Bethesda president tells Obsidian staff that the studio will keep its ‘creative identity’ after its move
Jill Braff says Obsidian’s move to Bethesda is “primarily a change in reporting structure”
The president of Bethesda has attempted to reassure Obsidian Entertainment staff that the studio will retain its “creative identity” following its move.
Earlier this week Xbox announced further layoffs and widespread changes to its entire studio structure, with many of its studios moving to other publishers or merging with other studios.
As part of the plans, Obsidian – known for such titles as The Outer Worlds, Avowed and Grounded – will be rolled into Bethesda, as it continues working its current projects including Grounded and a new Fallout game.
Now Bethesda president Jill Braff has sent an email to Obsidian employees telling them the move is “primarily a change in reporting structure” and that Obsidian’s creative principles will be unaffected.
As reported by Aftermath, the email reads: “The creative identity and strengths that make Obsidian distinct will remain at the core of their studio and work.
“[Obsidian CEO] Feargus [Urquhart] and the Obsidian leadership team will continue to lead Obsidian, with the studio reporting to me. Bethesda Game Studios will continue to lead the Fallout franchise.
“Together, the teams will build on their longstanding relationship and the early work already underway on a new Fallout project, with more to share in the months ahead.
“This structure supports the franchise-led model we’ve been strengthening, while keeping accountability for both the studio and the franchise clear.”
She added: “I’ve had the opportunity to get to know Feargus Urquhart and his team over the past six years, and I have great respect for what they’ve built. Obsidian has extraordinary creative talent, deep expertise, and a long history of creating memorable games and experiences. I’m looking forward to working more closely with them.”
In July it was reported that Obsidian was one of the studios affected by Xbox’s major ‘reset’, which involves laying off thousands of workers across all its departments and refocusing on its biggest franchises.
According to a WARN notice in California, Obsidian – which was acquired by Microsoft in 2018 – lost 52 workers, including 43 based in its California offices and nine in-state remote workers.
In a Bloomberg interview with Obsidian head Fergus Urquhart published earlier this year, it was implied that Grounded 2 was “a big hit” for the studio, but that neither The Outer Worlds 2 nor Avowed met sales expectations.
A report from the same publication posted in July claimed that Obsidian cancelled a planned sequel to Avowed to start work on its new Fallout game.
