Xbox Leaders Ignore Giant Inflatable Rat as Bethesda Staff Protest Mass Layoffs

During a visit by Xbox leadership to play The Elder Scrolls 6 demo, Bethesda staff inflated a giant inflatable rat outside their offices as a protest against Microsoft's mass layoffs. The large rodent, known as Scabby, was part of a demonstration by the CWA union, which includes current and former Bethesda employees who were impacted by the layoffs.

The Xbox management team, including Asha Sharma, played the demo without commenting on the rat or the protest. Sharma praised the game's scale and story, saying they are 'incredible' and 'even greater.'

The CWA union placed hundreds of red flags outside Bethesda's building to represent the 1,600 staff members laid off by Microsoft over the past 12 months.

Nathan Hahn, a Bethesda technical producer and union member, said that existing staff had been blocked from placing posters on their office cubicles, so they brought in balloons instead. The flags outside were placed by a team of laid-off developers.