'I have no idea how they're going to keep going': Bethesda developer worries Xbox layoff could stop Fallout 76 updates without help from 'outside studio'

Although, in late 2018, due to unusual content offerings and serious technical problems, it caused sharp criticism and widespread controversy. Fallout 76 — Bethesda Game Studios‘ takes on the multiplayer-focused MMO-lite post-apocalyptic RPG series – has become popular enough over time that the title still enjoys regular content updates and a healthy community eight years later.

Following this week A massive wave of 3,200 Xbox layoffs and four studio departureshowever, there are fears that support for the long-running Appalachian adventure could soon end. Under Commands ZeniMax and Bethesda umbrella are “significantly” affected, Steward of the game including Bethesda Game Studios.

More than 50 employees have been laid off at Bethesda’s headquarters in Rockville, Maryland, and an office in Dallas, Texas, it said. — decrease in force The developers of The Elder Scrolls 6 are afraid of complications and delays of the long-awaited RPG. is moving forward. Some also worry that Bethesda will have to spend significant time training contractors to use proprietary tools like the Creation Engine.

Latest Videos

Note that a Bethesda developer commented IGN they “have no idea how to continue to innovate Fallout 76 without hiring an external studio” offers the development of experimental Fallout the title may end at some point in the near future.

A screenshot of the player character giving a thumbs up in Fallout 76.

Fallout 76 has enjoyed eight years of constant patches and content updates, but support for the game may now be at risk after Microsoft’s Xbox layoff hit Bethesda.

Another possibility is that Fallout 76 support will eventually continue, but its updates and patches will be reduced in size and cadence. It seems to be happening with this one The Elder Scrolls Online and ZeniMax Online Studios; content roadmaps for that game “change” after its developer suffered more than 200 outages this week.

We may also see external support for Fallout 76 coming, as in a letter to employees, Bethesda president Jill Braff emphasized the need for the studio to better support its “strongest franchises” – echoing the Xbox CEO’s recent sentiments. Asha Sharma that need to “move faster” with primary IPs Like Fallout.

Dropping support for the latest game in the series would certainly defeat that goal — especially although extremely popular Fallout tv show brings countless new eyes to the property. However, Fallout 76 is now eight years old and isn’t massively famous and with Obsidian is now developing a new Fallout gameMicrosoft may not see much value in continuing to invest resources in the title.

In the end, it is impossible to say what Until we hear anything official from Microsoft, Xbox, or Bethesda, Fallout 76 will move forward. Based on the aforementioned comment from a developer, I think live game service development will change in some way.

It remains to be seen if it will stop completely, but I can’t imagine that this week’s cuts won’t be reflected in Fallout 76’s update cadence. somehow.

Should support continue for Fallout 76 after Microsoft cuts Xbox? Or do you think Bethesda should quit the game? Let me know in the comments and in the poll above.