微软Xbox大规模裁员重创Bethesda和Zenimax，影响上古卷轴系列开发

微软Xbox在2026年初启动大规模裁员，首次裁撤约1600名员工，全年计划裁员总数翻倍，涉及Bethesda Game Studios、Zenimax Online Studios和id Software等多个工作室 ^{[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]}。

Zenimax Online Studios承受重创，作为《上古卷轴在线》（ESO）开发商，据称裁员达到开发团队近半数，多达200余人离开，严重影响游戏后续内容和更新计划 ^{[1, 7, 5, 6, 8]}。该工作室在不到一年时间里发生两轮裁员及管理层变动，去年项目《Project Blackbird》MMO被迫取消，导致工作室总裁辞职 ^{[1, 6, 9]}。

《上古卷轴在线》社区经理Jessica Folsom确认路线图将调整，虽然愿意继续支持该游戏，但季节一之后的计划需重新评估，后续将公布更新安排，她表示：“我们希望退一步整理计划，然后才能给出明确时间表” ^{[1, 7, 5, 8]}。

Bethesda Game Studios作为开发《上古卷轴6》的主力，裁员50余人，其中包括多位关键资深人才，极大影响团队士气和项目进展 ^{[2, 10, 11, 4, 12]}。多名内部员工担心游戏开发将面临延期和加班，且部分人员可能被熟悉度不足的外包替代，增加开发风险。一位匿名开发者表示：“我们已经非常紧张了，担心这会拖慢游戏进度” ^{[10, 11, 4, 12]}。

Bethesda员工曾在达拉斯和罗克维尔办公室为被裁同事设立临时纪念，但被人力资源部门拆除，反映出内部气氛沉重 ^{[10, 11, 4]}。

除此之外，id Software遭遇136名员工裁撤，工作室规模骤减 ^{[3, 4]}。Bethesda母公司ZeniMax整体裁员166人。

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma称此次调整为“Xbox历史上最重要的重组”，强调要聚焦《光环》《辐射》《上古卷轴》等主力品牌的长期增长，并优先投资核心项目 ^{[11, 3, 4]}。Bethesda高层Jill Braff表示，将从独立工作室规划转向统一内容路线图，更好服务玩家和公司整体利益 ^{[3, 4]}。

目前《上古卷轴6》仍处于长周期开发阶段，官方预计距离正式发售至少还有两年以上时间 ^{[10, 4, 12]}。

7月初Microsoft宣布裁员后仅两天，ESO发布声明调整季节一后续内容路线图，随后进入重新规划状态，后续具体进展尚待公布 ^{[1, 7, 5, 8]}。

来源

Eurogamer — The Elder Scrolls Online studio reportedly suffers a second large wave of layoffs in a year, with "up to half" of the team impacted

Eurogamer — Even The Elder Scrolls 6 is affected by Xbox layoffs, say Bethesda employees, as "key" people are let go and morale bottoms out

IGN — Fallout 5, The Elder Scrolls 6, Blade, and More: As Xbox Layoffs Hit Hard, What's Going on at Bethesda?

游民星空 — 曝上古卷轴6非常危险！开发受波及大量骨干被解雇

Kotaku — The Elder Scrolls OnlineTeam Seemingly Gutted By Xbox Layoffs, Says Game’s Roadmaps ‘Will Be Shifting’

PC Gamer — Elder Scrolls Online developer left reeling by Xbox layoffs—with teams gutted, senior talent gone, and roadmaps 'shifting' as a result

IGN — The Elder Scrolls Online Has Reportedly Lost 'As Much as Half' of Its Development Team as Its Roadmap Is Being Re-Evaluated

Rock Paper Shotgun — Xbox layoffs mean that Elder Scrolls Online's roadmap is "shifting" just two days before Season One's release... the plan put in place for the MMO after the last round of cuts

PC Gamer — Former Elder Scrolls Online designer laments the destruction of layoffs: 'There’s really no one left and no changing it now'

Polygon — The Elder Scrolls 6 devs are worried about the game's future after Xbox bloodbath

IGN — The Elder Scrolls 6 Will Suffer Because of Xbox Layoffs, Bethesda Staff Say, Fearing Delays, Crunch, and Generational Talent Being Replaced by Contractors

Rock Paper Shotgun — "We were already running a tight ship": Elder Scrolls 6 devs are worried about Xbox's layoffs causing even more delays to the long-awaited RPG

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