Latest news with #OblivionRemastered
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Oblivion Remastered dev team spared the worst of mass layoffs at Virtuos, studio claims as it "remains fully committed" to projects like Cyberpunk 2077 and Metal Gear Solid Delta
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Yesterday, reports emerged that Virtuos, the studio behind Oblivion Remastered and Metal Gear Solid Delta, was set to lay off around 300 people. Today, the company has confirmed those reports while downplaying the effects of the firings on current and future projects. "Approximately 7% of Virtuos' global workforce was affected, primarily in teams facing lower occupancy and slower demand due to structural shifts in the industry," the company says in a statement. "This includes about 200 roles in Asia and 70 roles in Europe, including fewer than 10 in France, where the core team working on Oblivion Remastered is located." The statement calls the layoffs a "rebalancing of roles across our studios and geographies." Translated to non-corporate speak, Virtuos is primarily a support and co-development studio, so it's focusing on regions where most of its clients work. At least, that's how the company is framing the mass layoffs, and why they're having "a greater impact on our teams in Asia." Virtuos notes that it's "providing separation packages, career transition assistance, and opportunities for redeployment across our global network where possible. The company's immediate focus is on managing this transition with care, transparency, and respect." The company also "remains fully committed to all our partnerships, including ongoing work on announced titles such as Oblivion Remastered, Cyberpunk 2077, and Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater." It might seem like a bizarre time for Virtuos to go through layoffs, since Oblivion Remastered was a hit, Metal Gear Solid Delta seems poised for substantial success, and the company's work on Cyberpunk 2077 patch 2.3 seems pretty well received. But as our own Austin Wood noted in his previous coverage of these layoffs, it's just the games industry's latest demonstration that hits will not spare you. Another Xbox studio reacts to the layoffs exploding around it: with Rare's Everwild dead, Sea of Thieves dev says "it's impossible for something like this not to ripple through the studio." Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Elden Ring: Nightreign,' ‘Oblivion Remastered' and ‘Mario Kart World' Top List of Most-Streamed New Games of Q2 (Gaming News Roundup)
'Elden Ring: Nightreign,' 'The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered' and 'Mario Kart World' topped Stream Charts newly released list of the most-streamed new games between April 1-June 30. While certainly not an exact science, the rankings, which are based on Stream Charts' collected data on hours viewed of live-streamers playing the games in their first week of release, indicate the new titles with the strongest impact on the industry during the past few months. More from Variety Xbox's 'S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2' Coming to PlayStation; Wizards of the Coast's Jess Lanzillo Joins White Wolf (Gaming News Roundup) Netflix's 'Squid Game' Mobile Game Adds Season 3 Competitions, Including Hide and Seek and Sky Squid Game (Gaming News Roundup) Xbox's Next-Gen Console to Be Powered by AMD (Gaming News Roundup) See the Top 10 chart based on hours watched during first week of release, provided by Stream Charts, below. 'Q2 2025 proved to be a dynamic quarter for game releases, showcasing a clear dichotomy in livestreaming success,' Stream Charts product manager Nazar Babenko said. 'While established franchise titans like Elden Ring: Nightreign and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered leveraged their brand power and strategic updates (such as roguelike elements and Unreal Engine 5 remasters) to dominate viewership, the quarter also highlighted the significant impact of innovative newcomers. Blue Prince and Rematch carved out substantial niches, demonstrating that unique gameplay, critical acclaim, and targeted streamer engagement can drive considerable initial interest, even against industry giants. Babenko continued: 'Beyond the top contenders, we can notice the growing importance of localized appeal and strategic viewer incentives. The strong regional performance of Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond in Japan and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 in France underscores how cultural resonance and 'homegrown' support can significantly boost initial stats. Furthermore, the effective use of Twitch Drops by games like Dune: Awakening and DOOM: The Dark Ages illustrates a sophisticated understanding of audience engagement, transforming passive viewers into active participants and solidifying Q2 2025 as a period defined by both blockbuster appeal and nuanced, community-driven success.' See more gaming news from this week in the roundup below. NEW RELEASES Nintendo's highly anticipated new Switch 2 title, 'Donkey Kong Bananza' launched Thursday. The 3D platforming action-adventure game follows Donkey Kong and a talented young singer named Pauline, 'featuring (literal) ground-breaking gameplay, a host of powerful transformations, and plenty of ways to cut loose and unleash your inner Kong.' Per Nintendo, 'Join the pair as they delve deep underground – and discover that this subterranean world is a lot more than it seems on the surface. Uncover environments such as arid canyons, lush forests and frigid tundra as you peel back the world's Layers on your way to the Planet Core.' VENTURES GamesBeat launched new B2B media product GB MAX. According to the newly independent gaming news outlet, 'GB MAX platform and subscription will provide a robust B2B network that will open the door for today's business leaders to discuss, collaborate, and drive the future of gaming. This is a critical resource for leaders in any sector, from Hollywood and finance to AI and enterprise technology, to better understand and collaborate with the games industry's technology innovation, digital media, and consumer reach.' * Twitch co-founder Justin Kan's DTC gaming revenue platform Stash set a a strategic partnership with finance tech platform Adyen to launch a new 'payment stack designed for the scale, performance, and reliability that mobile game developers require.' Per the companies, 'the launch comes as a growing number of studios and publishers double down on direct-to-consumer (D2C) strategies, building direct relationships with their players.' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? Final Emmy Predictions: Talk Series and Scripted Variety - New Blood Looks to Tackle Late Night Staples
Engadget
7 days ago
- Business
- Engadget
Virtuos, the studio behind Oblivion Remastered, is laying off around 270 employees
Virtuos, the studio that developed The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered , is laying off seven percent of its staff, or around 270 employees. Gauthier Andres, a reporter and co-founder at Origami , was first to report the news, which the studio later confirmed. Virtuos has provided support on a number of large game projects — including a recent patch for Cyberpunk 2077 — and employs over 4,200 people across the US, Europe and Asia. The company said the layoffs are primarily affecting "teams facing lower occupancy and slower demand due to structural shifts in the industry." It's firing around 200 people in Asia and approximately 70 in Europe. "Fewer than 10" of those are in France, where the core team working on Oblivion Remastered is based. Virtuos says it's offering affected workers layoff packages, career transition assistance and, "where possible," job opportunities across its network. "Over the past 12 months, Virtuos has deepened its commitment to premium co-development through key acquisitions of Beyond-FX, Pipeworks, and Umanaïa in North America, as well as Third Kind Games and Abstraction in Europe," Virtuos said in a statement. "These studios enhance our strengths in VFX, design, Unreal Engine programming and creative development. This ongoing investment reflects our intent to grow in areas where our expertise and scale create lasting value, while selectively exiting service segments where demand is weakening. We need to better match the locations of our teams with those of our clients to support the increasingly iterative nature of creative co-development. This alignment is why the current reorganization has a greater impact on our teams in Asia." Besides reviving Bethesda classics, Virtuos has contributed work to the upcoming Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater and several ongoing live service games, like Dune: Awakening and Sea of Thieves . Nothing about the company's output or the critical reception of its games would suggest it needs to conduct layoffs, but that reflects the current precarious state of the games industry. Even having theoretically steady work doing post-release support and game remasters isn't enough. Virtuos' layoffs follows the sweeping cuts Microsoft made to its Xbox division in early July. Microsoft reportedly cancelled games, like Rare's long-in-development Everwild , and shutdown whole studios, like The Initiative. Romero Games, which had an unannounced funding deal with Microsoft, was also forced to cancel its current project, though it hopes to find a new publishing partner. Update July 17, 2025, 9:57AM ET: Added confirmation of the layoffs from Virtuos.
Engadget
16-07-2025
- Business
- Engadget
Virtuos, the studio behind Oblivion Remastered, is reportedly laying off staff
Virtuos, the studio that developed The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered , is reportedly laying off seven percent of its staff, or around 300 employees, according to Gauthier Andres, a reporter and co-founder at Origami . The studio has provided support on a number of large game projects — including a recent patch for Cyberpunk 2077 — and employs over 4,200 people across the US, Europe and Asia. The brunt of the layoffs are happening to Virtuos employees in China, where Andres reports that around 200 positions are being eliminated. Virtuos' teams in France, who were primarily responsible for the surprise release of Oblivion Remastered back in April, are also expected to be impacted. Besides reviving Bethesda classics, Virtuos has contributed work to the upcoming Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater and several ongoing live service games, like Dune: Awakening and Sea of Thieves . Nothing about the company's output or the critical reception of its games would suggest it needs to conduct layoffs, but that reflects the current precarious state of the games industry. Even having theoretically steady work doing post-release support and game remasters isn't enough. Virtuos' layoffs follows the sweeping cuts Microsoft made to its Xbox division in early July. Microsoft reportedly cancelled games, like Rare's long-in-development Everwild , and shutdown whole studios, like The Initiative. Romero Games, which had an unannounced funding deal with Microsoft, was also forced to cancel its current project, though it hopes to find a new publishing partner.
Time of India
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
How is Ubisoft's EULA clause contradicting the 'Stop Killing Games' campaign?
Image via Ubisoft. The whole gaming world right now is divided into two parts following the feud regarding the 'Stop Killing Games' campaign. This is actually a consumer driven movement against the developers who delist their games out of nowhere. This actually affects a whole bunch of playerbase, who actually bought the game with real-money, but won't ever be able to play it as the game's server was actually made offline, with stopping all services. However, no one would have thought one of the biggest gaming companies would be against this movement. Ubisoft's EULA clause is why the 'Stop Killing Games' campaign exists The Ubisoft EULA is against the 'Stop Killing Games' campaign. | Image via Stop Killing Games. Amidst the clash between the 'Stop Killing Games' campaign and Pirate Software , fans have now found out Ubisoft is actually against the former. It has been discovered in Ubisoft's licence agreement that there is a claw which orders the owners to destroy the game if the developer chooses to end the service of that particular game. This clause in Ubisoft's end user license agreement (EULA) clearly states players are obliged to immediately uninstall the game and delete all the copies of the product which is in their possession if the specific game is being delisted. And this exact clause has stirred a huge controversy amidst the heat of the 'Stop Killing Games' campaign. This clause is exactly what the campaign is fighting against. SKG is fighting for the online preservation of the multiplayers games which suddenly stops its services, even after people purchase these games. The Ubisoft EULA is absolutely opposite to this, making people mandatory to dispose of all the possessions which they actually bought. Now the irony here is that Accursed Farms aka Ross Scott started this campaign after Ubisoft suddenly delisted The Crew in 2024. So, Ubisoft was the real reason behind this petition and now might be becoming the biggest reason people sign this petition, more and more. However, it's disappointing to note that such clauses aren't restricted to EULAs of Ubisoft only. It has been found out that EULAs of several games like Oblivion Remastered, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Metaphor: ReFantazio, and many more contain that same clause, which prompts their users to destroy the ownerships of the games, if they ever get delisted by the developers. Read More: Pirate Software claims being made 'the villain' boosted petition's momentum as Stop Killing Games hits 1 Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
