The Bethesda Game Studios Union says employees at the Rockville office set up a “Celebration of Service” for colleagues affected by recent Xbox layoffs, but human resources ordered it removed “almost immediately.”
Bethesda Game Studios reportedly saw “significant” cuts in this week’s Xbox layoffs, part of a reorganization that affected 1,600 employees across Microsoft’s gaming division and is described as the first wave toward 3,800 job reductions by the end of the company’s 2027 fiscal year. The Bethesda Game Studios Union says Rockville, Maryland staff assembled a “Celebration of Service” display to honor laid-off colleagues and shared images on Bluesky, saying the effort was inspired by a similar display at the Dallas office. The union added that human resources had the office manager take the display down “almost immediately,” saying it could not remain in a common area; staff say common areas have previously been used for team activities and fan works without issue.
Garfield Kart's official X account taunted Nintendo over the planned shutdown of Mario Kart Tour, claiming its game "will not randomly kill your game license." Mario Kart Tour is set to close on September 29, while console entries continue to receive updates.
Activision’s updated PlayStation ports of Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops 2 include the original emblem editor. Players have already used it to create swastikas, 9/11 imagery, and other provocative designs, highlighted in a July 10 tweet from influencer JakeSucky.
The Elder Scrolls Online has launched its first seasonal content, Return of the Thieves Guild, but the rollout has been overshadowed by major layoffs at ZeniMax Online Studios.
