Obsidian Director Claps Back at Critics After Xbox Layoffs: “The DNA Is Still Here!”

The global gaming industry has been on a rollercoaster lately, especially with the recent widespread layoffs impacting Xbox and its studios. It’s a tough time for developers, and emotions are running high. Amidst all this, Brandon Adler, a director at Obsidian Entertainment, has had enough of the “cold takes” and misinformation circulating about his studio’s identity and future.

Adler, who is currently directing *The Outer Worlds 2* and another unannounced project, took to social media to express his frustration. He acknowledged the past week had been “extremely difficult” for the team, dealing with the departure of talented colleagues. But what really got under his skin were the self-proclaimed experts popping up to declare that Obsidian “isn’t who they used to be.”

He didn’t hold back, calling out those “running their mouths” with “zero insight” into how games are actually made or who contributed to their legendary titles. Adler highlighted the staggering number of people talking about Obsidian’s supposed decline, often spreading outright misinformation without understanding the studio’s history or its current talent pool.

Obsidian, known for its incredible RPGs, was among the many studios affected by Microsoft’s massive restructuring. This move saw 1,600 Xbox staff immediately lose their jobs, with more cuts expected throughout the financial year. While other studios like Ninja Theory and Undead Labs saw ownership changes, and the fate of Arkane Studios’ *Marvel’s Blade* remains uncertain, Obsidian, ZeniMax Online, and id Software reportedly lost significant portions of their teams.

However, Adler firmly stated that the core of Obsidian remains intact. He emphasized that many individuals in lead and director roles today are “literally the same people” who worked on beloved games like *The Outer Worlds*, *Pillars of Eternity*, and the iconic *Fallout: New Vegas*. He drew a clear line from classics like *KotOR2* right up to their current projects, asserting that while a studio naturally evolves over two decades, the fundamental “DNA” that crafted games like *New Vegas* and *Neverwinter Nights 2* is still very much present.

“I’m extremely proud of our history and I am also excited for who we have become,” Adler concluded, urging people to ignore those who speak authoritatively about the studio’s past and present without any real understanding. Meanwhile, amidst these discussions, it was recently reported that Obsidian has apparently cancelled a sequel for their fantasy RPG *Avowed* and is now working on a new *Fallout* game, with none other than *Fallout: New Vegas* director Josh Sawyer at the helm. That’s some exciting news for fans of the wasteland!