Zenimax Online Studios layoffs don’t affect development of console Elder Scrolls Online

Zenimax Online Studios has laid off an unspecified number of employees in what publisher Bethesda says is part of the normal employment cycle when launching a major online product like The Elder Scrolls Online.

“As is the norm for games of this type, we had ramped up a large workforce to develop a game of vast scale, and ramped up our customer service to handle the expected questions and community needs of The Elder Scrolls Online at launch,” VP of PR and Marketing Pete Hines told Joystiq. “Now that we are nearly 6 months post launch, we have a thriving online community in a game that runs smoothly.”

The layoffs don’t affect the ongoing development of PC game content and work on the upcoming console editions of TESO.

“We remain strongly committed to The Elder Scrolls Online, and continue to invest heavily to develop new content for PC players, prepare the game for its console launch, and handle our planned expansion into important international territories,” explained Hines. “As for customer service, we continue to operate large support centres in Hunt Valley, MD and Galway, Ireland.”

PS4 and Xbox One editions of The Elder Scrolls Online had been scheduled for release in June, but were handed a six month delay earlier this year. It seems unlikely we’ll see them launch this year, with Q1 2015 looking more realistic.

Source: joystiq