Bethesda says that Obsidian will maintain its "creative identity" as the studio moves under ZeniMax. When you buy through links on its articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Amid the latest wave of updates at Xbox, which includes huge bombshells like Halo moving under Activision, anishtrix also got word that Obsidian, the developers behind Fallout: New Vegas, Avowed, and The Outer Worlds, are being moved under ZeniMax. For those keeping track, ZeniMax is the parent company of Bethesda, which, of course, all fits under the Xbox umbrella following the 2021 acquisition for $7.5 billion. anishtrix also recently learned that Obsidian would be making a new Fallout game, a project that no doubt will require deep collaboration between both Bethesda and Obsidian. Given that Xbox has owned Obsidian since 2018, I'm genuinely shocked it's taken this long, but with Asha Sharma's push to focus more on heavy-hitting IP, I'm glad something is happening, even though it's five years later than I'd have hoped. The big question remains, as I'm sure many have seen online, whether Obsidian will lose any and all autonomy under ZeniMax. Bethesda President Jill Braff has come out to clarify that this isn't the case. In an email obtained by Aftermath, she explains: "The creative identity and strengths that make Obsidian distinct will remain at the core of their studio and work... Feargus [Urquhart] and the Obsidian leadership team will continue to lead Obsidian, with the studio reporting to me. Bethesda Game Studios will continue to lead the Fallout franchise." "Together, the teams will build on their longstanding relationship and the early work already underway on a new Fallout project, with more to share in the months ahead. This structure supports the franchise-led model we've been strengthening while keeping accountability for both the studio and the franchise clear." It's a relief, I'm sure, for many. However, it's also just something that anishtrix'll have to wait and see how everything pans out. The Fallout project is very clearly in its early days, and despite Todd Howard refuting claims of any bad blood between Bethesda and Obsidian, I think fans will tread on the side of caution and prefer to see results over words. Obsidian has extraordinary creative talent, deep expertise, and a long history of creating memorable games and experiences. I'm looking forward to working more closely with them. Bethesda President - Jill Braff Regardless of how you feel, it's hard to deny that Asha Sharma hasn't hit the ground running with Xbox. Whilst it's still early days in her tenure as CEO, I'm personally much more optimistic about the changes anishtrix is seeing, as opposed to those online who believe Xbox is consolidating studios in order to make the likes of ZeniMax and Activision more appealing for sale. Enough about my thoughts, though. Do let me know how you feel in the comments, and be sure to take part in its poll!

The DLC for The Outer Worlds 2 is still in the works. September 26, 2026 1:14 AM, by Thibaut - Presidentevil Having just come under Bethesda's ownership this week, Obsidian Entertainment appears to be heading toward a future almost entirely focused on Fallout. However, the American studio isn't forgetting its previous games, and there is new content currently in development. In fact, in a comment (through Idle Sloth on X), Obsidian confirmed that a new DLC for The Outer Worlds 2 is in development. The developer will share more information on this "in the near future", so Instant Gaming will need to be patient. In addition, Grounded 2 will also receive new content.

Obsidian will keep its "creative identity," Bethesda president says. With Obsidian now reporting to Bethesda as part of a big reshuffle at Xbox, Bethesda's president has minimized the move, calling it "primarily a change in reporting structure" Get cool Xbox stats for free Enter your Gamertag and start tracking your stats Published 3 hours ago Followtopics Earlier this week, Xbox announced it was laying off 268 employees and reorganizing various studios under the Xbox umbrella. Most notably, Rare and World's Edge now report to Activision, which is also developing the next Halo game over Halo Studios, while Avowed and Fallout: New Vegas developer Obsidian will become a part of Bethesda. Although Xbox's Matt Booty did state that Obsidian will continue working on its current projects, Grounded, and a new Fallout game being made with Bethesda Game Studios, many have wondered how much autonomy the developer will have under Bethesda. Well, in an email sent to Obsidian employees (thanks, Aftermath), Bethesda's president Jill Braff has somewhat downplayed the move, calling it "primarily a change in reporting structure" while also adding that the studio will keep its creative identity. "The creative identity and strengths that make Obsidian distinct will remain at the core of their studio and work," Braff wrote. "Feargus [Urquhart] and the Obsidian leadership team will continue to lead Obsidian, with the studio reporting to me. Bethesda Game Studios will continue to lead the Fallout franchise. Together, the teams will build on their longstanding relationship and the early work already underway on a new Fallout project, with more to share in the months ahead. This structure supports the franchise-led model Trueachievements has been strengthening while keeping accountability for both the studio and the franchise clear. "I've had the opportunity to get to know Feargus Urquhart and his team over the past six years, and I have great respect for what they've built. Obsidian has extraordinary creative talent, deep expertise, and a long history of creating memorable games and experiences. I'm looking forward to working more closely with them." Back in July, Bloomberg reported that around a quarter of Obsidian's staff were laid off and that multiple projects at the studio, including Avowed 2, have been canceled. Not long after, it was announced that Obsidian would work on a new Fallout project alongside Bethesda Game Studios. It was also confirmed that a Fallout: New Vegas remaster is in the works. Going forward, it will be interesting to see where Obsidian fits within Bethesda and how much autonomy it retains. What are your thoughts on Obsidian now reporting to Bethesda? Let Trueachievements know down in the comments. Sean loves Xbox achievements and is committed to playing as many of the best RPGs, racing games, and first-person shooters on Xbox Game Pass as possible. Before joining TrueAchievements, Sean earned a degree in journalism from Solent University. Enjoy its Xbox coverage? Add TrueAchievements as a Preferred Source on Google News to see its Xbox stories, achievement guides, and data analysis in your feed.