Microsoft Gaming Division Rocked by Devs' Giant Inflatable Rat Protest

Microsoft's gaming division has been roiled by controversy over mass layoffs. Ahead of Xbox boss Asha Sharma's visit to Bethsoft's Rockville HQ, developers put up a giant inflatable rat, symbolizing scab labor, and flags representing laid-off workers.

The stunt was in response to Microsoft's decision to lay off hundreds of union jobs across Bethesda Game Studios, ZeniMax, and id Software. The OneBGS-CWA member Nathan Hahn stated that the developers made their presence visible at the office 'to show how our developers have been impacted by these devastating layoffs.'

Microsoft game devs are planning multiple rallies next week on August 18th in cities across the United States and Canada, from Irvine (Blizzard) to Bethsoft campuses in Maryland. The Save Our Devs rallies aim to call out layoffs and corporate greed in the industry.