Recent filings indicate that ZeniMax Media, parent company to Bethesda Game Studios and id Software, experienced total layoffs numbering 379 employees. The most significant impact was felt at ZeniMax Online Studios, the developer behind The Elder Scrolls Online, which has seen substantial staff reductions over the past year.
A Maryland WARN Act notice details 213 layoffs specifically from ZeniMax Online Studios, while an additional 166 employees were let go from ZeniMax Media. This latter figure is understood to include cuts at Bethesda Game Studios, as both entities share an office address. A separate notice for id Software in Texas reported 136 layoffs from "ZeniMax Media Inc. (Richardson Texas)", contributing to the overall total.
Anecdotal evidence suggests ZeniMax Online Studios was particularly devastated by these workforce changes. Reports indicate that the ZeniMax Online Union, which comprised approximately 461 members at the end of 2024, has seen a significant portion of its workforce depart. Considering previous layoffs from July 2025, which numbered 62 employees, ZeniMax Online Studios has lost an estimated 275 employees in the past year and a half. This brings the studio's current staffing to roughly 186 employees, or about 40% of its size from approximately 18 months prior. The Elder Scrolls Online studio has therefore lost at least 60% of its staff over the past year.
This level of attrition comes despite reports from September 2024, citing a former UX lead who stated that The Elder Scrolls Online had generated $15 million in monthly revenue for over a decade. The extent of these layoffs raises questions about the studio's future operational capacity and project development.