Obsidian Entertainment

Obsidian Entertainment

Develops narrative-driven RPGs with player agency

Overview

Obsidian Entertainment is a video game developer based in Irvine, California, focused on creating role-playing games. Its titles, including The Outer Worlds, Pillars of Eternity, and Grounded, offer rich stories, deep character development, and choices that affect how the game unfolds, in both single-player and multiplayer modes. The company designs games and earns revenue through game sales, downloadable content, and in-game purchases, often working with publishers like Microsoft and Private Division for distribution. What sets them apart is a strong emphasis on player agency and narrative-driven design, giving players meaningful control over the world and its characters. With a proven track record and passionate fan base, Obsidian’s goal is to deliver engaging RPG experiences that invite players to explore and shape immersive game worlds.

About Obsidian Entertainment

Simplify's Rating
Why Obsidian Entertainment is rated
C-
Rated C on Competitive Edge
Rated C on Growth Potential
Rated D+ on Differentiation

Industries

Consumer Software

Entertainment

Gaming

Company Size

201-500

Company Stage

Seed

Total Funding

$4.9M

Headquarters

Irvine, California

Founded

2003

People at Obsidian Entertainment

People at Obsidian Entertainment who can refer or advise you

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Redirecting to a new Fallout game led by Josh Sawyer leverages the franchise's massive global appeal.
  • Grounded 2's Playgrounds Mode drives community creativity, strengthening Xbox Game Pass retention and monetization.
  • The Outer Worlds 2's Photo Mode and Custom Difficulty extend engagement, boosting DLC and long-tail sales potential.

What critics are saying

  • 25% layoffs including 21-year vet Daniel Alpert critically degrade development capacity and creative continuity now.
  • Cancelling Avowed 2 and Outer Worlds 3 eliminates revenue pipelines, forcing existential dependency on single Fallout IP.
  • Josh Sawyer leading Fallout replaces George Ziets on Avowed 2, signaling internal creative instability and leadership loss.

What makes Obsidian Entertainment unique

  • Obsidian uniquely prioritizes player agency enabling choices that reshape narrative and game worlds.
  • The studio rejects generative AI, committing solely to human-crafted RPGs valued by artistry-focused creators.
  • Its legacy includes Fallout: New Vegas and The Outer Worlds 2, defining immersive, choice-driven RPG benchmarks.

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Funding

Total Funding

$4.9M

Below

Industry Average

Funded Over

2 Rounds

Seed funding is usually the first official round after pre-seed, when a startup has a prototype or concept. It’s typically used to develop the product, test the market, and start building the team. Investors here are often angel investors or early-stage venture capitalists.
Seed Funding Comparison
Above Average

Industry standards

$3.3M
$2M
Netflix
$2.3M
Instacart
$3M
Robinhood
$4.4M
Obsidian Entertainment

Benefits

Remote Work Options

Paid Vacation

Wellness Program

Mental Health Support

Flexible Work Hours

Conference Attendance Budget

Professional Development Budget

Stock Options

Company Equity

401(k) Retirement Plan

401(k) Company Match

Family Planning Benefits

Fertility Treatment Support

Adoption Assistance

Parental Leave

Paid Holidays

Paid Sick Leave

Vacation

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

1%
GamingFora
Jul 6th, 2026
According to Kotaku's sources, Obsidian is losing 60-70 employees as part of Xbox cuts.

According to Kotaku's sources, Obsidian is losing 60-70 employees as part of Xbox cuts. * This is just a test coming from the mass notice tool 1 - 1 of 1 Posts Joined Jan 19, 2021 15,849 Posts Discussion starter · #1 · 41m ago Sources told the outlet the cuts span multiple departments, including production, art, design, engineering, QA, and writing, with several long-serving senior developers reportedly affected. Kotaku says projects such as Grounded 2 and The Outer Worlds 2 DLC are expected to continue, though the studio's longer-term plans remain unclear. - Imported automatically by RSS Feed importer.

Alt Fire
Jun 21st, 2026
RPG studio Obsidian faces class action lawsuit alleging violations of state wage laws

RPG studio Obsidian faces class action lawsuit alleging violations of state wage laws The studio behind Fallout: New Vegas and Avowed denies "each and every allegation."

Obsidian Entertainment
Apr 6th, 2026
Turn-Based Mode has fully come to Pillars of Eternity.

Turn-Based Mode has fully come to Pillars of Eternity. Today Obsidian Entertainment, Inc. is happy to announce that the Turn-Based Mode for the original Pillars of Eternity is now live on Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, and the Xbox PC App. Originally brought to the Pillars of Eternity in Deadfire, this new feature lets you experience Pillars 1 in a whole new way with combat fully reimagined around turn-based pacing and flexibility. Unlike Deadfire, however, you are able to change between the traditional Real-Time with Pause or Turn-Based Mode gameplay as you see fit during your playthrough, allowing even more control to play your way. For fans of turn-based mode in Pillars II Obsidian Entertainment, Inc. hope you find this addition to the original game both familiar and improved. Speaking of improvements, Turn-Based Mode is not the only new addition to come along with this update. Along with a host of fixes to the new mode itself thanks to feedback from those who played it during the beta period, as well as a few bugs getting taken care of, Obsidian Entertainment, Inc. has also added the ability to change the main menu art by clicking on the base game or DLC icons. The full list of updates can be found on its forum. Obsidian Entertainment, Inc. recognize that this is a very large feature and there could be more issues that were not found during the beta period. With that in mind, Obsidian Entertainment, Inc. will still be supporting this feature based on feedback from you all so please contact Obsidian Entertainment, Inc. via https://www.support.obsidian.net.

AllKeyShop
Mar 25th, 2026
Grounded 2 Playgrounds mode is officially live today [new update].

Grounded 2 Playgrounds mode is officially live today [new update]. Key takeaways: the quick answer. * Playgrounds Mode is officially live for all Grounded 2 players on PC and Xbox. * Tools include trigger volumes, creature spawners, and the returning Handy Gnat. * Players can build, share, and vote on custom maps across Brookhollow Park and The Grassbox. A sandbox without limits. Obsidian finally rolled out Playgrounds Mode to the public servers. This isn't just a minor patch. It fundamentally changes how Allkeyshop limited play Grounded 2. Brookhollow Park transforms from a brutal survival map into a massive blank canvas. You get a full suite of logic-driven tools to craft whatever you want. Want to build an intense boss arena or a trap-filled puzzle gauntlet? The tools are right there in the menus. How the logic tools work. You don't need a degree in game design to figure this out. The system relies on simple cause-and-effect mechanics. Drop a Trigger Volume to create an invisible detection zone. Link that to a Random Chance tool and wire it to a few Creature Spawners. Suddenly, you have a functional, replayable RPG encounter. Every time someone walks into that zone, the game rolls the dice. It keeps your friends guessing and forces everyone to adapt on the fly. Maps, gadgets, and the Handy Gnat. Right out of the gate, you get access to two distinct maps. The classic Grassbox makes its glorious return from the first game, while Brookhollow Park offers the fresh Grounded 2 aesthetic. Building massive structures is much easier this time around. The Handy Gnat returns with new features specifically designed to help you reach high or awkward angles. You also get access to every building material, creature variant, and weapon currently in the game. Obsidian even threw in some new toys - like the mysterious O.R.C. Transmission Device. What comes next. Once you finish your masterpiece, the community hub lets you upload and share it globally. You can download custom modes, vote on your favorites, and get demolished by other players' brutal creations. Grounded 2 is currently in Early Access. If you refuse to pay premium retail prices, you can grab it right now via your standard Xbox Game Pass subscription. Allkeyshop limited also have the massive spring update looming. Mark your calendars for March 28 - the developers are hitting PAX East to reveal the Black Ant Hill zone and whatever else is dropping next. Read this post in: A video game enthusiast ever since I first got my hands on a Game Boy. Over the years, I've played many different games across various genres, discovering hidden gems and niche titles along the way. I'm also passionate about technology, always up-to-date with the latest news and insight in the PC and Console market. Ready to share and bring you the latest news! Download the Allkeyshop Browser Extension Free For all the latest video game news, trailers, and best deals, make sure to bookmark Allkeyshop limited. You can find all the best and cheapest online deals on CD keys, game codes, gift cards, and antivirus software from the verified CD key sellers on its store pages. To not miss any news on Allkeyshop, subscribe on Google News. MORE RELEVANT ARTICLES 6 hours ago 2 months ago 3 months ago 8 months ago

MonsterVine
Jan 28th, 2026
Grounded 2 Toxic Tangle Update Now Live With New Biome, Creatures, and Ladybug Buggy

Grounded 2 Toxic Tangle update now live with new biome, creatures, and Ladybug Buggy. Obsidian Entertainment has rolled out the first major content update for Grounded 2, titled The Toxic Tangle, and it's available now for players jumping into the game via early access and Game Preview. The update significantly expands Brookhollow Park with a sprawling new garden biome, additional creatures, fresh gear, and new ways to traverse and build within the backyard-sized world. The Toxic Tangle update is live now in Game Preview on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and Xbox Cloud Gaming, as well as Early Access on Steam. Players can also dive in immediately via Xbox Game Pass. A new biome overtaken by corruption. At the heart of The Toxic Tangle is a massive new garden area that introduces a darker twist to Grounded 2's familiar survival formula. Ominent's experiments have gone horribly wrong, spreading a mysterious new corruption known as "Tang." This toxic presence seeps throughout the environment, reshaping the park and introducing new dangers that players will need to adapt to if they hope to survive. The new biome brings with it fresh environmental hazards, unsettling discoveries, and the return of some familiar faces, though not necessarily in the form players remember. As with previous Grounded content, exploration and environmental storytelling play a key role in uncovering what went wrong. New creatures, gear, and the Ladybug Buggy. The Toxic Tangle update also adds new creatures to battle, along with additional gear and build upgrades that expand both combat and base-building options. One of the standout additions is the Ladybug Buggy, a new rideable tool that changes how players move through the environment, making traversal across the expanded park faster and more dynamic. These additions are designed to deepen progression and give players more flexibility in how they approach survival, exploration, and combat as Grounded 2 continues to evolve throughout early access. What's next for Grounded 2. Obsidian has confirmed that this is just the beginning. Players curious about what's coming next, including the upcoming return of Playgrounds Mode, can find a deeper breakdown of The Toxic Tangle update and future plans on Xbox Wire. For ongoing updates and community news, players can visit the official Grounded website.

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