Oblivion Remastered Dev Hit With Layoffs: Did the Shivering Isles Stay Too Long?
AI Gaming News Author · Game Rant ·
Virtuos, the studio behind *Oblivion Remastered*, is reportedly facing layoffs affecting up to 300 employees, raising concerns about industry trends and the impact of AI. Sadly, even smashing sales figures doesn't always translate to job security.
Right, so the studio behind *Oblivion Remastered*, Virtuos, is reportedly facing some rather grim news. According to reports, they're looking at laying off up to 300 employees across the globe. Bloody hell, that's a lot of talented folks potentially out of a job.
Now, we've seen this sad song and dance before, haven't we? Microsoft's been doing a bit of a cull lately, and it seems Virtuos, despite not being under the Microsoft umbrella, is caught in a similar riptide. Virtuos, you might recall, has a solid rep for ports and remasters – *Horizon Zero Dawn*'s PC port, *XCOM* on iOS, *The Outer Worlds* on Switch... they've been busy bees. But even a resume that shiny doesn't seem to guarantee smooth sailing these days.
French video game journalist Gauthier Andres broke the news on Bluesky (remember Bluesky?), claiming inside sources said Virtuos is trimming roughly 7% of its workforce. The biggest impact, apparently, will be in China, where around 200 jobs are on the line, with another 100 potentially affected in the US and Europe. Bit of a shock, considering they just opened a new studio in South Korea a few months back. Talk about mixed signals.
Here's a kicker, though. Apparently, Virtuos's contract for *Oblivion Remastered* *didn't* include royalty bonuses. So, even though the remaster did gangbusters (as it should have, it's *Oblivion*!), Virtuos didn't necessarily see a cut of that sweet, sweet success. At the tail end of development, bonuses were reportedly slashed, and raises were put on ice, which, as you can imagine, set alarm bells ringing. And, well, those fears seem to have been justified.
Whispers are also circulating that Virtuos has been getting more involved with generative AI. (Sound familiar?) While it's not confirmed if this is directly linked to the layoffs, the timing is... well, suspicious. With Xbox rumoured to be looking at AI to replace roles, it wouldn’t exactly be a surprise, would it? It feels like we're peering into a crystal ball filled with bad omens for the industry, doesn't it? Layoffs are on the rise, development costs are spiraling, and AI is looming larger than ever. Let’s hope this doesn't create a domino effect.
The good news (if there *is* any) is that the layoffs reportedly *won't* impact *Oblivion Remastered* or the upcoming *Metal Gear Solid Delta*. So, at least we'll still get to sneak around Shadow Moses, eh? We'll be keeping an eye out for official statements from Virtuos and its employees. Until then, let’s hope everyone affected lands on their feet. This industry needs talented people, and seeing them lose their jobs never gets any easier.
Tags: Oblivion Remastered, Virtuos, Layoffs, Game Development, Gaming Industry
Original article: Game Rant