For the primary time ever, seasonal content material is right here for The Elder Scrolls On-line. Return of the Thieves Guild, its inaugural season, has launched for the long-running MMO, one thing you’d anticipate followers can be all abuzz for—if not for the truth that ZeniMax On-line Studios has been gutted as a part of the mass layoffs at Xbox this week.
Yeah, the timing on this one ain’t nice. The developer of the MMO, which has reportedly generated over $2 billion in its lifetime, has been hit particularly arduous. We realized this week that ZeniMax On-line misplaced 213 workers this week, which when mixed with extra layoffs over the previous 12 months, means the studio has misplaced greater than half of the event staff of TESO.
So, it isn’t stunning that this large content material drop has been met with little dialogue of the season itself. As an alternative, gamers have principally been sending well-wishes to the affected growth staff members—often with a little bit of ire for Microsoft.
“Stunned there was anybody left to submit this,” one commenter mentioned in response to the Steam announcement of the season’s launch. “So sorry for you guys. Hope you may hold the sport going. Or higher but, discover independence from MS.”
“Heartbroken for all of the builders who have been laid off,” mentioned one other. “Wishing the most effective for everybody. ♥️Hopefully this vicious cycle will finish sooner or later”
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“ESO has great, passionate builders behind it and to lose them breaks my coronary heart!” one other commenter wrote.
“To all those that received laid off, thanks for all of the content material you gave us, 5000 hours and counting,” mentioned one other.
Not everybody was fairly as well mannered. “Might whoever fires proficient folks such as you BURN IN HELL together with all of Microsoft,” one commenter mentioned. “I hope those that misplaced their jobs discover firms extra worthy of your expertise.”
The Return of the Thieves Guild trailer on YouTube received the same response: not many individuals speaking concerning the trailer itself, however principally expressing heat sentiments to the builders.
“Like everybody else at Bethesda, you guys do not deserve what has occurred to you, and I’m very sorry,” one commenter mentioned. “Keep sturdy and sustain the nice work.”
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Even non-fans have been sympathetic: “I am sorry, regardless that I wasn’t that into ESO you guys deserved higher,” mentioned one other commenter. “I hope everybody affected by the layoffs lands on their toes.”
And sure, there was a little bit of chatter concerning the new season and the way it seems to be—but even these sentiments have been nonetheless usually targeted on the individuals who make the sport.
“This sport and all of the work you have put into creating such partaking and exquisite artwork, content material, and tales has introduced my pals and I a number of pleasure through the years,” a YouTube commenter mentioned. “I at all times sit up for hopping on and seeing what’s new—there may be actually one thing for everybody on this sport. Cannot wait to see what you all give you subsequent, I am blissful to maintain supporting and I hope everybody that was cruelly and needlessly laid off finds nice alternatives of their future.”
And naturally, a number of within the YouTube feedback have been a bit snarkier concerning the mass-layoffs from Microsoft, significantly in regard to the poorly-timed launch of Return of the Thieves Guild.
“Media man should have scheduled this earlier than he was banished to the shadow realm,” the highest remark reads.
“You possibly can inform there’s meant to be a voice-over right here,” a commenter mentioned, “however bro received fired earlier than he had the prospect.”
“I’d say Microsoft is on the market being the actual thieves guild,” one other mentioned, “however the thieves guild nonetheless values folks’s lives over revenue.”
