Elder Scrolls Online Leadership Cut in Xbox Layoffs
Originally published Jul 16, 2026
By Ethan Gach · Kotaku
AI-generated summary based on Kotaku · Aggregated by GamingCurve · Human-reviewed and approved on Jul 16, 2026
Key points
- Jo Burba and three other senior leaders were laid off from ZeniMax Online Studios.
- The cuts are part of a broader Xbox reduction affecting about 1,600 employees.
- Remaining staff were told development will proceed with confidence in new leadership.
- Some developers worry the layoffs will slow future content releases.
Microsoft's recent round of layoffs affecting roughly 1,600 Xbox employees includes senior staff at ZeniMax Online Studios, the team behind The Elder Scrolls Online. Studio head Jo Burba, who assumed leadership last July, along with executive producer Susan Kath, game director Rich Lambert and production director Ala Diaz, will depart as part of the cuts.
The remaining team has been assured that development will continue, with confidence expressed in successors Josh and Nick and upcoming content such as Update 51. However, some staff have voiced concerns about reduced capacity to deliver new content at previous speeds, highlighting uncertainty around future production timelines.
Read the original story: Kotaku — by Ethan Gach