Completing Oblivion Remastered: Studio Virtuos Solving Employee Cuts

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The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered Updates

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered is likely to be a top contender for Game of the Year. The team at Virtuos has done a fantastic job updating the game while keeping its classic charm. Even dedicated Skyrim fans are starting to wonder if Oblivion might actually be the better game.

Sadly, the studio is facing layoffs. Gauthier ‘Gautoz’ Andres from the French outlet Origami (as reported by PC Gamer) claims that Virtuos plans to cut around 300 jobs, which is about 7% of its workforce. A thread on Bluesky also mentioned that employees were required to take training in generative AI.

Layoffs at the Oblivion Remastered Studio

“Mass layoffs are happening at Virtuos, the studio behind Oblivion Remastered and the new Metal Gear Solid [Delta],” says Andres’s post (translated). “300 jobs (7% of the workforce) are at risk at this outsourcing studio across Asia, the USA, and Europe, including three locations in France.

“Reports suggest that these layoffs will focus mostly on China (about 200 people) but will also affect other departments, including the French studios that contributed to the success of Oblivion Remastered. The main reason for the layoffs given to teams weeks ago was ‘competitiveness.’

Virtuos is said to have gone all out to ensure high quality for Oblivion Remastered, but the contracts were structured without royalties, meaning no bonuses were given based on the game’s success. This led to pressure on developers for a game that may never turn a profit.

“In February, when Oblivion’s development ended, the company announced a freeze on raises and a cut in bonuses across the board,” the thread added. “Management was questioned about the potential for layoffs after these changes but tried to reassure the team.” This situation has reportedly led to a strike at Virtuos Lyon.

The report also highlighted that the studio is increasing its use of generative AI. “In one year, we’ve moved from a few presentations to basic but mandatory training for employees,” said one source. Everyone Andres spoke with expressed distrust towards management.