Obsidian Entertainment game director Brandon Adler has pushed back against online criticism surrounding the studio’s identity, accusing what he called “cold take artists” of spreading misinformation about the developer’s legacy following Microsoft’s recent layoffs.
The comments come after Xbox’s restructuring, which affected multiple first-party studios, including Obsidian. According to a California WARN notice, the Microsoft-owned studio is laying off 52 employees, including 43 workers at its California offices and nine remote employees in the state.
Adler pays tribute to laid-off colleagues
In a statement shared on LinkedIn, Adler first addressed the impact the layoffs had on the studio and the people affected.
“This has been an extremely difficult week at Obsidian. Not only have I had to say goodbye to some amazing game developers, but I’ve had to say goodbye to some of my best friends.”
He also encouraged other studios to consider hiring those who lost their jobs.
“Know that if you are looking to hire one of these former Obsidian devs, you are hiring some of the best people around – both professionally and personally.”
Adler then turned his attention to online commentators questioning whether Obsidian remains the same studio responsible for classics such as Fallout: New Vegas, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II, Pillars of Eternity, and The Outer Worlds.
“The number of times I’ve seen people… talk about how Obsidian isn’t who they used to be, is staggering. Most of the time they are not just wrong, but spreading an enormous amount of misinformation.”
He argued that many of the developers leading today’s projects are the same people who worked on the studio’s most celebrated titles.
“In most circumstances, the people in lead or director roles are the same people that worked on games like The Outer Worlds, Pillars of Eternity, and New Vegas. Like, literally the same people.”
While acknowledging that the company has naturally evolved over two decades, Adler emphasized that its creative foundation remains intact.
“Is Obsidian the same as it was 20 years ago? No, of course not. Nothing stays the same. But the DNA at Obsidian is the same as it always was.”
He concluded by criticizing commentators who discuss game development without firsthand knowledge.
“You are listening to someone crow about something with zero insight into how a game is made and who contributed to our previous games.”
Adler’s remarks arrive during a challenging period for the studio. Earlier this year, Bloomberg reported that Grounded 2 had become a strong success for Obsidian, while The Outer Worlds 2 and Avowed reportedly fell short of internal sales expectations. Bloomberg also recently reported that the studio has canceled a planned Avowed sequel and shifted resources toward a new Fallout project, although Microsoft and Obsidian have not officially confirmed those plans.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding layoffs and future projects, Adler’s message makes clear that he believes Obsidian’s long-standing creative identity—and the people behind it—remain very much intact.
