Brandon Adler, a game director at Obsidian Entertainment, has voiced frustration over what he describes as widespread misinformation regarding the studio's current state and its historical talent. In a LinkedIn post, Adler disputed claims that Obsidian has lost the talent that defined its earlier work, such as Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 and Fallout: New Vegas. He stated that many individuals in leadership positions at the studio today are the same people who worked on those foundational titles.
"The number of times I've seen people, with no understanding of who has worked on our previous games or what they contributed, talk about how Obsidian isn't who they used to be... is staggering," Adler wrote. "Most of the time they are not just wrong, but spreading an enormous amount of misinformation." He emphasized that the continuity of personnel creates a clear lineage between Obsidian's past and present projects, asserting that "the through line from KotOR2 to our current games is pretty clear."
Adler acknowledged that while the studio has undoubtedly changed over time, its fundamental identity remains consistent. "But the DNA at Obsidian is the same as it always was. The same DNA that created KotOR, New Vegas, NWN2, and Stick of Truth," he explained.
This statement comes in the wake of significant layoffs at Obsidian, which followed Microsoft's "most significant restructure in Xbox history." While the studio avoided being shut down like some others, it was not immune to staff reductions. The departures have coincided with renewed speculation about Obsidian's future, including reports that Fallout: New Vegas director Josh Sawyer is leading a potential new Fallout game.
Adler also shared the personal toll of the recent layoffs. "This has been an extremely difficult week at Obsidian," he stated. "Not only have I had to say goodbye to some amazing game developers, but I've had to say goodbye to some of my best friends. I truly feel for every one of them. Know that if you are looking to hire one of these former Obsidian devs, you are hiring some of the best people around – both professionally and personally."