Microsoft Layoffs Hit Hundreds Of MD Video Game Workers

Hundreds of ZeniMax video game workers employed across Maryland were notified this week that they were being laid off as part of Microsoft's restructuring cuts.

Filings issued to the Maryland Department of Labor on Monday noted 213 employees were being let go by ZeniMax Online Studios in Cockeysville, as another 166 workers in Rockville were dismissed by ZeniMax Media Inc.

The layoff notices take effect Sept. 4.

The ZeniMax brand served as the parent company of Bethesda Game Studios when it was acquired by Microsoft in 2021 for $7.5 billion. The company is tied to a mix of popular games, such as The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and Starfield.

'Save Our Devs' Rally Planned For Next Week

In response to the layoff announcements, rallies are being organized at several ZeniMax offices on July 15, Game Developer reported. In Maryland, the protest is expected to take place in Rockville.

The "Save Our Devs" rally is being organized through the OneBGS Mobilizing Committee, a union that represents both BGS and ZeniMax employees.

"The company wants us to accept this as a done deal and quietly disappear. We won't let that happen. Our next steps are to mobilize. We need every single member visible and unified," reads a message issued by the union.

The latest comes as Microsoft announced it would be undertaking one of the "most significant" restructuring efforts in Xbox's history. The company plans to cut over 3,000 jobs through fiscal year 2027.