Zenimax Union responds to Microsoft's cancellation of unannounced MMO: “The future has been stolen by us”
Blog Andrew Joseph 15 Jul , 2025 0

The following A wave of layoffs This has affected Microsoft's estimated 9,100 employees, many of whom are in its Xbox gaming division, the employee alliance of Xbox subsidiary Zenimax, and has described its members' current employment status.
Today, Zenimax Online Studios United (ZOSU), represents the staff on the online senior reel and Unnotified MMO was canceledlengthy statements were issued to address layoffs and project cancellations. Crucially, Zosu confirms that as of today, its members are still employed by Microsoft and receive compensation and benefits, although this may not be the case.
According to the statement, union workers’ representatives are currently bargaining with the company to discuss how workers can move forward after the MMO is closed. While the union acknowledges that layoffs for some members may be future, “due to our organization, we are able to ensure that those affected can leave with dignity.”
Goose is Just founded in December last yearwhen organizing Zenimax online studios organized 461 employees. This figure includes web developers, designers, engineers and graphic artists working online and unannounced MMOs at Zenimax Online Studios. Although Zosu has not yet reached a contract agreement with Microsoft, its sibling alliance Zenimax Workers United represents Zenimax QA workers, An agreement was reached at the end of May.
Zosu's statement is published below:
Earlier this month, Microsoft put an unnotified MMORPG on Zenimax Online Studios indefinitely, shocking the 222 Zosu-CWA developers working on the project. It has been exciting and verified to see the games we mentioned in the media and the players who want to see the results of our work.
There is no doubt that many of us have been stolen in the future and our community will never experience an amazing game. But despite the discussion of our employment status, the truth is: We have not been fired yet.
Although we learned that layoffs are inevitable for most of us, in December, the two teams behind the Online Elder Scrolls (ESO) and the unannounced projects both voted overwhelmingly to form a union and establish Zenimax Online Studios United-CWA (ZOSU-CWA). Worker volunteers elected to represent our union’s interests are currently bargaining with Microsoft to benefit our affected teammates.
Despite how Microsoft and Zosu-CWA bargaining, how we can keep moving forward after the project is over, the developers behind the unannounced projects are still employees of Zenimax Online Studios with full salaries and benefits.
On July 2, our lives were elevated, without prior notice or communication from Microsoft leadership, and without a clear understanding of our employment status. In view of this, our unions urgently merged to collect and allocate information and resources to affected members.
Microsoft has failed to support talented craftsmen, who have earned billions of dollars in revenue, and our union has been strengthened to provide clarity and support.
Indeed, some of our members may lay off employees. But, thanks to our organization, we are able to ensure that affected people can leave with dignity.
More importantly, Zosu-CWA's work will continue so that the rest of our teammates (the staunch developer of ESO) can follow in the footsteps of our colleagues in other Microsoft departments and studios, including our union siblings at the Zenimax Workers United Workers Federation (ZWU-CWA). We look forward to other units who will soon approve fair contracts to guarantee our due rights.
Earlier this month, the massive Microsoft layoffs had a wide impact on Xbox, but are still not fully understood. Since then we've learned Everwild and Perfect Dark are no longer developedand The plan has been closed.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior journalist at IGN. You can find her post on bluesky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Is there a story tip? Send it to [email protected].