Virtuos Announces Global Workforce Reduction After Launch of Oblivion Remastered

Virtuos, the acclaimed game development studio recognized for its expertise in porting high-profile titles such as The Outer Worlds to Nintendo Switch, has announced a significant global workforce reduction.

The company confirmed the layoff of 270 employees across its worldwide studios, marking approximately 7% of its total staff.

This restructuring follows the earlier 2024 release of Oblivion Remastered on several platforms, further highlighting Virtuos' prominent role in game remastering and porting projects in collaboration with industry giants like Bethesda. According to details released by Virtuos, the layoffs impact around 200 positions in Asia and 70 in Europe, mostly affecting teams that have experienced lower occupancy or diminished demand due to structural changes within the gaming industry.

The company emphasized that fewer than 10 employees were affected in France, where Virtuos's core development team for high-profile remasters like Oblivion Remastered is based. In a recent corporate update posted to the official Virtuos website, the company outlined its plans to adapt to an evolving market.

The message highlighted Virtuos' commitment to "high-value co-development," expanding on its global capability realignment.

A spokesperson expressed, "Virtuos is aligning its global footprint and services to better meet partner and industry needs.

As the complexity of game development continues to rise, we are focused on enhancing our offerings in premium co-development, from full game engineering to creative content production and live services." Virtuos further detailed its evolving strategy through recent acquisitions.

Notable purchases include Beyond-FX, Pipeworks, and Umanaïa in North America, and Third Kind Games and Abstraction in Europe.

These studios bolster Virtuos' strengths in VFX, Unreal Engine programming, design, and creative development.

"Our ongoing investment in these key areas is aimed at sustaining growth where expertise and scale can deliver lasting value.

At the same time, we are narrowing our presence in segments experiencing slowed demand, which has required us to better align the locations of our teams with those of our clients.

As a result, this reorganization has had a greater impact on our Asian teams," the company clarified in its statement. Virtuos has expressed gratitude towards the departing staff, confirming that affected employees will receive separation packages and access to career transition support.

Where feasible, redeployment opportunities within the company’s global network are also being offered. The company reaffirmed its dedication to existing projects and partnerships, including its ongoing involvement in titles such as Cyberpunk 2077.

The news comes during a broader industry trend of layoffs, with Microsoft also announcing more than 9,000 job cuts—including roles in its Xbox division—earlier this month. Virtuos remains a key player in Nintendo Switch development and global game porting, with its latest restructuring aimed at ensuring it continues to provide premium co-development services to leading titles and publishers across the industry.

Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch Virtuos The Outer Worlds game development