Xbox’s Roadmap for Fallout, Elder Scrolls, Halo and More

Following the announcement of 1,600 job cuts across Xbox this week, with an additional 1,600 expected, new details are emerging about which studios were affected and how internal project roadmaps are shifting. The most significant development involves Obsidian Entertainment, where Avowed 2 has reportedly been canceled. After a 25% reduction in staff, the team is now pivoting to develop a new Fallout game under director Josh Sawyer. But this is just one piece of a much larger puzzle. The question now is whether Xbox is making the “right” strategic calls for its biggest franchises, given the realities of development timelines and the weight of fan expectations.

Fallout has long been a source of frustration. It was obvious from the start that Bethesda wouldn’t be able to deliver a new mainline Fallout game this decade, making Obsidian the logical alternative. Instead, the studio delivered Avowed, a bold but underwhelming release, and the largely overlooked The Outer Worlds 2. Even if Fallout is the correct move now, starting from scratch means we likely won’t see results for at least three years. A true Fallout-scale experience would take five years or more. For context, if Bethesda were handling it, that timeline could stretch to ten. This is a long-term gamble, not a quick fix.

The Elder Scrolls VI remains a distant hope. New reports suggest it is still two to three years away. If that holds, the game will arrive 10 to 11 years after its 2018 announcement and a staggering 17 to 18 years after Skyrim. Bethesda’s recent track record hasn’t inspired confidence. The studio chose to make Fallout 76 instead of a proper sequel, chasing live-service trends, and then delivered Starfield, which failed to reach the heights of Fallout or Elder Scrolls. After nearly two decades of waiting, the question is whether any game can possibly meet the sky-high expectations.

The situation with Halo is perhaps the most confusing. Despite being Microsoft’s flagship franchise, the series has been dormant since Halo Infinite in 2021, a game that most fans don’t consider a true return to form. The studio has been occupied with remasters, but no new mainline Halo game has been announced. There’s no clear internal reporting on what’s happening at Halo Studios, other than past story content being canceled years ago. Given the current pace, we are unlikely to see a new Halo title for several more years, putting us nearly a decade out from Infinite. And even then, no 343/Halo Studios game has ever matched the Bungie era. Why would the next one be different?

Doom faces a grim outlook. New reporting confirms that half of id Software has been laid off, devastating the studio. Many believe it will never recover its former glory. Building the future of Doom under these conditions now seems like an enormous uphill battle.

Perfect Dark has been canceled entirely. There is no indication that Microsoft will attempt a revival anytime soon.

Gears of War still has some life. Gears of War: E-Day is scheduled for release this year, offering a glimmer of hope. But the next major entry is likely years away. Let’s hope E-Day lives up to its potential.

Fable is the revival of a classic IP, initially set for this fall but now delayed to February 2027. It’s a major test of whether an entirely new team can resurrect an ancient franchise. So far, prospects seem positive, and it is one of the few projects on this list with a concrete release window.

Forza will continue to release frequently and remain excellent, as it always has.

Xbox is clearly aware of its challenges. New CEO Asha Sharma has acknowledged them repeatedly. But even with a renewed focus on core franchises, the road ahead requires immense effort and exceptional quality to turn these plans into meaningful success.