{"id":2031284,"date":"2026-07-07T12:43:27","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T09:43:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2031284"},"modified":"2026-07-07T12:43:27","modified_gmt":"2026-07-07T09:43:27","slug":"the-outer-worlds-and-fallout-new-vegas-studio-obsidian-is-reportedly-losing-a-quarter-of-its-staff-in-xbox-layoffs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2031284","title":{"rendered":"The Outer Worlds and Fallout New Vegas studio Obsidian is reportedly losing a quarter of its staff in Xbox layoffs"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"article \" data-ads=\"true\" data-article-type=\"news\" data-article-group=\"news\" data-paywalled=\"false\" data-premium=\"false\" data-sponsored=\"false\" data-type=\"article\">\n<header class=\"article_header\" data-component=\"article-header\">\n<div class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n<nav class=\"nav_breadcrumbs\" data-component=\"nav-breadcrumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\">\n<ul class=\"nav-links\">\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      Home<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/news\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      News<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_details\" id=\"main-content\">\n<h1 class=\"title\">The Outer Worlds and Fallout New Vegas studio Obsidian is reportedly losing a quarter of its staff in Xbox layoffs<\/h1>\n<p class=\"strapline\">Dis-Avowed.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_asset\">\n<figure class=\"headline_image_wrapper\">\n<p>        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"headline_image\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/the-outer-worlds-art.jpg?width=570&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;dpr=3&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The Outer Worlds key art showing an astronaut stood on the wreckage of their ship looking out over a vast and colour alien landscape as woman approaches in the distance.\" loading=\"eager\" data-uri=\"the-outer-worlds-art.jpg\" data-lightbox width=\"570\" height=\"321\"><figcaption>\n          <span class=\"attribution\">Image credit: <cite>Private Division\/2K Games<\/cite><\/span><br \/>\n        <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"metadata\">\n<div class=\"avatar\">\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Sherif Saed avatar\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/IMG_1950_Uy1XomJ.JPG?width=2048&amp;height=2048&amp;fit=bounds&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;auto=webp\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"1638\" height=\"1346\"><\/p>\n<p>  <img alt=\"Sherif Saed avatar\" data-autosize=\"crop_lossy\" data-uri=\"IMG_1950_Uy1XomJ.JPG\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"1638\" height=\"1346\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text\">\n<div class=\"byline\">\n                  <span class=\"article_type\" data-slug=\"news\"><br \/>\n                    News<br \/>\n                  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"by\">by<\/span> <span class=\"author\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/authors\/sherif-saed\">Sherif Saed<\/a><\/span>                    <span class=\"job_title\"><br \/>\n                      Senior Contributor<br \/>\n                    <\/span>\n            <\/div>\n<div class=\"published_at\">\nPublished on <time datetime=\"2026-07-07T12:43:27+00:00\">July 7, 2026<\/time>              <\/div>\n<div class=\"comments\">\n      <a class=\"comments__link comments-bubble\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/obsidian-xbox-layoffs-workforce-impact-25-percent-loss?view=comments\" rel=\"nofollow\"><br \/>\n          21 comments<br \/>\n      <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mypop-header-wrapper\">\n<p><button class=\"mypop-button button wide\" data-state=\"follow\" data-type=\"tag\" data-uuid=\"9efe9c48-3455-46c0-bae3-21c8113b4c57\" data-name=\"Avowed\" data-follow-text=\"Follow Avowed\" data-unfollow-text=\"Following Avowed\" data-aria-follow-text=\"Follow Avowed\" data-aria-unfollow-text=\"Following Avowed\" data-popup=\"true\" data-force-login=\"true\" aria-label=\"Follow Avowed\" title=\"Follow Avowed\"><br \/>\n  Follow Avowed<br \/>\n<\/button>          <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p>Obsidian, the legendary RPG studio behind <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/the-outer-worlds\">The Outer Worlds<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/avowed\">Avowed<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/fallout-new-vegas\">Fallout New Vegas<\/a> and other acclaimed games, is losing about a quarter of its workers. That is according to a new <a href=\"https:\/\/kotaku.com\/avowed-the-outer-worlds-pentiment-studio-obsidian-xbox-layoffs-2000713032\">Kotaku<\/a> report, citing sources familiar with the matter.<\/p>\n<p>Obsidian was not directly named in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/microsoft-xbox-layoffs-2026-double-fine-compulsion-ninja-theory\">Monday&#8217;s sweeping layoffs at Xbox, which impacted 3200 jobs<\/a>. However, a number of other Microsoft-owned studios who were not specifically mentioned have also been affected.<\/p>\n<p>Somewhere between 60-70 roles are being cut, according to the report. The layoffs hit multiple disciplines, including, artists, designers, writers, producers, programmers, and QA testers. Some of those impacted have been with Obsidian for over a decade. The cuts also include senior talent, such as The Outer Worlds&#8217; art director, as well as, bizarrely &#8220;the studio\u2019s only recruiter&#8221;, per the report.<\/p>\n<figure>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Various characters crammed into a tiny boat in Pentiment\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/pentiment-gamescom-header.jpg?width=2048&amp;height=2048&amp;fit=bounds&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;auto=webp\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1.7777777777777777\" width=\"1920\"><\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Various characters crammed into a tiny boat in Pentiment\" data-autosize=\"crop_lossy\" data-lightbox data-uri=\"pentiment-gamescom-header.jpg\" height=\"1080\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1.7777777777777777\" width=\"1920\"><figcaption><span class=\"attribution\">Image credit: <cite>Microsoft<\/cite><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Not all of the 3200 jobs eliminated as a result of Xbox&#8217;s sweeping restructuring plan will take effect now. Only half, 1600, were let go, while the other half will be laid off over the course of the coming year. This is also true for Obsidian, which was hit in the first wave, losing most of those 60-70 people, with the rest coming later this year.<\/p>\n<p>Writer and narrative designer Jay Turner is one of those affected. Turner, whose credits include Avowed, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/dragon-age-origins\">Dragon Age: Origins<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/mass-effect-2\">Mass Effect 2<\/a> called the brutal cuts &#8220;Microsoft sacrificial rituals&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/silopolis.bsky.social\/post\/3mpyoys6cks27\">on BlueSky<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For now, work on Grounded 2 will continue, according to the report. Obsidian will also deliver more The Outer Worlds 2 DLC, but nothing beyond that is certain. Obsidian is said to be hosting an all-hands meeting today to clarify next steps with the remaining staff.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/microsoft-studios-obsidian-inxile-entertainment-acquisition\">Obsidian was acquired by Microsoft in 2018<\/a>. Since then, it has been one of its most active studios, shipping two The Outer Worlds games, two Grounded games, Avowed, and the one-of-a-kind Pentiment.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"preferred-source\" data-component=\"preferred-source\">\nLove Eurogamer.net? Make us a <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\">Preferred Source on Google<\/a> and catch more of our coverage in your feeds.  <\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p>Obsidian, the legendary RPG studio behind <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/the-outer-worlds\">The Outer Worlds<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/avowed\">Avowed<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/fallout-new-vegas\">Fallout New Vegas<\/a> and other acclaimed games, is losing about a quarter of its workers. That is according to a new <a href=\"https:\/\/kotaku.com\/avowed-the-outer-worlds-pentiment-studio-obsidian-xbox-layoffs-2000713032\">Kotaku<\/a> report, citing sources familiar with the matter.<\/p>\n<p>Obsidian was not directly named in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/microsoft-xbox-layoffs-2026-double-fine-compulsion-ninja-theory\">Monday&#8217;s sweeping layoffs at Xbox, which impacted 3200 jobs<\/a>. However, a number of other Microsoft-owned studios who were not specifically mentioned have also been affected.<\/p>\n<p>Somewhere between 60-70 roles are being cut, according to the report. The layoffs hit multiple disciplines, including, artists, designers, writers, producers, programmers, and QA testers. Some of those impacted have been with Obsidian for over a decade. The cuts also include senior talent, such as The Outer Worlds&#8217; art director, as well as, bizarrely &#8220;the studio\u2019s only recruiter&#8221;, per the report.<\/p>\n<figure>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Various characters crammed into a tiny boat in Pentiment\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/pentiment-gamescom-header.jpg?width=2048&amp;height=2048&amp;fit=bounds&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;auto=webp\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1.7777777777777777\" width=\"1920\"><\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Various characters crammed into a tiny boat in Pentiment\" data-autosize=\"crop_lossy\" data-lightbox data-uri=\"pentiment-gamescom-header.jpg\" height=\"1080\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1.7777777777777777\" width=\"1920\"><figcaption><span class=\"attribution\">Image credit: <cite>Microsoft<\/cite><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Not all of the 3200 jobs eliminated as a result of Xbox&#8217;s sweeping restructuring plan will take effect now. Only half, 1600, were let go, while the other half will be laid off over the course of the coming year. This is also true for Obsidian, which was hit in the first wave, losing most of those 60-70 people, with the rest coming later this year.<\/p>\n<p>Writer and narrative designer Jay Turner is one of those affected. Turner, whose credits include Avowed, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/dragon-age-origins\">Dragon Age: Origins<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/mass-effect-2\">Mass Effect 2<\/a> called the brutal cuts &#8220;Microsoft sacrificial rituals&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/silopolis.bsky.social\/post\/3mpyoys6cks27\">on BlueSky<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For now, work on Grounded 2 will continue, according to the report. Obsidian will also deliver more The Outer Worlds 2 DLC, but nothing beyond that is certain. Obsidian is said to be hosting an all-hands meeting today to clarify next steps with the remaining staff.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/microsoft-studios-obsidian-inxile-entertainment-acquisition\">Obsidian was acquired by Microsoft in 2018<\/a>. Since then, it has been one of its most active studios, shipping two The Outer Worlds games, two Grounded games, Avowed, and the one-of-a-kind Pentiment.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Home News The Outer Worlds and Fallout New Vegas studio Obsidian is reportedly losing a quarter of its staff in Xbox layoffs Dis-Avowed. Image credit: Private Division\/2K Games News by Sherif Saed Senior Contributor Published on July 7, 2026 21 comments Follow Avowed Obsidian, the legendary RPG studio behind The Outer Worlds, Avowed, Fallout New [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,253],"class_list":["post-2031284","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-eurogamer-net"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2031284","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2031284"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2031284\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2031284"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2031284"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2031284"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}