Virtuos has laid off around 300 workers. This comes right after the Oblivion remaster did better than expected. The game pulled in millions of players thanks to Game Pass. But instead of rewards, the team got pay freezes, cuts, and silence.
Most layoffs hit Asia
French journalist Gauthier ‘Gautoz’ Andres first reported the cuts. He said 7% of staff would be let go. Virtuos confirmed it later.
About 200 people were laid off in Asia. Another 70 were cut in Europe. Fewer than 10 were in France, where labour laws make cuts harder.
The company posted a blog called “Adapting for the Future of Game Development”. It blamed the cuts on “lower occupancy” and “slower demand.”
Royalty-free deal blamed
Andres shared more details from inside. His sources say the Oblivion remaster was made on a royalty-free contract. That means Virtuos earned no bonuses, no matter how well the game sold.
The remaster did huge numbers. Reports say it outsold the original’s first 15 months in just one. It hit 4 million players fast. But the teams saw no rewards.
The studio had aimed for high quality over budget. That led to stress and long hours. After the project, raises were frozen. Bonuses were cut. Then the layoffs started.
French team pushed back
In Lyon, workers reportedly went on strike. They protested the layoffs and asked for more protections. This hasn’t been officially confirmed.
Staff had already been asking if layoffs were coming. Now they know.
Laid off as the new patch drops
The layoffs hit just as Virtuos released a new Cyberpunk 2077 patch. It adds quests and cars. The studio is also getting ready to launch Metal Gear Solid: Delta next month.
Virtuos has also bought several studios lately:
- Beyond-FX
- Pipeworks
- Third Kind Games
- Umanaïa
- Abstraction
The company says these new teams made some roles in Asia less needed. That’s why those staff were hit hardest.
Success doesn’t protect jobs
Virtuos wants to go beyond support work. But cutting staff right after a major success sends the wrong message.
The Oblivion remaster was a win. But for many who worked on it, the reward was losing their job.
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