Microsoft has announced another major round of job cuts, with around 3,200 employees expected to be affected across the company. This move is expected to affect the company's gaming division. According to the declaration, the gaming giant is about to release most of the acquired studios; either they will be sold or return to their independent status.
Though nothing is specifically mentioned about Bethesda, the studio's parent company, ZeniMax Media, is reportedly focusing solely on its biggest franchises to survive the crisis.
In a recent video, Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier has discussed this Bethesda strategy, saying, “ZeniMax, as I mentioned, is going to be impacted pretty significantly. They're going to be restructured to a franchise-first model. They're basically going to be focusing on their biggest franchises.” Further, he continued his analysis, saying that Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, Quake, Wolfenstein, and DOOM will be the studio's primary focus going forward.
The primary reason behind choosing these games as the medium of survival is the massive fanbase. These games already have large communities and a long record of strong sales. Focusing on them may give Bethesda a better chance of steady success during an uncertain period.
The reported change is different from how Bethesda worked in the past. Before Microsoft bought ZeniMax Media in 2021, the studio often balanced popular franchises with fresh ideas. It spent years building new worlds while continuing older series. Starfield was one example of that approach. Now, reports suggest original projects may take a back seat while existing franchises become the main priority.
Microsoft and Bethesda have not confirmed these reported plans. Even so, the reports show how much the gaming business is changing. After the Microsoft acquisition, Bethesda appears to be moving from creating new worlds to expanding familiar ones. For Xbox, trusted franchises now seem to be leading the way as the company adjusts to a new business reality.