elder Scrolls series from Morrowind to Skyrim.
The Bethesda union has encouraged fans concerned about the impact of these layoffs on future titles, such as The Elder Scrolls 6, to direct their feedback to Microsoft. PC Gamer has reached out to Bethesda for comment on the situation and will update this report if a response is received.