Staff at Bethesda Game Studios have voiced concerns that Microsoft's recent layoffs could lead to significant delays and a more arduous development process for the highly anticipated RPG, The Elder Scrolls 6. Reports indicate that the workforce reductions have negatively impacted employee morale and could result in a prolonged and difficult path to the game's completion.
Employees cited fears that departed staff might be replaced by less experienced contract workers or require extensive onboarding onto Bethesda's proprietary tools. This transition, they believe, could necessitate crunch time to compensate for lost productivity and further extend the game's already distant release.
"We were already running a tight ship and are worried about this delaying the game," one staff member told IGN. The sentiment was echoed by others who noted that personnel across various disciplines, including programming and art, were among those let go. Another developer stated that the loss of colleagues will have a "substantial and cascading effect on the game and morale of this studio."
The Elder Scrolls 6 was initially announced in 2018 with minimal subsequent updates, as Bethesda focused on the launch of Starfield. Todd Howard recently indicated that development on The Elder Scrolls 6 is progressing well, though he also acknowledged it is "still a long way off."
This situation arises as Microsoft aims to streamline game production across its studios, a goal that has already seen shifts in responsibilities, such as Obsidian Entertainment being reassigned to Fallout projects. The effectiveness of these strategies in maintaining game quality while accelerating development remains a key question.