T E Bakutis
@tebakutis.bsky.social
(he/him) Former Senior Content Designer at ZOS. All opinions posted here are mine and mine alone. My scifi trilogies are published by https://aethonbooks.com/, and you can read more about them at https://www.tebakutis.com.
Xbox's 1,600 person "reset" didn't hit 14 layers of management. It hit devs who built the worlds you love. Faceless brands don't make games - people like Ben Carnow and his team do. #SaveGameWorkers and tell Microsoft to end these cycles of layoffs: shorturl.at/5ruBE
Without serious public pushback, trillionaire corporations like Microsoft will continue to treat talented developers like Naomi Green as expendable. Help us break this unbalanced system and #SaveGameWorkers by telling Microsoft to end their cycles of layoffs: shorturl.at/5ruBE
Suresh reports on his experience talking with hundreds of executives (and, more importantly, their subordinates) about what (if anything) AI is doing for business in an essay entitled "AI Mania Is Eviscerating Global Decisionmaking": hermit-tech.com/blog/ai-mani... 11/
AI Mania Is Eviscerating Global Decisionmaking
The reality of how much damage AI mania is doing to our ability to run institutions effectively.
hermit-tech.com
User researchers like Elisabeth Whyte made sure players' voices were heard in your favorite Xbox games. On July 6th, Elisabeth and her entire team at Zenimax were laid off. Now, make your voice heard and #SaveGameWorkers by telling Microsoft to end their cycles of layoffs: shorturl.at/5ruBE
regardless of whether you find this change to be good or bad, i think we can all agree: whoever was told to do it has probably already been laid off
Wario64@wario64.bsky.social · 6d agoBethesda reveals new logo for its 40th anniversary
Trying to compile everything I wrote on ESO (to the best of my abilities because no way am I tracking down all my antiquities/stealies). Here are the numbers for only the things already released!
It probably feels good as hell to yell "ENOUGH!" and transition into the final phase of your fight.
On July 6th, Microsoft laid off 50% of id Software. Among these cuts were folks like John "Jebus" Roberts, a principal engine programmer on the id Tech engine. For 15 years, Jebus supported the games you love. #SaveGameWorkers by telling Microsoft to end their cycles of layoffs: shorturl.at/5ruBE
the melee demo, Free Stars: Battles in the Beyond, is officially coming soon!! they showed me the trailer they made with my BGM and I'm excited for folks to hear how that sounds Steam/GOG store pages in the video description. Go check 'em out
Free Stars: Battles in the Beyond Trailer
YouTube video by Pistol Shrimp Games
youtu.be
In our new series #SaveGameWorkers, you’ll meet the people who make your favorite games at Xbox…until they get laid off. Today, meet Eric Bakutis from Zenimax Online Studios. #SaveOurDevs by telling Microsoft to end their cycles of layoffs: feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback/ide...
16) Stole this one from a recent skeet I saw: If generative AI could REALLY make the next GTA in 6 months with 10 staff, or write the next bestseller, or produce 10 blockbusters a day? They wouldn't be trying to sell it to YOU. They would keep it for themselves and guard it from you ferociously.
Fuck this guy forever. Hundreds of thousands of the world's poorest people have already died because of his casual cuts and so many more are doomed. He is one of mankind's most evil figures.
The Guardian@theguardian.com · 2w ago‘I got carried away’: Elon Musk expresses regret about Doge and wading into Trump’s orbit
"DOGE created chaos, spread misinformation & incompetence, broke laws, targeted minorities, killed lifesaving aid, likely leaked confidential info, fed the myth that waste alone drives deficits - all to produce rounding-error savings.” More damage than good. www.thefiscaltimes.com/2026/07/06/D...
Damn that’s cool what happened to the guy who was running their old program www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/...
Microsoft laid off the architect of Xbox Backwards Compatibility and Xbox Cloud Gaming
Microsoft's VP of Xbox Platform Kevin LaChapelle, who led the creation of Xbox Backwards Compatibility and Xbox Cloud Gaming, has been laid off.
windowscentral.com
Tom Warren@tomwarren.co.uk · 2w ago🚨BIG Xbox news. Microsoft is launching Xbox backward compatibility for PC today. The initial preview will include 4 original Xbox games on PC, with plans to bring more Xbox console games to PC over time. Full details 👇 www.theverge.com/news/969117/...
Thousands of full-time video game industry workers have been laid off in the last several years as game companies scramble to cut costs. But there are even more cuts happening quietly to contract workers, wh... https://kotaku.com/amidst-mass-layoffs-contract-workers-devastated-video-games-2000718416
Amidst Mass Layoffs, Contract Work Is Being Gutted Too
Major companies are eliminating more than just their full-time workforce, and developers are paying the price
kotaku.com
Bethesda Games Studios’ Montreal workers are being treated especially poorly by XBOX and we won’t stand for it. Here are the details. If this upsets you let Microsoft know: feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback/ide...
The main way in which AI has negatively impacted games industry jobs is not through actual automation of those jobs or even untrue claims about automation. It's by making capital unavailable because it's tied up in AI investments while also destroying the consumer base for video game hardware.
the odyssey discourse is a beautiful perfect window into right wing culture war psychosis. they went from hysterial racist mania over a character that’s on screen for 5 minutes to claiming there’s a massive conspiracy to fake ticket sales. this is just what they do for everything now. they’re insane
The Pentagon is withholding causality and hit numbers. The CDC is withholding infection rates. The FDA is withholding information about food contamination. The EPA is withholding pollution and climate data. This corrupt administration is ALL about concealing the consequences of its incompetence.
microsoft is in full damage control mode following last week's layoffs. its main strategy so far? namedrop sequels to popular series at every turn. but despite what execs like asha sharma might want you to think, those series were made by people, and now they'll never be the same
Aftermath@aftermath.site · 3w agoFallout didn't make itself aftermath.site/fallout-5-beth...
Thank you so much to all the fans who have always and continue to show up for us. You make this work meaningful and we cant do this without you. Also we are now all ugly crying, thanks for that :) We are not calling for boycotts at this time. Watch this space for the next action coming up.
We Must Demand Better - Tamriel Solidarity March against Microsoft Layoffs
YouTube video by VividScrolls
youtube.com
Unions take legal action against Microsoft for allegedly mishandling Xbox layoffs
Unions take legal action against Microsoft for allegedly mishandling Xbox layoffs
CWA Canada president Carmel Smyth claims the company 'unlawfully fired people without giving notice to or discussing it with the union.'
gamedeveloper.com
Game workers and allies are taking action at #SaveOurDevs rallies! Earlier this month, Microsoft reported that they would be laying off thousands of workers across the company – impacting hundreds of union jobs. An injury to one video game worker is an injury to all.
The news is always "This absolute fool was dismantled in hearings today. He is manifestly unqualified for the position and would be an existential danger if confirmed. Disaster. He is set to be confirmed immediately." When you ask why everyone is furious and exhausted all the time, this is why.
