Zenimax Online Studios president Matt Firor has announced his intention to step down, following layoffs at the company and the cancellation of its upcoming MMO.
Posted in a statement to social media via the official Zenimax Online Studios account, Firor wrote the following: “After more than 18 years leading ZeniMax Online Studios, I’ll be stepping away later this month.
“The studio and The Elder Scrolls Online will be in great hands under the direction of new Studio Head, Jo Burba along with Executive Producer, Susan Kath and Game Director, Rich Lambert. Together, this leadership team has spearheaded many of ESO’s biggest ideas and expansions and will continue to make this game something we’re all proud of.
“While I won’t be working on the game anymore, I will be cheering you on and adding to the thousands of hours I’ve already spent in-game. There are many more stories to be told, adventures to be had, and I know this amazing community will carry that shared legacy and success forwards.”
Staff at Zenimax Online Studios gradually announced their sudden departure from the company last night on social media, after being unceremoniously locked out of work accounts. Senior producer Chris Linn wrote on LinkedIn: “Hi everyone! Our amazing MMO project was just cancelled, I am starting to poke around for new remote work.”
Executive producer Sean Dunn stated it was “one of the biggest disappointments of my 35 year long career in games”. Lead content manager David Davies summed up the situation as such: “Heartbroken for so many ZOS colleagues today. A pointless loss and waste. Make it make sense.”
This was just one studio impacted in last night’s widespread Microsoft layoffs. Sea of Thieves and Banjo-Kazooie director Gregg Mayles is reportedly leaving Rare after 35 years, as the studio had several staff fired and its upcoming release Everwild cancelled. Perfect Dark was also cancelled, roughly 50 percent of Turn 10 staff were laid off, and even King was hit.
Through all this, only one person is certainly still safe in his job. Head of Xbox Phil Spencer “will not be retiring any time soon”, according to head of Xbox communications Kari Perez.