Virtuos, the studio behind Oblivion Remastered, is shedding round 270 staff

Virtuos, the studio that developed The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, is shedding seven p.c of its workers, or round 270 staff. Gauthier Andres, a reporter and co-founder at Origami, was first to report the information, which the studio later confirmed. Virtuos has supplied assist on quite a few giant recreation initiatives — together with a latest patch for Cyberpunk 2077 — and employs greater than 4,200 folks throughout the US, Europe and Asia.

The corporate stated the layoffs are primarily affecting “groups going through decrease occupancy and slower demand on account of structural shifts within the trade.” It is firing round 200 folks in Asia and roughly 70 in Europe. “Fewer than 10” of these are in France, the place the core workforce engaged on Oblivion Remastered is predicated. Virtuos says it is providing affected employees layoff packages, profession transition help and, “the place doable,” job alternatives throughout its community.

“Over the previous 12 months, Virtuos has deepened its dedication to premium co-development by key acquisitions of Past-FX, Pipeworks, and Umanaïa in North America, in addition to Third Variety Video games and Abstraction in Europe,” Virtuos stated in an announcement. “These studios improve our strengths in VFX, design, Unreal Engine programming and inventive growth. This ongoing funding displays our intent to develop in areas the place our experience and scale create lasting worth, whereas selectively exiting service segments the place demand is weakening. We have to higher match the places of our groups with these of our shoppers to assist the more and more iterative nature of inventive co-development. This alignment is why the present reorganization has a larger influence on our groups in Asia.”

Moreover reviving Bethesda classics, Virtuos has contributed work to the upcoming Metallic Gear Stable Delta: Snake Eater and a number of other ongoing stay service video games, like Dune: Awakening and Sea of Thieves. Nothing concerning the firm’s output or the crucial reception of its video games would recommend it must conduct layoffs, however that displays the present precarious state of the video games trade. Even having theoretically regular work doing post-release assist and recreation remasters is not sufficient.

Virtuos’ layoffs follows the sweeping cuts Microsoft made to its Xbox division in early July. Microsoft reportedly cancelled video games, like Uncommon’s long-in-development Everwild, and shutdown complete studios, like The Initiative. Romero Video games, which had an unannounced funding deal with Microsoft, was additionally pressured to cancel its present venture, although it hopes to discover a new publishing accomplice.

Replace July 17, 2025, 9:57AM ET: Added affirmation of the layoffs from Virtuos.