ZeniMax Online Layoffs Cut ESO Team by 60%
ZeniMax Online Studios laid off 213 employees in July, reducing its development team by roughly 60% as it shifts focus to The Elder Scrolls Online.
ZeniMax Online Studios laid off 213 employees in July, a reduction that shrank the studio's development team by roughly 60% in a single year. The cuts came after the cancellation of Project Blackbird, a project scrapped in July 2025 that led to 62 layoffs.
Game director Nick Giacomini addressed the impact on the team, saying the layoffs affected staff personally. He noted that many updates have been postponed to 2027 to avoid rushing content out the door, and that plans for late 2027 and early 2028 are still under discussion.
Loremaster Michael Zenke said the team remains committed to honoring the work of former colleagues. In the office, a community-made book about what makes The Elder Scrolls Online special is on display.
Despite the reduced team, The Elder Scrolls Online will receive three new content pieces on September 28: The Nowhere Vault, The High Seas of Tamriel, and a third unnamed update. The studio's situation was reported by pcgamer.com.
Quick answers
How many layoffs did ZeniMax Online Studios have?
213 employees were laid off in July. Additionally, 62 layoffs occurred when Project Blackbird was scrapped in July 2025.
What is Project Blackbird?
Project Blackbird was a project at ZeniMax Online Studios that was scrapped in July 2025, leading to 62 layoffs.
What new content is coming to The Elder Scrolls Online?
On September 28, the game will receive three new content pieces: The Nowhere Vault, The High Seas of Tamriel, and a third unnamed update.