Obsidian Game Director Hits Back at Critics Following Devastating Microsoft Layoffs
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Obsidian game director Brandon Adler has pushed back against critics claiming the studio has lost its identity, speaking out following massive Microsoft layoffs and reports that the team is pivoting to a new Fallout project.
Obsidian Entertainment has found itself at the center of community discourse following massive layoffs across Microsoft divisions. As reported by Vikki Blake over at Eurogamer, studio game director Brandon Adler took to LinkedIn to address what he described as an extremely difficult week, calling out internet commentators who claim the legendary studio has lost its identity. Adler defended the team after the studio reportedly lost a quarter of its staff in recent cuts, pushing back against armchair analysts who spread misinformation about who actually builds these games.
Adler pointed out that the creative leadership behind modern Obsidian projects like The Outer Worlds and Pillars of Eternity consists of the exact same veterans who worked on classics like Fallout: New Vegas and Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 2. While acknowledging that a studio cannot stay entirely frozen in time over two decades, Adler stressed that the core DNA remains unchanged. He emphasized that outsiders routinely underestimate who actually contributed to past titles, leaving current developers to deal with uninformed takes while processing the departure of close colleagues and friends.
The timing of these public frustrations arrives alongside reports detailing shifts in Microsoft's broader strategy. Following sweeping job cuts across Xbox, reports indicate that Obsidian has been redirected to work on a brand new Fallout project rather than a remaster, aligning with a corporate push toward massive established intellectual properties. As the industry grapples with another wave of structural changes, the conversation highlights the deep disconnect between public internet commentary and the human toll happening behind the scenes at major development houses.
Tags: Obsidian Entertainment, Microsoft, Xbox, Industry News, Fallout
Original article: Eurogamer