20 votes

Bethesda, id Software reportedly hit hard by Microsoft layoffs

12 comments

  1. [2]
    Narry
    Link
    I feel terrible for the people laid off by this that were competent, passionate, and loved the careers that they were building for themselves in the video game industry. You did not deserve to be...

    I feel terrible for the people laid off by this that were competent, passionate, and loved the careers that they were building for themselves in the video game industry. You did not deserve to be victims of the “line go up“ thinking that has been eating away at the heart of all major businesses.

    9 votes
    1. CannibalisticApple
      Link Parent
      The game development industry has been really rocky for a long time now. Back in college when studying game development, I resolved to stay away from AAA studios just because of how unstable they...

      The game development industry has been really rocky for a long time now. Back in college when studying game development, I resolved to stay away from AAA studios just because of how unstable they were. Even if they weren't under some major corporate umbrella, as games got bigger and more expensive to develop, so did the risks. One flop could tank a studio. And of course, that same problem also applies to smaller studios. A lot of people end up leaving the industry for other fields purely for stability.

      I remember around the time that Telltale Games went bankrupt in 2018 (and that closure was a big mess, the people went into work with a job and left that day unemployed with no severance or anything), someone posted on Twitter about realizing they effectively had PTSD. They'd just started at a new studio after getting laid off from another one, and within a month (or even less) there was a sudden cull. Their job was spared that time, but the atmosphere was just charged and they had serious anxiety.

      1 vote
  2. [3]
    balooga
    Link
    Has anyone heard about other studios under that umbrella? I’m worried for Obsidian…

    Has anyone heard about other studios under that umbrella? I’m worried for Obsidian…

    2 votes
    1. [2]
      kru
      Link Parent
      Obsidian got hit to the tune of around 25%. I doubt any studio escaped completely unscathed.

      Obsidian got hit to the tune of around 25%. I doubt any studio escaped completely unscathed.

      2 votes
      1. balooga
        Link Parent
        Yeesh, not to overreact but this feels like a minor game-pocalypse. How many major works in progress just got wrecked by this single action?

        Yeesh, not to overreact but this feels like a minor game-pocalypse. How many major works in progress just got wrecked by this single action?

        1 vote
  3. [2]
    LukeZaz
    Link
    idTech coders are the absolute wizards who managed to make Doom Eternal run smooth as room-temperature butter on my machine, even on high graphics, despite the fact that said machine was built...

    a majority of id had been laid off, “including most (if not all) coders.”

    idTech coders are the absolute wizards who managed to make Doom Eternal run smooth as room-temperature butter on my machine, even on high graphics, despite the fact that said machine was built with parts that were eight years old at the time. I'll never forget the astonishment I had at just how insanely quick every level was loading, even on an HDD. I do not remember any other time a game's engine impressed me so much that I had to dedicate time to it in my review.

    Layoffs may be a tragedy, but layoffs at id of all places is insanity.

    2 votes
    1. trobertson
      Link Parent
      Especially so when the claim is that Bethesda will now focus on core franchises, which include... Doom.

      Especially so when the claim is that Bethesda will now focus on core franchises, which include... Doom.

      1 vote
  4. granfdad
    Link
    It's insane watching the industry collapse in real time, feels like things are really falling apart everywhere. Hey, at least everything is digital this time, so there's nothing for these studios...

    It's insane watching the industry collapse in real time, feels like things are really falling apart everywhere.
    Hey, at least everything is digital this time, so there's nothing for these studios to bury in New Mexico.

  5. [4]
    teaearlgraycold
    Link
    Imagine sitting on the Elder Scrolls IP and the ability to turn your office into a new branch of the US mint if you just give the people what they want (2-4 player co-op in a new map) and you just...

    Imagine sitting on the Elder Scrolls IP and the ability to turn your office into a new branch of the US mint if you just give the people what they want (2-4 player co-op in a new map) and you just sit on your hands pumping out garbage instead.

    6 votes
    1. [3]
      Wafik
      Link Parent
      I mean, that's basically Elder Scrolls Online. It already exists. I guess you could say, just make an Elder Scrolls mainline game but make it 2-4 player co-op. That's not really a TES game. The...

      you just give the people what they want (2-4 player co-op in a new map)

      I mean, that's basically Elder Scrolls Online. It already exists. I guess you could say, just make an Elder Scrolls mainline game but make it 2-4 player co-op. That's not really a TES game. The story stops being yours. It fundamentally changes what the game is and is significantly harder to make.

      4 votes
      1. [2]
        teaearlgraycold
        Link Parent
        Isn't ESO an MMO with a monthly fee? It becomes ours, comrade.

        Isn't ESO an MMO with a monthly fee?

        The story stops being yours. It fundamentally changes what the game is and is significantly harder to make.

        It becomes ours, comrade.

        1. Wafik
          Link Parent
          It's an MMO, but no subscription. But it's mostly small groups in TES. I get the idea. I don't want it. I like single player, first person RPGs. The game fundamentally changes if you need to...

          It's an MMO, but no subscription. But it's mostly small groups in TES.

          I get the idea. I don't want it. I like single player, first person RPGs. The game fundamentally changes if you need to design it around 2-4 players. You also need servers and net code. No company wants to do that unless they can monetize it. That's how we ended up with ESO and Fallout 76. Neither game is particularly good in my opinion, but that's probably the closest you're getting.