CWA Stages Rat Protest at Bethesda Over 166 Microsoft Layoffs as Xbox CEO Previews Elder Scrolls 6
Updated
Updated · Eurogamer.net · Aug 12
CWA Stages Rat Protest at Bethesda Over 166 Microsoft Layoffs as Xbox CEO Previews Elder Scrolls 6
3 articles · Updated · Eurogamer.net · Aug 12
Summary
166 red flags and a giant inflatable rat greeted Xbox CEO Asha Sharma’s visit to Bethesda’s Rockville office, where CWA members protested Microsoft’s layoffs of local developers.
Nathan Hahn said workers first tried posters and then balloons inside their cubicles after management barred outward-facing signs, while laid-off staff planted one flag for each cut employee outside.
Sharma did not address the protest publicly; instead, she praised an internal look at The Elder Scrolls 6 on X, and Bethesda’s studio account thanked her for the visit.
The demonstration extends CWA’s broader campaign against Xbox’s "Reset" after last month’s Save Our Devs rallies, with more actions planned as 1,600 of Microsoft’s 3,200 announced gaming layoffs are still due later in 2026.