Amidst rumors of a new round of layoffs at Xbox studios, Chris Avellone decided to speak out on social media.
In his post, he noted that even previously “safe” studios might now be at risk, and “stable releases” guarantee nothing:
Apparently, Microsoft studios that were previously told they wouldn't be affected by cuts are now receiving a completely different signal after recent announcements — even previously “safe” studios are now telling employees they are unsure how leadership changes will affect their future. There is a lot of uncertainty right now, even among studios that had stable releases under Microsoft.
Avellone noted that he is ready to provide media support to specialists if they are laid off:
It's unclear if there will be layoffs, but if you think this might affect you — write to me, and I will try my best to circulate your resumes or job openings, and help in any way I can.
Avellone did not specify in his post which studio (or studios) he was referring to, but some players immediately thought of Obsidian.
A user under the nickname kron123456789 responded to the screenwriter's post, writing that “Obsidian needs to prepare for serious cuts, considering that Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2 officially underperformed.”
Chris Avellone replied that in this case, the blame lies with Microsoft management — they set the price, which affected sales:
In the case of The Outer Worlds 2, Microsoft set the pricing policy, which definitely hurt sales, so it would be fair to see Microsoft take some financial responsibility for using the studio as a guinea pig for game pricing experiments.
Another participant in the discussion, MoneyStacks, suggested that Obsidian should contact management and say that the studio could make a new Fallout installment. However, he made a caveat: “Obsidian hasn't made a large open-world game, so they'll probably ********* [fail].”
Chris Avellone agreed that Obsidian could make a new Fallout, but everything comes down to technical details:
They can, if given the right engine, but you're right — at the moment, their technology doesn't match the level of open world that Bethesda has achieved in many of its games. However, over time they can catch up. It would be easier if they continued to develop their own technologies and engine.
Recently, Insider Gaming journalist Mike Straw shared information. It is alleged that several Xbox studios are under threat of closure this year. However, the journalist noted that he had heard nothing about the closure of Obsidian Entertainment.
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