Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Support Studio Virtuos Hit by Lay-Offs – Rumour

by

Virtuos, which has been involved in several high-profile games like the upcoming “Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater”, appears to have undergone a wave of job cuts. As per Gauthier Andres from Origami, approximately 7% of the workforce is affected, equating to about 300 positions. In posts on BlueSky, Andres mentioned that the main location experiencing these lay-offs is China, with around 200 employees being impacted there.

As per Andres’ statements, Virtuos aims to transition into a studio specializing in supporting significant projects associated with prominent franchises. In contrast, he observed that Bluepoint has been putting in considerable effort on their work for _The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered_. Notably, the agreement for this project did not include any royalties or rewards linked to the project’s performance, and employees were reportedly pushed to exceed expectations.

At the end of February, while finalizing work on Oblivion, the company made an announcement about halting salary increases and decreasing overall team bonuses. Employees had expressed concerns about possible layoffs due to these changes, but management eased their worries by stating that everything was under control.

In reaction to recent job cuts, employees at Virtuos Lyon are staging a strike to voice their disapproval and protect the office, which is rumored to be undergoing leadership consolidation. Additionally, it’s been hinted that the studio might be exploring the use of AI gradually and cautiously for generative purposes. According to one insider, presentations about this topic at the group level have increased significantly over the past year, with basic training sessions now becoming mandatory for staff members.

So far, Virtuos has not issued any official comment regarding the layoffs. Previously, members within the organization have mentioned plans for optimization to develop games for the rumored Nintendo Switch 2, as well as celebrating the successful debut of the Switch 2.

Information: Mass layoffs are currently underway at Virtuos, the studio behind Oblivion Remastered and future Metal Gear Solid Δ.300. Approximately 7% of their workforce (around 300 positions) are at risk in this specialist outsourcing company, which is based in Asia, the U.S., and Europe, with three locations in France.

— Gauthier ‘Gautoz’ Andres (@gautoz.cool) 2025-07-16T14:45:45.778Z

According to various sources, these cuts will initially target China (affecting about 200 people) but will also impact several departments, including French studios, which have recently achieved success with TES IV Oblivion Remastered. The call made to the teams a few weeks ago was “competitiveness”.

As per multiple reports, these cuts will first be directed at China (affecting approximately 200 individuals), but they will also influence numerous divisions, including French studios that have recently seen success with TES IV Oblivion Remastered. The message given to the teams a short while ago was about “competitiveness”.

Or:

Reports suggest that these cuts will initially be aimed at China (approximately 200 people), but they will also affect various departments, including French studios that have recently achieved success with TES IV Oblivion Remastered. The teams were informed a few weeks ago about the need for “competitiveness”.

— Gauthier ‘Gautoz’ Andres (@gautoz.cool) 2025-07-16T14:45:45.779Z

Read More

2025-07-17 17:11