Microsoft’s recent shutting down of multiple Bethesda studios has led to significant criticism within the gaming industry, particularly directed at Xbox Head Phil Spencer. However, former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra has come forward to offer a different viewpoint, providing some support for Spencer’s decisions.
Ybarra, who collaborated with Spencer for a long time, shared on X (formerly Twitter) his insight into the widespread frustration over the closures of studios such as Arkane Austin (known for Redfall and Prey) and Tango Gameworks (developers of Hi-Fi Rush and The Evil Within). He recognized the challenge of leadership decisions and highlighted the heavy responsibility of making such choices.
I’m not saying this kind of stuff is easy. Spencer’s moves and actions affect thousands of people, which is difficult for anyone. It’s just hard to see a big company shut down studios without (what appears to be) good reasoning.
Despite acknowledging the criticism, Ybarra emphasizes Spencer’s sincere concern for developers and the creative process. Drawing from personal experience, he vouches for Spencer’s character and implies that such tough decisions are made thoughtfully. Ybarra hinted that these actions might be part of a broader strategic change within Microsoft’s gaming division without directly justifying the studio closures.
That sounds true enough because it’s hard to find any good reasoning for all of this. Ybarra showed sympathy for those affected by the layoffs but acknowledged the challenges faced by Xbox, ZeniMax, and Activision Blizzard. His tweet was mostly positive, but it’s hard to hear defense for a company that’s done this. Even some of Bethesda’s Studio heads aren’t keeping quiet.
Microsoft explained that the closures were part of their “reprioritization of titles and resources,” but the exact reasons are not yet clear. The gaming community has shown frustration and disappointment, with many questioning the decision and its potential impact on Microsoft’s game development.
What’s interesting is that Phil Spencer has not yet commented personally. This is probably the smartest move because there doesn’t seem to be anything he can say to make it better. It seems like the smartest move is to stay quiet because anything he says will be blown out of proportion and attacked.
Comments