A prominent inflatable rat, known as Scabby, was erected outside Bethesda's offices during a visit by Xbox leadership to preview The Elder Scrolls 6. The demonstration was organized by the CWA union, comprising current and former Bethesda staff who are protesting Microsoft's recent widespread layoffs.
Former employees also covered the street near the Bethesda building with hundreds of red flags, each representing a staff member laid off by Microsoft within the past year. Xbox head Asha Sharma confirmed she had seen a "live playthrough" of The Elder Scrolls 6 and teased details about its subtitle, but made no mention of the protest.
Footage shared by the CWA depicted the inflatable rat on the lawn outside Bethesda's Rockville office. Chants of "Who's the rat? Microsoft!" could be heard in the background. Union members stated their goal was to make their impact visible and highlight how developers have been affected by the layoffs. They also expressed a commitment to fighting against such dismissals to ensure fair treatment for affected employees and to protect the future of careers in the game industry.
Reports suggest that The Elder Scrolls 6 remains at least two years away from its release, following its initial announcement approximately eight years ago. Current and former Bethesda staff previously indicated to IGN that Microsoft's layoffs would have a significant and cascading effect on the development of The Elder Scrolls 6, a claim Bethesda has refuted. The job losses across Bethesda Game Studios reportedly included critical personnel involved in the creation of the game, potentially impacting morale and increasing the risk of future development crunch and delays.