Today I’m sharing changes we’re making across our Bethesda and ZeniMax teams. These changes are happening because we want to prioritize game titles with large impact areas, and to further invest in Bethesda’s portfolio of great games and beloved worlds that you have nurtured over many decades.
Betting on these franchises and investing to build new ones requires us to look across the business to identify the opportunities best positioned for success. This reprioritization of games and resources means that a few teams will be merged with others, and that some of our colleagues will leave us.
Here are the changes that will take effect:
Arcane Austin – This studio will be shut down, and some of the team will join other studios to work on projects throughout Bethesda. Arkane Austin has a history of creating impactful and innovative games, a pedigree that everyone should be proud of. Redfall’s previous update will be the last as we end all development of the game. The game and its servers will remain online for players to enjoy, and we will provide great deals to players who have purchased the Hero DLC.
Alpha Dog Studios – This studio will also be closed down. We appreciate the team’s creativity in bringing Doom to new players. Mighty Doom will be discontinued on August 7th, and we will be turning off the ability for players to make in-game purchases.
Tango Gameworks – Tango Gameworks will also close. We are grateful for their contributions to Bethesda and players worldwide. Hi-Fi Rush will continue to be available to players on the platforms it is on today.
Roundhouse Games – The team at Roundhouse Games will join ZeniMax Online Studios (ZOS). Roundhouse has played a key role in many of our recent game launches, and folding them into ZOS to work on The Elder Scrolls Online will mean we can do even more to build the world that millions of players call home.
With this consolidation of our Bethesda studio teams, allowing us to invest more deeply in our portfolio of games and new IP, a small number of roles across select Bethesda publishing and corporate teams will also be cut.
Those whose roles are affected will be notified today and we ask that you treat your departing colleagues with respect and compassion. We will give our full support to those affected today and in the transition beyond, including severance pay as set by local laws.
These changes are not a reflection of the creativity and skill of the talented people at these studios, or the risks they took to try new things. I recognize that these changes are also disruptive to the various support teams across ZeniMax and Bethesda that bring our games to market. We are taking these tough decisions to create capacity to increase investment in other parts of our portfolio and focus on our priority games.
Bethesda remains one of the key pillars of Xbox with a strong portfolio of amazing games and thriving community. Looking to the future, there’s an impressive array of games on the horizon. In 2024 alone, we have Starfield Shattered Space, Fallout 76 Skyline Valley, Indiana Jones and The Great Circle, and The Elder Scrolls Online’s Golden Road. As we align our plans and resources to best position ourselves for success in this complex and changing industry, our teams across Arkane Lyon, Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, MachineGames, ZeniMax Online Studios and Bethesda Publishing and corporate team to be well-positioned to build new IP, explore new game concepts and expand on our existing franchises.
– Matt
