SameTeem
Search titles only
By:
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Home
Forums
Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
What's new
Featured content
Media
Resources
Free TeamSpeak Channel
TeamSpeak
TeamSpeak
Vote
Rank System
Make a Channel
Free Channel Information
Servers
Sourcebans
New posts
SameTeem
Home
Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
Featured content
Media
Resources
Free TeamSpeak Channel
TeamSpeak
Vote
Rank System
Make a Channel
Free Channel Information
Servers
Sourcebans
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Navigation
Install the app
Install
More options
Contact us
Close Menu
Download TeamSpeak Today
Proudly sponsored by TeamSpeak
Forums
News and Announcements
Gaming News
Unannounced MMO From The Elder Scrolls Online Dev Canceled, Veteran Studio Head Steps Down Amid Microsoft Layoffs
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Admin" data-source="post: 67779" data-attributes="member: 1"><p><img src="https://assets-prd.ignimgs.com/2025/07/02/gettyimages-1154902864-1751479337995.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /></p><p>Matt Firor, boss of <a href="https://www.ign.com/games/the-elder-scrolls-online" target="_blank">The Elder Scrolls Online</a> developer ZeniMax Online Studios, has stepped down amid the cancellation of the studio’s unannounced MMO.</p><p></p><p>Sources close to the project told IGN that this MMO was a brand new IP unrelated to both Fallout and The Elder Scrolls, and that it had a sizeable team behind it. This team is now cut as part of <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/microsoft-makes-significant-layoffs-across-gaming-division-xbox-boss-phil-spencer-confirms-in-memo-to-staff" target="_blank">the layoffs hitting Microsoft today</a>.</p><p></p><p></p><p>In a memo to staff verified by IGN, Jill Braff, head of studio for Bethesda and ZeniMax, named Joseph Burba as Firor’s replacement as the new studio director for ZOS.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>The reference to Matt’s note here is the prior memo Matt Booty, head of Xbox Game Studios, sent to Microsoft gaming staff today confirming <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/rares-everwild-reportedly-canceled-as-microsoft-layoffs-sweep-across-xbox" target="_blank">the cancelation of Rare's Everwild</a> and <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/perfect-dark-reboot-canceled-and-xbox-developer-the-initiative-closed-as-part-of-devastating-microsoft-layoffs" target="_blank">the Perfect Dark reboot</a>, as well as the closure of Xbox studio The Initiative. Booty also mentioned the cancelation of "several unannounced projects" - the ZOS MMO was one of them.</p><p></p><p>IGN has reviewed Booty's memo and published it in full, below:</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>- Matt</p><p></p><p></p><p>Microsoft has made a huge number of cuts to its gaming business since acquiring Activision Blizzard for $69 billion. <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/microsoft-lays-off-1900-staff-from-its-video-game-workforce" target="_blank">It laid off 1,900 staff in January 2024</a>, then made further cuts just a few months later <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/microsoft-closes-redfall-developer-arkane-austin-hifi-rush-developer-tango-gameworks-and-more-in-devastating-cuts-at-bethesda" target="_blank">when it closed Redfall developer Arkane Austin and Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks</a>. In September 2024, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/microsoft-lays-off-another-650-staff-from-its-video-game-workforce-xbox-boss-phil-spencer-sends-memo-to-staff" target="_blank"><u>Microsoft cut a further 650 staff from its gaming business</u></a>. And in May this year, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/microsoft-cuts-3-of-its-workforce-affecting-thousands-of-staff" target="_blank">Microsoft cut an eye-watering 6,000 staff</a>, or 3% of its entire workforce. Today's round of layoffs is the fourth to hit Microsoft's gaming business in 18 months.</p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/xbox-boss-phil-spencer-addresses-studio-closures-ign-live-2024" target="_blank"><u>Speaking to IGN in June</u></a> 2024, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said: "I have to run a sustainable business inside the company and grow, and that means sometimes I have to make hard decisions that frankly are not decisions I love, but decisions that somebody needs to go make."</p><p></p><p>The cuts come hot on the heels of <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/microsoft-confirms-first-party-next-generation-xbox-consoles-announces-deal-with-amd-and-promises-full-backwards-compatibility-with-your-existing-xbox-library" target="_blank">Microsoft's confirmation that it plans to release next-gen Xbox consoles</a>, and has a strong presence at video game show gamescom.</p><p></p><p></p><p><em>Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images..</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at <a href="mailto:wesley_yinpoole@ign.com">wesley_yinpoole@ign.com</a> or confidentially at <a href="mailto:wyp100@proton.me">wyp100@proton.me</a>.</em></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/unannounced-mmo-from-the-elder-scrolls-online-dev-canceled-veteran-studio-head-steps-down-amid-microsoft-layoffs" target="_blank">Continue reading...</a></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Admin, post: 67779, member: 1"] [IMG]https://assets-prd.ignimgs.com/2025/07/02/gettyimages-1154902864-1751479337995.jpg[/IMG] Matt Firor, boss of [URL='https://www.ign.com/games/the-elder-scrolls-online']The Elder Scrolls Online[/URL] developer ZeniMax Online Studios, has stepped down amid the cancellation of the studio’s unannounced MMO. Sources close to the project told IGN that this MMO was a brand new IP unrelated to both Fallout and The Elder Scrolls, and that it had a sizeable team behind it. This team is now cut as part of [URL='https://www.ign.com/articles/microsoft-makes-significant-layoffs-across-gaming-division-xbox-boss-phil-spencer-confirms-in-memo-to-staff']the layoffs hitting Microsoft today[/URL]. In a memo to staff verified by IGN, Jill Braff, head of studio for Bethesda and ZeniMax, named Joseph Burba as Firor’s replacement as the new studio director for ZOS. The reference to Matt’s note here is the prior memo Matt Booty, head of Xbox Game Studios, sent to Microsoft gaming staff today confirming [URL='https://www.ign.com/articles/rares-everwild-reportedly-canceled-as-microsoft-layoffs-sweep-across-xbox']the cancelation of Rare's Everwild[/URL] and [URL='https://www.ign.com/articles/perfect-dark-reboot-canceled-and-xbox-developer-the-initiative-closed-as-part-of-devastating-microsoft-layoffs']the Perfect Dark reboot[/URL], as well as the closure of Xbox studio The Initiative. Booty also mentioned the cancelation of "several unannounced projects" - the ZOS MMO was one of them. IGN has reviewed Booty's memo and published it in full, below: - Matt Microsoft has made a huge number of cuts to its gaming business since acquiring Activision Blizzard for $69 billion. [URL='https://www.ign.com/articles/microsoft-lays-off-1900-staff-from-its-video-game-workforce']It laid off 1,900 staff in January 2024[/URL], then made further cuts just a few months later [URL='https://www.ign.com/articles/microsoft-closes-redfall-developer-arkane-austin-hifi-rush-developer-tango-gameworks-and-more-in-devastating-cuts-at-bethesda']when it closed Redfall developer Arkane Austin and Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks[/URL]. In September 2024, [URL='https://www.ign.com/articles/microsoft-lays-off-another-650-staff-from-its-video-game-workforce-xbox-boss-phil-spencer-sends-memo-to-staff'][U]Microsoft cut a further 650 staff from its gaming business[/U][/URL]. And in May this year, [URL='https://www.ign.com/articles/microsoft-cuts-3-of-its-workforce-affecting-thousands-of-staff']Microsoft cut an eye-watering 6,000 staff[/URL], or 3% of its entire workforce. Today's round of layoffs is the fourth to hit Microsoft's gaming business in 18 months. [URL='https://www.ign.com/articles/xbox-boss-phil-spencer-addresses-studio-closures-ign-live-2024'][U]Speaking to IGN in June[/U][/URL] 2024, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said: "I have to run a sustainable business inside the company and grow, and that means sometimes I have to make hard decisions that frankly are not decisions I love, but decisions that somebody needs to go make." The cuts come hot on the heels of [URL='https://www.ign.com/articles/microsoft-confirms-first-party-next-generation-xbox-consoles-announces-deal-with-amd-and-promises-full-backwards-compatibility-with-your-existing-xbox-library']Microsoft's confirmation that it plans to release next-gen Xbox consoles[/URL], and has a strong presence at video game show gamescom. [I]Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images.. Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email]wesley_yinpoole@ign.com[/email] or confidentially at [email]wyp100@proton.me[/email].[/I] [url="https://www.ign.com/articles/unannounced-mmo-from-the-elder-scrolls-online-dev-canceled-veteran-studio-head-steps-down-amid-microsoft-layoffs"]Continue reading...[/url] [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Forums
News and Announcements
Gaming News
Unannounced MMO From The Elder Scrolls Online Dev Canceled, Veteran Studio Head Steps Down Amid Microsoft Layoffs
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
Accept
Learn more…
Top
