After nearly a decade since its inception in 2012, the French branch of the famed video game studio is closing its doors, leaving many wondering about the future of the Fallout series and its community in the country.
The announcement of the closure comes unexpectedly, after several months of silence from representatives of Bethesda France. The lack of transparency in the layoff process and the sudden shutdown took the community by surprise, leaving many disappointed and upset.
The news comes at an important time for the studio's growing community of the popularity of the Fallout series and enthusiasm for future projects. The closure of Bethesda France calls into question the level of commitment from Microsoft, which acquired Bethesda.
While the closure of Bethesda France does not directly impact the company's operations, the loss of an official contact center could complicate future projects and activities communities in this country.
A representative of the French Fallout Generation fan community noted:
“Rest assured, this will not change anything in the activities of the association, but beyond the disgust that all this work has gone down the drain, recent events will certainly make it much more difficult for projects that have been considered in the absence of official contact.
After Bethesda and Microsoft have poured so much time and money into billion-dollar acquisitions, we are left wondering about the latter's marketing strategy and fearing what's next for the series and the community.”
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Cover author: Bethesda. Cover source: Fallout Generation