Huge Layoffs at Zenimax, a lot of ESO devs impacted

redlink1979 · July 6

AI the Microsoft's focus, not gaming.

"July 6 (Reuters) - Microsoft (MSFT.O), opens new tab said on Monday it would cut 4,800 jobs, or about 2.1% of its global workforce, overhauling its Xbox gaming business and divesting up to five studios as it looks to ‌boost returns after years of heavy investment in the division.
The restructuring of its gaming division will involve 3,200 job cuts, including laying off 1,600 employees on Monday."

https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/microsoft-joins-ai-driven-tech-layoff-wave-with-4800-job-cuts-2026-07-06/

ToddIngram · July 6

redlink1979 wrote: »

AI the Microsoft's focus, not gaming.

"July 6 (Reuters) - Microsoft (MSFT.O), opens new tab said on Monday it would cut 4,800 jobs, or about 2.1% of its global workforce, overhauling its Xbox gaming business and divesting up to five studios as it looks to ‌boost returns after years of heavy investment in the division.
The restructuring of its gaming division will involve 3,200 job cuts, including laying off 1,600 employees on Monday."

https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/microsoft-joins-ai-driven-tech-layoff-wave-with-4800-job-cuts-2026-07-06/

We all going to feel it when this AI bubble bursts...as if we're not feeling it already.

Firstmep · July 6

Sorry for all impacted. And why its obviously not the most important thing rn, id be very suprised if class reworks make it going forward. New content is likely going to be a priority.

Firstmep · July 6

ToddIngram wrote: »

redlink1979 wrote: »

AI the Microsoft's focus, not gaming.

"July 6 (Reuters) - Microsoft (MSFT.O), opens new tab said on Monday it would cut 4,800 jobs, or about 2.1% of its global workforce, overhauling its Xbox gaming business and divesting up to five studios as it looks to ‌boost returns after years of heavy investment in the division.
The restructuring of its gaming division will involve 3,200 job cuts, including laying off 1,600 employees on Monday."

https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/microsoft-joins-ai-driven-tech-layoff-wave-with-4800-job-cuts-2026-07-06/

We all going to feel it when this AI bubble bursts...as if we're not feeling it already.

Some companies are already rehiring laid off staff as it turns out ai cant replace and is actually more expensive than humans.

BardokRedSnow · July 6

allochthons wrote: »

I know stating here that I cancelled ESO+ doesn't mean anything.

But when Disney messed with Jimmy Fallon, the hit to Disney+ was enough to be really effective. Maybe if ESO+ memberships crash, that'll let XBox know how stupid this move is.

People actually watch him? Go figure

As for the cancellation I dont think thats the answer for this news specifically. The state of the game for all we know is now on a lifeline, and whether or not these cuts will affect its longevity is anyone's guess but I put too many hours into it to see it go the way of new world etc over microsoft cuts. If the cuts affect the game in an obvious negative way thats a different story.

ToddIngram · July 6

Firstmep wrote: »

ToddIngram wrote: »

redlink1979 wrote: »

AI the Microsoft's focus, not gaming.

"July 6 (Reuters) - Microsoft (MSFT.O), opens new tab said on Monday it would cut 4,800 jobs, or about 2.1% of its global workforce, overhauling its Xbox gaming business and divesting up to five studios as it looks to ‌boost returns after years of heavy investment in the division.
The restructuring of its gaming division will involve 3,200 job cuts, including laying off 1,600 employees on Monday."

https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/microsoft-joins-ai-driven-tech-layoff-wave-with-4800-job-cuts-2026-07-06/

We all going to feel it when this AI bubble bursts...as if we're not feeling it already.

Some companies are already rehiring laid off staff as it turns out ai cant replace and is actually more expensive than humans.

Yep. The problem is the entire stock market being propped up by this AI bubble right now. It's going to be really bad when this bubble bursts. Hang on to your 401k's folks. Or figure out a way to make your retirement immune from this inevitable hit.

NotaDaedraWorshipper · July 6

Well, that bodes well for the game

Edenprime · July 6

I can't even begin to imagine how the affected people feel.

This sucks :'(

AScarlato · July 6

How could they get rid of Gina? Don't they value having a consistent face to the game for it's audience?

Gina has been a steady presence all these years. I don't even know what to say.

Reginald_leBlem · July 6

Who is going to write whimsical notes in the patch notes for us without Gina?

amiiegee · July 6

We could of seen this coming when we were seeing the population shrinking, but people rather claimed everything is fine

Flaaklypa · July 6

Well I still miss Eric Wrobel so there's that

ToddIngram · July 6

AScarlato wrote: »

How could they get rid of Gina? Don't they value having a consistent face to the game for it's audience?

Gina has been a steady presence all these years. I don't even know what to say.

Gina is the proverbial canary in the coal mine.

Miners used to carry a birdcage with a canary in it to monitor air quality. When the canary died, they knew it was time to get out of the mine.

AlienSlof · July 6

Reginald_leBlem wrote: »

Who is going to write whimsical notes in the patch notes for us without Gina?

I was just wondering the same thing. Those quirky little notes always made me smile.

19 years... Oh man, that sucks.

spartaxoxo · July 6

ToddIngram wrote: »

AScarlato wrote: »

How could they get rid of Gina? Don't they value having a consistent face to the game for it's audience?

Gina has been a steady presence all these years. I don't even know what to say.

Gina is the proverbial canary in the coal mine.

Miners used to carry a birdcage with a canary in it to monitor air quality. When the canary died, they knew it was time to get out of the mine.

Yeah. Gina and Finn makes me seriously concerned about ESO's future. I feel sad for everyone affected, obviously. But those two were the faces of the game. The people they stuck in front of cameras or made do press junkets. They'd also been here for almost the entirety of the game's history.

Ilsabet · July 6

This sucks and I hate it.

Thank you OP for compiling this list, even though I'm dreading seeing who's going to end up on it.

allmyxlvntx · July 6

Surprised at Finn, ESO dungeons are really some of the best content there is in the game. As to all the others except for Gina, I do not know what the impact will be as I do not know them. It will be beneficial if the new Game Director comes out with a statement as he had to know who was being let go and probably had to make a lot of tough choices.

Estin · July 6

Absolutely devastating news for the game. I was hoping ZOS would be spared from the layoffs, but seeing some crucial backbones of the game getting cut leaves me worried about the game's future, especially since this is only round 1 of 2. There's still 1600 more employees who are getting cut, who knows if more aren't going to be cut from ZOS a couple of weeks from now. I really hope those still left at ZOS can continue on after this hit. Love or hate the new Seasonal format, it did show off a lot of cool experimental content, and now we might not even see them. And love or hate the DK and WW changes, the SFX and Animation teams did a great job on them and I hope they don't lose that talent when it comes to the rest of the reworks.

OutLaw_Nynx · July 6

😢😢😢

Maitsukas · July 6

AlienSlof wrote: »

Reginald_leBlem wrote: »

Who is going to write whimsical notes in the patch notes for us without Gina?

I was just wondering the same thing. Those quirky little notes always made me smile.

19 years... Oh man, that sucks.

Kevin's been posting them for a while now, hopefully he hasn't been affected in these chaotic times.

carthalis · July 6

This is incredibly sad and heart-breaking and I really feel for the people who have been laid off :'(

LalMirchi · July 6

Very sad news. Thoughts and well wishes to them.

BagOfBadgers · July 6

So sorry for all that have lost their jobs, it just sucks.

Xbox & ESO plus cancelled as Microsoft doesn't deserve a another penny from me.

DrMedBorn · July 6

It’s a slow death from now on

evLRise · July 6

I get why people say that cancelling ESO+ is not necessarily the way to combat this, as the game is already doing bad.

At the same time, as sad as these news are, I think its pretty natural to think that rather than supporting the game, in the current situation a subscription only supports the corporate greed. And I definitely don't want to support that.

A pity. After playing for so many years i finally started overland content and PvE with the introduction of difficulty change options. It did feel a bit weird to have actual hope for the game for once.

eashi · July 6

allochthons wrote: »

I know stating here that I cancelled ESO+ doesn't mean anything.

But when Disney messed with Jimmy Fallon, the hit to Disney+ was enough to be really effective. Maybe if ESO+ memberships crash, that'll let XBox know how stupid this move is.

The issue with this is we are dammed if we do dammed if we don't.

Yeah, sure canceling subs might signal to them the community dislikes this move, I mean it will if they are paying attention. It also potentially will cause them to see it might make no money and just kill the entire thing. We don't know which one it will be.

The people who made these decisions don't understand that laying off people will create short term profit margin but devastate the long term outlooks because of how the community will react to things like this. I bring up profit margin because of what was said in the xbox email that has been circulating.

cyberjanet · July 6

This is corporate Vandalism. I don't see how anyone in Microsoft management can sleep at night. Gina - 19 years loyalty. Finn - 15 years loyalty. I wish nightmares on those responsible, I'll be offering an invocation to Vaermina.

Soarora · July 6

Maitsukas wrote: »

AlienSlof wrote: »

Reginald_leBlem wrote: »

Who is going to write whimsical notes in the patch notes for us without Gina?

I was just wondering the same thing. Those quirky little notes always made me smile.

19 years... Oh man, that sucks.

Kevin's been posting them for a while now, hopefully he hasn't been affected in these chaotic times.

We better not lose Kevin too. All my favorite ZOS employees…

(I am so devastated about Finn).

Major_Soulless · July 6

Feels like some of these names have been around since I started playing the game 8 years ago.

Gina especially was a major part of getting news about the game and ESO won't be the same without her.

rafaelcsmaia · July 6

For real, i feel like AI has to go or anything good we have nowdays will just rot in the process, I for one will never pay a penny for any AI subscription, lets see how long their business model hold that way.