Ironroot Games is a New Studio Created by Former ZeniMax Online Studios Employees

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Throughout 2025, Microsoft laid off over 9,000 employees, including staff from ZeniMax Online Studios, the developers of The Elder Scrolls Online. A project they were working on, called Blackbird, was cancelled as a result. Some of those affected formed a new team called Sackbird Studios, and now, another group of former employees have announced the creation of their own studio, Ironroot Games.

Ironroot Games recently announced its launch on social media, describing itself as an independent studio owned by its employees and built by a team of friends passionate about creating amazing games. They say their combined years of experience in the gaming industry will drive their storytelling. The studio also revealed that they’ve already started working on their first game.

I was really interested to read the interview with Quentin Cobb, a former designer from ZeniMax! He basically said he decided to just go for it and start his own studio, thinking, ‘Why not make my own game?’ It’s cool because he talked about how the gaming industry is changing right now. Games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and smaller indie titles are showing that there’s a place for studios that aren’t massive. Elaine Gómez, who also used to work at ZeniMax, pointed out that this gives developers like them the freedom to really try out new ideas, which is awesome.

I’ve been hearing how the team from ZeniMax Online Studios is really excited to try new things they might not have been able to before. Apparently, working on bigger, more established games can be a little restrictive, and they wanted more freedom. As one of the creators, Cobb, explained, they started this new studio because they wanted to be creative, collaborate, and build the kind of game they all really wanted to make together. It sounds like they’re having a blast!

Cobb, a veteran of prominent game studios including ZeniMax Online Studios, Naughty Dog, Daybreak, and Sony, expressed his excitement about joining a smaller development team. He believes this will give more developers a greater say in the creative process.

After spending years at large game studios without being in a leadership role, it felt limiting – I was expected to focus on just one specific task. What I appreciate about working with a small indie team is that everyone’s input is valued. We actively encourage people to share their ideas and experiences – I want to hear from everyone on the team about the game’s design and story, because everyone has worthwhile opinions.”

Cobb and Gómez have stated that Ironroot Games will continue to operate with a small team. They’ve also emphasized that employees will have a lot of flexibility in setting their own work hours.

We’re balancing everyone’s schedules and personal lives with the work on this game’s prototype and getting our ideas into the game itself. We understand people need to prioritize things like paying bills, and while we eventually want the team to be fully dedicated to this project, we’re building a sustainable approach to ensure we can succeed in the long run.

Ironroot Games is a new, independent game studio founded by a group of friends passionate about creating amazing games. We’re bringing together years of experience to craft compelling stories, and we’re currently working on our first project. Learn more at ironrootgames.com.

— Ironroot Games (@ironrootgames.com) 2025-11-25T16:57:59.939Z

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2026-01-14 20:42