Bethesda Union Workers To Protest Mass Layoffs Next Week

Bethesda Game Studios’ unionized employees are gearing up for a significant rally next week, voicing their discontent over the recent Xbox layoffs that claimed 440 union jobs across both Bethesda and ZeniMax.

OneBGS, the CWA‑affiliated union representing the creative forces behind titles such as Fallout, Starfield, and The Elder Scrolls, has scheduled coordinated marches outside the studio’s four key sites—Montreal, Canada; Rockville, Maryland; Austin, Texas; and Dallas, Texas—on July 15 at 12:30 p.m. Eastern time.

The company’s stance appears to be one of resignation, urging employees to accept the layoffs quietly and move on. The union, however, is determined to counter that narrative by mobilizing every member, ensuring a unified front. They have officially announced the “Save Our Devs” march, calling for full participation across all studios on Wednesday, July 15.

By confronting management head‑on, the union aims to compel a respectful treatment of its colleagues and deter any future attempts at mass layoffs. They urge members to stay resilient, support one another, and anticipate a powerful collective demonstration on the 15th.

According to OneBGS, a staggering 440 union positions were cut across Bethesda and ZeniMax during this week’s sweeping layoffs. The WARN Act filings break down the impact: id Software let go of 96 staff, 40 remote employees who reported to the Dallas office, and 22 at BGS Austin; ZeniMax Online in Maryland, which works on The Elder Scrolls Online, saw 213 departures, while 166 more were released from ZeniMax Media. The total loss at Xbox alone hit roughly 1,600 workers, and Microsoft as a whole saw about 4,800 employees displaced. Projections indicate an additional 1,600 Xbox layoffs could occur over the next year, marking the third consecutive year the division has conducted a mass reduction.

In light of the upheaval, Xbox unions have been pressing for formal negotiations over layoff terms. Representatives from several unions have been in talks with the company for months, only to report that discussions have stalled, according to union spokespeople last week.

Earlier this week, OneBGS employees erected memorials in shared office spaces to honor their recently laid‑off colleagues. Human Resources subsequently ordered the memorials to be removed, a move that has further inflamed tensions between staff and management.