“Without us, Bethesda games aren’t Bethesda games”: Rallies against Microsoft layoffs at Elder Scrolls studio continue, with unionised devs’ morale “on the upswing”
Microsoft has conducted mass layoffs across Xbox studios, prompting organized worker responses from game developers. Unionized staff at Bethesda Game Studios, represented by the One Bethesda Game Studio (OneBGS) union with support from the Communication Workers of America (CWA), held coordinated rallies across nine locations in the United States and Canada on August 18th. The campaign, titled “Save Our Devs,” represents ongoing efforts to combat what workers describe as escalating employment instability, with one developer noting “All of a sudden we have yearly layoffs.”
Despite challenging circumstances, union organizers reported notable resilience among remaining staff. While work-related morale among those still employed remains low, there is optimism about the union’s organizational efforts. One anonymized developer stated that the union’s work demonstrates the essential value of the workforce, arguing that “Without us, Bethesda games aren’t Bethesda games.”
These rallies mark a continuation of organized labor action at the studio as workers seek to address concerns about job security and working conditions in response to Microsoft’s organizational restructuring.