Oblivion Remastered Developer Confirms Layoffs

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This year, the remastered version of “The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion” drew the interest of RPG enthusiasts everywhere when it was unexpectedly released. It’s been one of the most played games of 2025 thus far, even though many gamers have requested updates to enhance performance. Interestingly, despite being associated with Bethesda, the “Oblivion Remastered” remake was developed by third-party partner Virtuos. However, despite the game’s success, the studio has announced that it will be undergoing layoffs.

Regrettably, it’s become a frequent occurrence in the gaming industry that the fate of a game doesn’t necessarily reflect on the team who worked tirelessly on it. Recently, studios such as Microsoft and the creators of the popular mobile app “Candy Crush” have announced layoffs. It appears that Virtuos might follow suit, as Eurogamer reports they are restructuring their company.

Speculation about job cuts at Virtuos surfaced earlier today and was subsequently validated in an official announcement posted on their website. This studio, known for delivering remastered versions of games like “Oblivion” as well as blockbuster titles such as “Cyberpunk 2077” and “Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater,” recently confirmed an update for “Cyberpunk 2077” along with a patch for the “Oblivion Remastered.” This announcement comes as a bit of a shock to fans who have been observing the studio diligently supporting their major titles.

Virtuos Downsizes but Remains “Fully Committed” To Its Games

In response to industry-wide changes and speculation about job cuts, Virtuos has outlined their restructuring plan on their website. As stated by the company, this reorganization affects approximately 7% of their workforce, primarily teams experiencing reduced demand due to market shifts in the gaming sector. The majority of layoffs occurred in Asia, where a total of 200 positions were eliminated. In Europe, about 70 roles were impacted, but fortunately, only a few were from the Oblivion Remastered team.

In addition to verifying the affected staff members due to restructuring, Virtuos also sought to reassure gamers about the continuity of their beloved game titles. Despite reducing a significant portion of its workforce, the studio is said to be “steadfast in their commitment” to upholding their agreements on games such as Oblivion Remastered and Cyberpunk 2077. Here’s hoping this implies that the recent major updates for these games are not the only ones we’ll see.

Despite Virtuos not explicitly confirming the rumors, certain reports suggest that the layoffs might be partly due to the allocation of resources toward the Oblivion remaster project. French journalist Gauthier Andres also hints at Virtuos’ potential shift towards utilizing generative AI, a move similar to what was recently seen with the Candy Crush team.

It seems Virtuos didn’t explicitly address this claim, leaving us uncertain about whether the shift towards using Generative AI for creative roles had any influence on their restructuring decision. However, the developers mentioned that they were adjusting their global presence and abilities to enhance their product range, emphasizing “creative content production and live services”, as well as game engineering and cutting-edge art.

In the gaming world recently, it’s become distressingly common to experience a wave of job cuts, as exemplified by Microsoft’s latest round of layoffs which have caused several games to either be canceled or face uncertainty. However, Virtuos, a company with numerous industry heavyweights as partners, affirms its dedication to maintaining these collaborations. The impact on future projects remains uncertain at this point.

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2025-07-17 18:16