c/fallout · by tal@lemmy.today · 38d

Microsoft’s Xbox to Shift Obsidian Studio to New ‘Fallout’ Video Game

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-08/microsoft-s-xbox-to-shift-obsidian-studio-to-new-fallout-video-game?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc4MzUzMzE2NSwiZXhwIjoxNzg0MTM3OTY1LCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJUSFZBWklWVFRDWk0wMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiJCMUVBQkI5NjQ2QUM0REZFQTJBRkI4MjI1MzgyQTJFQSJ9.9UWhy-Whti5Meu89-fQ5LQd_ZHqAtJVbXoWOcVtFkkU&leadSource=uverify+wall

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/49199407

The layoffs at one of your studios most able to ship games is a bonkers, stupid decision; but pivoting Obsidian to making a new Fallout game is a good business decision if you don't care about what your creatives feel led to create.

16 points · 10 comments · view on lemmy.world

10 Comments

newthrowaway20@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 38d (2 replies)

I know the new vegas fans will be excited to hear obsidian working on fallout. But to them I ask, have you played an obsidian game recently?

DahGangalang@infosec.pub · 5 pts · 38d (1 reply)

I actually haven't. They did outer worlds and I don't think I've heard from them since. What have they put out that's unsatisfactory since then?

A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 38d

I know nothing about Avowed so I cant say that its good or bad., but its the only game I've seen that has had any criticism from Obsidian.

Obsidian has a fairly solid record, and are at the very tippy top of any list of people I'd want working on a new Fallout game.

KingThrillgore@lemmy.ml · 7 pts · 38d (4 replies)

Apparently according to the reporting: Josh Sawyer and John Gonzalez are back at Obsidian. The New Vegas brain trust.

WHY WASN'T THIS IN PRODUCTION YEARS AGO

A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 37d (1 reply)

Because they don't own the license and cant work on it until microsoft tells them to?

KingThrillgore@lemmy.ml · 2 pts · 37d

Well that just sounds like mismanagement.

tal@lemmy.today · 1 pts · 31d

It looks like Microsoft did cut some people at Obsidian. I see Josh Sawyer 8 days ago retweeting (or whatwver the Bluesky term is) various "got laid off, looking for work" messages from some Obsidian people who got cut. I don't think that they were from the Fallout: New Vegas team, though (at least the two mentioned).

https://bsky.app/profile/jesawyer.bsky.social

Jay Turner:

I and a good number of very talented game devs were laid off by Obsidian as part of the Microsoft sacrificial rituals this morning. If you or anyone you know is looking for a Senior Writer/ND with more than two decades' experience in titles like Dragon Age and Mass Effect, please let me know!

https://www.igdb.com/games/fallout-new-vegas/credits

Not on the New Vegas credits.

An area designer "bre_z".

Looking for work</3

Not sure of full name, but looks like "Bree" as a first name? Nothing like that on the New Vegas credits either.

EDIT:

https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/fallout-co-creator-tim-cain-is-out-of-retirement-and-back-at-obsidian/

Fallout co-creator Tim Cain is out of 'semi-retirement' and back at Obsidian

https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fallout/fallout-co-creator-wants-to-make-one-last-game-before-he-retires-for-the-second-time/

Fallout co-creator wants to make one last game before he retires 'for the second time'

So the original Fallout guy is back too in the last several months...and that's despite the studio laying off 25% of its staff.

https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Timothy_Cain

Timothy "Tim" Cain is the original creator of the Fallout series and setting. He was the lead programmer on Fallout and one of the six people responsible for the game's original design.

EDIT2: and they do say, in the article, that at least some Bethesda people will have some level of contribution:

The only Fallout game in the last two decades to not come from Bethesda was 2010’s Fallout: New Vegas, developed by Obsidian and directed by Sawyer. Although New Vegas has become a fan favorite, Bethesda has maintained control over the franchise. The Rockville, Maryland-based studio will work with Obsidian on the new project, the people said.

So that's people from the whole series being brought in on this.

BigBananaDealer@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 37d

obsidian was focusing on their own stuff

EvasiveSpecies@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 32d (1 reply)

So, is it supposed to be like a spin-off or Fallout 5? Because it sounds more like another spin-off to me.

Now imagine how funny it'd be if Obsidian made the spin-off and another team Fallout 5 and it Obsidian's game caught lightning in a bottle (again).

Anyway, I'm thrilled that there is any non Fallout 76 news at all. Holy shit.

P00ptart@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 26d

Yeah it's another spin-off. The Todd won't allow anyone else to do a numbered game. So I'm kinda expecting obsidian to do a Colorado game as that's the next destination for the show.