Obsidian’s Game Director Defends the Studio Amid Restructuring Rumors
Recently, Microsoft made waves by announcing a significant restructuring within Xbox, leading to thousands of layoffs and the closure of four game studios. Among the affected were Double Fine and Compulsion Games, which have returned to their indie roots, while Ninja Theory and Undead Labs found themselves up for sale. Initially, it looked like Obsidian Entertainment had dodged the bullet, but soon enough, they faced their share of layoffs as well.
In an interesting twist, it appears that someone is eager to get Obsidian back into the Fallout universe, with reports surfacing that Josh Sawyer, the director behind Fallout: New Vegas, is leading a new project aimed at returning to the franchise. It’s a mix of good and bad news, to say the least.
However, the online community has had a lot to say about Obsidian’s current state, with some suggesting that the studio has lost much of the original talent that contributed to its classic games. Critics claim it isn’t the same Obsidian that produced beloved titles like New Vegas or Knights of the Old Republic 2.
In response to this chatter, Brandon Adler, one of the game directors at Obsidian, took to LinkedIn to set the record straight. He expressed frustration about the misconceptions surrounding the studio’s current team, stating, “The number of times I’ve seen people, with no understanding of who has worked on our previous games or what they contributed, talk about how Obsidian isn’t who they used to be… is staggering.” Adler emphasized that many key figures from past projects remain with the studio, reinforcing that “the through line from KotOR2 to our current games is pretty clear.”
While he acknowledged that change is inevitable, Adler insisted that the core essence of Obsidian remains unchanged. “The DNA at Obsidian is the same as it always was,” he affirmed, pointing to their legacy of creating iconic titles like KotOR, New Vegas, Neverwinter Nights 2, and The Stick of Truth.
As a fan, it’s hard not to be intrigued by what Obsidian has planned next. With Pentiment recently showcasing their storytelling prowess, the notion that a new Fallout title would flop due to critiques of The Outer Worlds 2 seems a bit far-fetched. Adler also shared that the past week has been particularly tough for the studio, as they’ve had to bid farewell to talented developers who were not just colleagues but friends. He reassured that those departing are among the best in the industry, both professionally and personally.