Obsidian will preserve its "creative identity" under Bethesda's wing, assures Bethesda's president

Obsidian Will Preserve Its “Creative Identity” Under Bethesda’s Wing, Assures Bethesda President

A recent round of corporate reshuffling at XBOX has moved Obsidian Entertainment and several of its properties under the Bethesda umbrella, a shift that has raised questions about the studio’s future direction. The restructuring, which seriously shook the organization of the gaming division, places Obsidian — known for titles such as Avowed, The Outer Worlds and Fallout: New Vegas — under Bethesda's management.

In an internal letter published by Aftermath, Bethesda president Jill Braff framed the change as primarily a “change in reporting structure,” stressing that the move should not reduce Obsidian to merely a support team for Fallout.

The creative identity and strengths that distinguish Obsidian will remain at the heart of the studio and its work. [CEO] Fergus [Urquhart] and the leadership of Obsidian will continue to manage the studio, which will report directly to me. Bethesda Game Studios will still be responsible for the Fallout franchise. Together, the teams will continue to develop long-standing relationships and ongoing work on the new Fallout project — details will be shared in the coming months.

Jill Braff

Earlier reporting by journalist Jason Schreier indicated that Microsoft had canceled the development of Avowed 2 along with several unannounced Obsidian projects allegedly to redirect resources toward a new Fallout title. Schreier’s piece says the new game is led by Josh Sawyer, who previously served as game director on Fallout: New Vegas.

Braff described the new reporting arrangement as one that enables a franchise-focused approach while keeping clear lines of accountability between studio and franchise leadership. She also noted her personal familiarity with Obsidian’s leadership over the last six years and expressed admiration for their work.

There are incredible creative talents at Obsidian, possessing deep expertise and a long history of creating memorable games and experiences. I’m looking forward to closer collaboration with them.

Jill Braff

Whether Bethesda’s assurances will play out as stated remains to be seen. Bethesda itself continues development on Fallout 5 and is still working on The Elder Scrolls VI.