Xbox’s latest studio cuts prove consolidation is gutting gaming, and the worst is yet to come

Xbox has just shut down four of its internal studios under the Bethesda Game Studios banner in another massive layoff. These studios include Redfall’s Arkane Austin, Hi-Fi Rush’s Tango Gameworks, Mighty Doom’s Dog Studios, and internal studio Roundhouse Games. Aside from Redfall, which Arkane Austin reportedly was pressured to create, these studios have historically developed above-average to excellent games, prompting many, myself included, to wonder why.