Oblivion Remaster Dev Lays Off 300 Employees
▼ Summary
– Virtuos, a support studio for major games like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered and Metal Gear Solid Delta, is laying off around 300 employees despite recent successes.
– The layoffs, affecting about 7% of its 4,200 global staff, were reported by French journalist Gauthier Andres, with most cuts in the company’s Chinese subsidiary.
– Virtuos has contributed to high-profile projects, including Hogwarts Legacy, Nier Automata, and Horizon Forbidden West, in addition to its work on Cyberpunk 2077’s latest patch.
– The studio recently announced updates for Oblivion Remastered and collaborated with CD Projekt Red on Cyberpunk 2077’s 2.3 update, showcasing its ongoing involvement in major releases.
– The layoffs reflect a broader trend in the gaming industry, where even successful studios face job cuts, as seen with Tango Gameworks after Hi-Fi Rush’s success.
The gaming industry faces another wave of layoffs as Virtuos, the studio behind high-profile projects like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered and Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, cuts approximately 300 employees. The news comes shortly after the team celebrated its contributions to Cyberpunk 2077‘s latest patch, highlighting the harsh reality of job instability despite successful releases.
Reports from French outlet Origami indicate the layoffs affect around 7% of Virtuos’ global workforce, with the majority occurring at its Chinese subsidiary. The studio, which employs over 4,200 people across the U.S., China, Ireland, Singapore, and France, has been a key player in porting and remastering major titles, including Hogwarts Legacy, Nier Automata, and Horizon Forbidden West.
The Oblivion Remastered launch in April 2025 was a standout moment for Virtuos, praised for revitalizing the classic RPG while retaining its nostalgic quirks. Just last week, the studio unveiled a new update for the remaster, and earlier today, it joined CD Projekt Red to discuss Cyberpunk 2077’s 2.3 update. Yet, even these achievements haven’t shielded the team from the industry’s ongoing turmoil.
This pattern isn’t new. Last year, Tango Gameworks, creators of the critically acclaimed Hi-Fi Rush, was abruptly shuttered despite Microsoft’s claims that the game met expectations. Though the studio later reopened, the incident underscores a troubling trend: profitable games no longer guarantee job security for developers. With layoffs continuing to dominate headlines, many are questioning the sustainability of an industry that thrives on talent but struggles to protect it.
(Source: kotaku)
