{"id":2041031,"date":"2026-07-13T14:46:29","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T11:46:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2041031"},"modified":"2026-07-13T14:46:29","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T11:46:29","slug":"the-elder-scrolls-online-dev-zenimax-online-studios-insists-its-now-the-same-size-it-was-when-it-made-much-loved-dlcs-moves-to-reassure-worried-fans-after-xbox-layoffs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2041031","title":{"rendered":"The Elder Scrolls Online Dev ZeniMax Online Studios Insists It&#8217;s Now the Same Size It Was When It Made Much-Loved DLCs, Moves to Reassure Worried Fans After Xbox Layoffs"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-cy=\"article-content\" class=\"jsx-2870106660 article-content page-0\">\n<section data-cy=\"article-subtitle\" class=\"article jsx-3932497636 article-section jsx-862658659 news\" data-autopogo=\"true\">\n<section class=\"article-page\">\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/games\/the-elder-scrolls-online\">The Elder Scrolls Online<\/a> developer ZeniMax Online Studios has moved to reassure concerned fans that it is still committed to the game despite the impact of significant layoffs at Xbox.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Last week, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma started her \u201creset\u201d of Microsoft\u2019s gaming business by cutting 1,600 staff, with another 1,600 to go over the course of the next 12 months. Bethesda was hit hard by the layoffs. A <a href=\"https:\/\/labor.maryland.gov\/employment\/pdf\/warn-log-2026.pdf?=v5\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><u>Maryland WARN Act notice<\/u><\/a> shows 213 employees were laid off from ZOS&#8217;s office in Cockeysville, MD, and 166 from ZeniMax Media Inc. in Rockville, MD, for a total of 379. While it\u2019s difficult to pin down exactly what the affected staff were working on at these studios because there are blended teams across Bethesda locations, the WARN numbers undoubtedly make for difficult reading.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">As revealed by IGN last week, <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/we-need-to-change-course-bethesda-boss-tells-staff-the-company-must-focus-on-our-strongest-franchises-as-xbox-layoffs-hit-hard\"><u>in an email to Bethesda staff sent following Sharma&#8217;s memo on Monday<\/u><\/a>, Bethesda boss Jill Braff said the layoffs and change in strategy \u201creflect the realities of our industry and business \u2013 and our responsibility to ensure Bethesda is operating from a more stable foundation.\u201d <\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">&#8220;To be successful in the future, we need to change course,\u201d Braff continued. \u201cWe must strengthen our business, return to sustainable growth, and ensure we can continue investing in our franchises and our players. I know that doesn&#8217;t make a day like today any easier.\u201d <\/p>\n<p><button type=\"button\" style=\"display:none\" class=\"jsx-2228525885\"><\/button><span data-cy=\"slideshow-view-trigger\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-preview\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 slideshow-preview\">\n<h3 class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-1085005187\" data-cy=\"slideshow-preview-title\">The 100 Best Xbox Games of All Time<\/h3>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-container\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 images-container\"><button type=\"button\" data-cy=\"hero-image\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 hero-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"What is an Xbox? Microsoft has spent 25 years trying to answer the question, but for fans, the answer is easy: \u201cXbox\u201d evokes one-eared headsets wired into the memory card slots of massive controllers with breakaway cords. A dashboard with gleaming skeuomorphic blades and avatars adorned in earned accessories. That sound that plays when a hard-earned Achievement finally pops. \u201cXbox\u201d means heavy-duty hardware. Tactile sensations. Friends connecting for the first time. And that\u2019s before we even get to the games.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;\n\nIt may be that the very idea of an Xbox game is coming to an end. Microsoft has undeniably shifted its tactics, with a new focus on multi-platform releases, handheld Xboxes that are actually miniature Windows computers, and the potential that future Xbox consoles may simply be gaming PCs. So now seems as good a time as any to look back at the entire history of Microsoft\u2019s console journey and rank the best Xbox games, with help from our friends at Outside Xbox, the multimillion-subscriber channel that serves up weekly videos about video games and video game-adjacent things&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;\n\nWhen we say \u201cthe best Xbox games,\u201d we mean the ones that most evoke that weighty sense of \u201cXboxness.\u201d Some are first-party, most are exclusives, and all of them are indelibly tied to the legacy of and fondness for a platform that\u2019s left a massive mark on gaming. These are the 100 Best Xbox Games of All Time. We&apos;ll be updating this list daily with 25 games at 7am PST\/10am ET\/3pm GMT from Tuesday, 20th January to Friday, 23rd January, until number one is revealed.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><span class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button button--primary jsx-3381835873 jsx-4266531355 row-pagination-button next contained centered round large\" data-cy=\"paginate next\" title=\"Open Slideshow\"><span class=\"ign-icon right-chevron jsx-2750866048 jsx-2919720488\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"right-chevron\" style=\"background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-list\" class=\"scrollbar jsx-2072772685 jsx-4243969252 images-list\"><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"&lt;b&gt;100. 1 vs. 100&lt;\/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;\nA large-scale, online multiplayer game show, played in real-time by actual players who could win actual prizes? It was a bold idea, and Microsoft&apos;s 1 vs. 100 actually did it. Adapted from the TV show of the same name, players were randomly dropped into one of three pools whenever the show went live: the Crowd, the Mob, and the One, with the One competing against the Mob in trivia rounds where reaction times were just as important an ingredient to victory as the correct answer to the question being asked. Prizes ranged from 80 Microsoft Points ($1) to a free Xbox Live Arcade game, to 10,000 Microsoft Points ($125). 1 vs. 100 was a true social and technical experiment in the world of gaming, and here&apos;s the thing: it worked! Sadly, it was canceled after two &quot;seasons&quot; and can&apos;t be played now, but it lives on in the memory as one of the best and most innovative Xbox games ever made.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"rounded jsx-412047461 overlay progressive-image jsx-2338608387 expand\" data-cy=\"slideshow-image-overlay\">\n<div data-cy=\"element-caption\" class=\"caption jsx-1762799490\">View 101 Images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"&lt;b&gt;99. Conker: Live and Reloaded&lt;\/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;\nWhen Microsoft acquired Nintendo&apos;s second-party darling Rare for $375 million, the possibilities were endless. One of the first games Xbox got from the British studio was Conker: Live and Reloaded, a remake of N64&apos;s Conker&apos;s Bad Fur Day that added online multiplayer. And while that competitive play was quite fun, thanks in part to the juxtaposition of over-the-top violence and adorable characters on screen, it was the technological level-up from the N64 original that was truly stunning. The action-platformer was now &quot;fur-shaded,&quot; giving the manes of Conker and his buddies a unique &quot;next-gen&quot; new look. Ironically, Live and Reloaded was actually more heavily censored than Bad Fur Day, but both campaign and multiplayer were nevertheless a great way to introduce Rare to its new Xbox player base.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"&lt;b&gt;98. Top Spin&lt;\/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;\nBelieve it or not, there was a time when EA didn&apos;t support Xbox Live. And so Microsoft started building its own sports games that would take advantage of its online service, and of those titles, Top Spin was by far the best. It was a tennis sim featuring a career mode full of real-life pros, but what made Top Spin memorable \u2013 in addition to its core gameplay being so pitch-perfect, of course \u2013 was its online play. You&apos;d create your character, build them up, and take them online, pitting yourself against other players in ranked matches that, if you won, would move you further up the global rankings. It all worked perfectly (and even tied in XSN, if you remember that little experiment), and made Top Spin the best tennis game the Xbox has ever been served up.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"&lt;b&gt;97. Binary Domain&lt;\/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;\nThe Xbox 360 was a treasure chest full of those \u201c7 out of 10s\u201d that you just couldn\u2019t put down; those rough-around-the-edges cult classics that kept us more than entertained for a weekend before we moved on to the next. Binary Domain is a perfect example \u2013 a third-person shooter from Yakuza developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, this sci-fi story didn\u2019t play too differently from established cover shooters such as Gears of War, but came with its own unique quirks. Direct control of your squadmates was chief among these, with the ability to command them in six different languages via a headset or the Kinect sensor, a fun little gimmick that took advantage of the Xbox\u2019s ultimately doomed experiment with its camera peripheral. Binary Domain may have never fully reached the heights of its lofty ambitions, but it still finds a place in our hearts.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"&lt;b&gt;96. Steel Battalion&lt;\/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;\nThe original Xbox was a maximalist, brutalist brick of post-Y2K design and Steel Battalion is the purest expression of its commitment to inconvenience. The Capcom-developed mech game is arguably nothing special by itself, but the humongous HOTAS horror with which it came bundled has earned it Xbox immortality. Weighing in at a whopping 17 pounds, boasting three panels, three foot pedals, and industrial-grade divorced dad energy, Steel Battalion is the video game equivalent of \u201crolling coal:\u201d an excessive, magnificent, indulgent peripheral that cost $200 in 2002 money. Xbox is a burly, hefty console that demands a burly, hefty experience, and Steel Battalion more than fits the bill.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Without naming games, Braff added \u201cto best position Bethesda for future growth, we are shifting from a planning model primarily centered on what&#8217;s next for each independent studio to one that focuses on our strongest franchises and determining the content roadmap that best serves our players and Bethesda as a whole. From there, we\u2019ll align the right talent, technology, and resources across the organization to deliver on those priorities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">There can be no doubt that ESO, which launched in April 2014, was one of the games impacted by the layoffs, with staff <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/the-elder-scrolls-online-has-reportedly-lost-as-much-as-half-of-its-development-team-as-its-roadmap-is-being-re-evaluated\">confirming an adjustment to its planned roadmap of content would have to be made<\/a>. But, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/massivelyop.com\/2026\/07\/11\/elder-scrolls-online-devs-say-the-team-is-now-the-size-it-was-in-the-2015-2018-era\/\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Massively OP<\/a>, the developers have also now told fans that the team size is back to the level it was when the Wrothgar (2015) and Summerset (2018) DLCs \u2014 both warmly received \u2014 were made.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">The comments were paraphrased by Baratron, the admin of the UESP Discord and prominent Elder Scrolls Online player, in <a href=\"https:\/\/forums.elderscrollsonline.com\/en\/discussion\/comment\/8503767\/#Comment_8503767\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a post on the ESO forum<\/a>, having attended the ESO Tavern event in Hesse, Germany, over the weekend. According to Baratron, associate design director, Jason Barnes, and associate director of community management, Jessica Folsom, said the layoffs did not signal the end for ESO, nor was it going into maintenance mode.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">ESO\u2019s Kevin Gbolie then followed up with <a href=\"https:\/\/forums.elderscrollsonline.com\/en\/discussion\/comment\/8503785\/#Comment_8503785\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a post on the forum<\/a>: \u201cThe plan is still to deliver great content, and we will hopefully have an update soon. Just wanted to thank everyone for the kind words and concern for everyone at the studio and everyone impacted by layoffs. We know that everyone appreciates it. Also apologies for any delay in follow up from me this week here on the forum. I\u2019m currently at the Tavern.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Last week, a source familiar with the situation at the studio told IGN that ZOS is supporting the new season model for ESO while also looking for ways to collaborate more closely with BGS to support the Elder Scrolls franchise as a whole. I took that to mean helping get The Elder Scrolls 6 out the door.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jsx-2896921488 video jsx-2008855984 aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9\">\n<div class=\"badge jsx-1349606671 jsx-3647116352\"><span class=\"ign-icon icon-play jsx-2750866048 jsx-1044454891\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"false\" data-cy=\"icon-play\" aria-label=\"Play\" style=\"background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">The comments from ZOS echo <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/id-software-issues-statement-following-xbox-layoffs-says-its-back-to-the-size-it-was-when-it-made-2016s-doom\">those issued by Doom developer id Software<\/a>, which was similarly hit hard by the Xbox layoffs. 96 staff who worked at id Software&#8217;s office in Richardson, Texas, were cut, alongside a further 40 remote roles. Reports estimate the legendary first-person studio lost half its staff.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Some had expressed concern that id Software would be unable to lead development on any new games in its current state, and that it might be relegated to support studio status. But id Software said it was now at the staffing level it was back when it made the much-loved 2016 Doom reboot \u2014 and insisted it was still capable of making \u201cgreat games.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">With these statements, both ZOS and id Software are sending a similarly positive message to fans (and perhaps hinting at ill-advised hiring across Xbox by Microsoft in recent years). But it&#8217;s worth noting that there are still over 1,000 staff at Xbox who are set to lose their jobs in the coming months. This wait to find out who&#8217;s next on the chopping block is causing a great deal of anxiety and uncertainty among those who remain and must continue to work on games even as Microsoft restructures the Xbox business around them.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">For more on how the Xbox layoffs have impacted Bethesda, we\u2019ve got <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/fallout-5-the-elder-scrolls-6-blade-and-more-as-xbox-layoffs-hit-hard-whats-going-on-at-bethesda\">a report on the fate of everything from The Elder Scrolls 6 to Fallout 5<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"accent-divider\" class=\"jsx-3449795453 divider jsx-2786329600\"><\/div>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><em>Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n<p><span class=\"stack jsx-1475529924\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"jsx-2155806329 adunit-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"jsx-2155806329 bobble bobble-1 pogocnt pg-article\">\n<div data-mix-name=\"secondaryMedrec\" data-pos=\"1\" data-pogo-hide=\"1\" class=\"jsx-343126785 pogo-slot\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<section class=\"article-page\">\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/games\/the-elder-scrolls-online\">The Elder Scrolls Online<\/a> developer ZeniMax Online Studios has moved to reassure concerned fans that it is still committed to the game despite the impact of significant layoffs at Xbox.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Last week, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma started her \u201creset\u201d of Microsoft\u2019s gaming business by cutting 1,600 staff, with another 1,600 to go over the course of the next 12 months. Bethesda was hit hard by the layoffs. A <a href=\"https:\/\/labor.maryland.gov\/employment\/pdf\/warn-log-2026.pdf?=v5\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><u>Maryland WARN Act notice<\/u><\/a> shows 213 employees were laid off from ZOS&#8217;s office in Cockeysville, MD, and 166 from ZeniMax Media Inc. in Rockville, MD, for a total of 379. While it\u2019s difficult to pin down exactly what the affected staff were working on at these studios because there are blended teams across Bethesda locations, the WARN numbers undoubtedly make for difficult reading.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">As revealed by IGN last week, <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/we-need-to-change-course-bethesda-boss-tells-staff-the-company-must-focus-on-our-strongest-franchises-as-xbox-layoffs-hit-hard\"><u>in an email to Bethesda staff sent following Sharma&#8217;s memo on Monday<\/u><\/a>, Bethesda boss Jill Braff said the layoffs and change in strategy \u201creflect the realities of our industry and business \u2013 and our responsibility to ensure Bethesda is operating from a more stable foundation.\u201d <\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">&#8220;To be successful in the future, we need to change course,\u201d Braff continued. \u201cWe must strengthen our business, return to sustainable growth, and ensure we can continue investing in our franchises and our players. I know that doesn&#8217;t make a day like today any easier.\u201d <\/p>\n<p><button type=\"button\" style=\"display:none\" class=\"jsx-2228525885\"><\/button><span data-cy=\"slideshow-view-trigger\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-preview\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 slideshow-preview\">\n<h3 class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-1085005187\" data-cy=\"slideshow-preview-title\">The 100 Best Xbox Games of All Time<\/h3>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-container\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 images-container\"><button type=\"button\" data-cy=\"hero-image\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 hero-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"What is an Xbox? Microsoft has spent 25 years trying to answer the question, but for fans, the answer is easy: \u201cXbox\u201d evokes one-eared headsets wired into the memory card slots of massive controllers with breakaway cords. A dashboard with gleaming skeuomorphic blades and avatars adorned in earned accessories. That sound that plays when a hard-earned Achievement finally pops. \u201cXbox\u201d means heavy-duty hardware. Tactile sensations. Friends connecting for the first time. And that\u2019s before we even get to the games.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;\n\nIt may be that the very idea of an Xbox game is coming to an end. Microsoft has undeniably shifted its tactics, with a new focus on multi-platform releases, handheld Xboxes that are actually miniature Windows computers, and the potential that future Xbox consoles may simply be gaming PCs. So now seems as good a time as any to look back at the entire history of Microsoft\u2019s console journey and rank the best Xbox games, with help from our friends at Outside Xbox, the multimillion-subscriber channel that serves up weekly videos about video games and video game-adjacent things&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;\n\nWhen we say \u201cthe best Xbox games,\u201d we mean the ones that most evoke that weighty sense of \u201cXboxness.\u201d Some are first-party, most are exclusives, and all of them are indelibly tied to the legacy of and fondness for a platform that\u2019s left a massive mark on gaming. These are the 100 Best Xbox Games of All Time. We&apos;ll be updating this list daily with 25 games at 7am PST\/10am ET\/3pm GMT from Tuesday, 20th January to Friday, 23rd January, until number one is revealed.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><span class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button button--primary jsx-3381835873 jsx-4266531355 row-pagination-button next contained centered round large\" data-cy=\"paginate next\" title=\"Open Slideshow\"><span class=\"ign-icon right-chevron jsx-2750866048 jsx-2919720488\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"right-chevron\" style=\"background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-list\" class=\"scrollbar jsx-2072772685 jsx-4243969252 images-list\"><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"&lt;b&gt;100. 1 vs. 100&lt;\/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;\nA large-scale, online multiplayer game show, played in real-time by actual players who could win actual prizes? It was a bold idea, and Microsoft&apos;s 1 vs. 100 actually did it. Adapted from the TV show of the same name, players were randomly dropped into one of three pools whenever the show went live: the Crowd, the Mob, and the One, with the One competing against the Mob in trivia rounds where reaction times were just as important an ingredient to victory as the correct answer to the question being asked. Prizes ranged from 80 Microsoft Points ($1) to a free Xbox Live Arcade game, to 10,000 Microsoft Points ($125). 1 vs. 100 was a true social and technical experiment in the world of gaming, and here&apos;s the thing: it worked! Sadly, it was canceled after two &quot;seasons&quot; and can&apos;t be played now, but it lives on in the memory as one of the best and most innovative Xbox games ever made.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"rounded jsx-412047461 overlay progressive-image jsx-2338608387 expand\" data-cy=\"slideshow-image-overlay\">\n<div data-cy=\"element-caption\" class=\"caption jsx-1762799490\">View 101 Images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"&lt;b&gt;99. Conker: Live and Reloaded&lt;\/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;\nWhen Microsoft acquired Nintendo&apos;s second-party darling Rare for $375 million, the possibilities were endless. One of the first games Xbox got from the British studio was Conker: Live and Reloaded, a remake of N64&apos;s Conker&apos;s Bad Fur Day that added online multiplayer. And while that competitive play was quite fun, thanks in part to the juxtaposition of over-the-top violence and adorable characters on screen, it was the technological level-up from the N64 original that was truly stunning. The action-platformer was now &quot;fur-shaded,&quot; giving the manes of Conker and his buddies a unique &quot;next-gen&quot; new look. Ironically, Live and Reloaded was actually more heavily censored than Bad Fur Day, but both campaign and multiplayer were nevertheless a great way to introduce Rare to its new Xbox player base.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"&lt;b&gt;98. Top Spin&lt;\/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;\nBelieve it or not, there was a time when EA didn&apos;t support Xbox Live. And so Microsoft started building its own sports games that would take advantage of its online service, and of those titles, Top Spin was by far the best. It was a tennis sim featuring a career mode full of real-life pros, but what made Top Spin memorable \u2013 in addition to its core gameplay being so pitch-perfect, of course \u2013 was its online play. You&apos;d create your character, build them up, and take them online, pitting yourself against other players in ranked matches that, if you won, would move you further up the global rankings. It all worked perfectly (and even tied in XSN, if you remember that little experiment), and made Top Spin the best tennis game the Xbox has ever been served up.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"&lt;b&gt;97. Binary Domain&lt;\/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;\nThe Xbox 360 was a treasure chest full of those \u201c7 out of 10s\u201d that you just couldn\u2019t put down; those rough-around-the-edges cult classics that kept us more than entertained for a weekend before we moved on to the next. Binary Domain is a perfect example \u2013 a third-person shooter from Yakuza developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, this sci-fi story didn\u2019t play too differently from established cover shooters such as Gears of War, but came with its own unique quirks. Direct control of your squadmates was chief among these, with the ability to command them in six different languages via a headset or the Kinect sensor, a fun little gimmick that took advantage of the Xbox\u2019s ultimately doomed experiment with its camera peripheral. Binary Domain may have never fully reached the heights of its lofty ambitions, but it still finds a place in our hearts.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"&lt;b&gt;96. Steel Battalion&lt;\/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;\nThe original Xbox was a maximalist, brutalist brick of post-Y2K design and Steel Battalion is the purest expression of its commitment to inconvenience. The Capcom-developed mech game is arguably nothing special by itself, but the humongous HOTAS horror with which it came bundled has earned it Xbox immortality. Weighing in at a whopping 17 pounds, boasting three panels, three foot pedals, and industrial-grade divorced dad energy, Steel Battalion is the video game equivalent of \u201crolling coal:\u201d an excessive, magnificent, indulgent peripheral that cost $200 in 2002 money. Xbox is a burly, hefty console that demands a burly, hefty experience, and Steel Battalion more than fits the bill.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Without naming games, Braff added \u201cto best position Bethesda for future growth, we are shifting from a planning model primarily centered on what&#8217;s next for each independent studio to one that focuses on our strongest franchises and determining the content roadmap that best serves our players and Bethesda as a whole. From there, we\u2019ll align the right talent, technology, and resources across the organization to deliver on those priorities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">There can be no doubt that ESO, which launched in April 2014, was one of the games impacted by the layoffs, with staff <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/the-elder-scrolls-online-has-reportedly-lost-as-much-as-half-of-its-development-team-as-its-roadmap-is-being-re-evaluated\">confirming an adjustment to its planned roadmap of content would have to be made<\/a>. But, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/massivelyop.com\/2026\/07\/11\/elder-scrolls-online-devs-say-the-team-is-now-the-size-it-was-in-the-2015-2018-era\/\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Massively OP<\/a>, the developers have also now told fans that the team size is back to the level it was when the Wrothgar (2015) and Summerset (2018) DLCs \u2014 both warmly received \u2014 were made.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">The comments were paraphrased by Baratron, the admin of the UESP Discord and prominent Elder Scrolls Online player, in <a href=\"https:\/\/forums.elderscrollsonline.com\/en\/discussion\/comment\/8503767\/#Comment_8503767\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a post on the ESO forum<\/a>, having attended the ESO Tavern event in Hesse, Germany, over the weekend. According to Baratron, associate design director, Jason Barnes, and associate director of community management, Jessica Folsom, said the layoffs did not signal the end for ESO, nor was it going into maintenance mode.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">ESO\u2019s Kevin Gbolie then followed up with <a href=\"https:\/\/forums.elderscrollsonline.com\/en\/discussion\/comment\/8503785\/#Comment_8503785\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a post on the forum<\/a>: \u201cThe plan is still to deliver great content, and we will hopefully have an update soon. Just wanted to thank everyone for the kind words and concern for everyone at the studio and everyone impacted by layoffs. We know that everyone appreciates it. Also apologies for any delay in follow up from me this week here on the forum. I\u2019m currently at the Tavern.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Last week, a source familiar with the situation at the studio told IGN that ZOS is supporting the new season model for ESO while also looking for ways to collaborate more closely with BGS to support the Elder Scrolls franchise as a whole. I took that to mean helping get The Elder Scrolls 6 out the door.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jsx-2896921488 video jsx-2008855984 aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9\">\n<div class=\"badge jsx-1349606671 jsx-3647116352\"><span class=\"ign-icon icon-play jsx-2750866048 jsx-1044454891\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"false\" data-cy=\"icon-play\" aria-label=\"Play\" style=\"background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">The comments from ZOS echo <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/id-software-issues-statement-following-xbox-layoffs-says-its-back-to-the-size-it-was-when-it-made-2016s-doom\">those issued by Doom developer id Software<\/a>, which was similarly hit hard by the Xbox layoffs. 96 staff who worked at id Software&#8217;s office in Richardson, Texas, were cut, alongside a further 40 remote roles. Reports estimate the legendary first-person studio lost half its staff.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Some had expressed concern that id Software would be unable to lead development on any new games in its current state, and that it might be relegated to support studio status. But id Software said it was now at the staffing level it was back when it made the much-loved 2016 Doom reboot \u2014 and insisted it was still capable of making \u201cgreat games.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">With these statements, both ZOS and id Software are sending a similarly positive message to fans (and perhaps hinting at ill-advised hiring across Xbox by Microsoft in recent years). But it&#8217;s worth noting that there are still over 1,000 staff at Xbox who are set to lose their jobs in the coming months. This wait to find out who&#8217;s next on the chopping block is causing a great deal of anxiety and uncertainty among those who remain and must continue to work on games even as Microsoft restructures the Xbox business around them.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">For more on how the Xbox layoffs have impacted Bethesda, we\u2019ve got <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/fallout-5-the-elder-scrolls-6-blade-and-more-as-xbox-layoffs-hit-hard-whats-going-on-at-bethesda\">a report on the fate of everything from The Elder Scrolls 6 to Fallout 5<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"accent-divider\" class=\"jsx-3449795453 divider jsx-2786329600\"><\/div>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><em>Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Elder Scrolls Online developer ZeniMax Online Studios has moved to reassure concerned fans that it is still committed to the game despite the impact of significant layoffs at Xbox. Last week, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma started her \u201creset\u201d of Microsoft\u2019s gaming business by cutting 1,600 staff, with another 1,600 to go over the course [&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":[226,243],"class_list":["post-2041031","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-ign-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2041031","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=2041031"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2041031\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2041031"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2041031"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2041031"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}