Obsidian Entertainment director Brandon Adler has voiced his frustration with external commentary regarding the studio's evolution following recent Xbox layoffs. In a LinkedIn post, Adler addressed what he described as "cold take artists" and individuals "running their mouths" about the current state of Obsidian, many of whom he believes lack understanding of the studio's history and personnel.
Adler acknowledged that the past week has been "extremely difficult" for the team, marked by farewells to departing colleagues. He then turned his attention to those outside the studio who he feels are "coming out of the woodwork to talk about what Obsidian is or what it isn't." He stated that the frequency with which people, without knowledge of who worked on previous games or their contributions, discuss Obsidian's perceived decline is "staggering," and often involves spreading "enormous amounts of misinformation."
Microsoft's recent widespread layoffs affected numerous Xbox game developers, including Obsidian. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma characterized these cuts as the company's "most significant restructure" ever, leading to immediate job losses for 1,600 employees and further reductions expected throughout the financial year. This restructuring also saw studios like Ninja Theory and Undead Labs find new ownership, while Double Fine and Compulsion Games regained independence.
Amid this period of uncertainty across Xbox, Adler asserted that the core talent at Obsidian remains strong and that the studio has not fundamentally changed. He highlighted that many individuals in lead or director positions are the same people who contributed to acclaimed titles such as The Outer Worlds, Pillars of Eternity, and Fallout: New Vegas. "The through line from KotOR2 to our current games is pretty clear," Adler stated, emphasizing the continuity of talent.
While acknowledging that Obsidian is not the same entity it was 20 years ago, a natural progression for any long-standing company, Adler maintained that its "DNA" remains consistent. He drew a parallel between the creative spirit behind past titles like Knights of the Old Republic II, Fallout: New Vegas, Neverwinter Nights 2, and South Park: The Stick of Truth, and the studio's current work. "I'm extremely proud of our history and I am also excited for who we have become," he added.
Adler concluded by urging his audience to consider that those making pronouncements about Obsidian's current identity versus its past often "have zero insight into how a game is made and who contributed to our previous games." Reports following the layoffs indicated that Obsidian had canceled a sequel to its fantasy RPG Avowed and begun development on a new Fallout title, reportedly led by Fallout: New Vegas director Josh Sawyer.