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In a move that’s got the gaming world spinning more than a Skyrim glitch, Xbox has reportedly decided to shut down four Bethesda studios. That’s right, folks, it’s not just your game that’s crashing now—it’s entire development houses.

Now, before you start thinking this is some kind of early April Fools’ joke where the punchline is “just kidding, here’s ‘Elder Scrolls VI,’” let me assure you, this is as real as the bugs in ‘Fallout 76.’ Microsoft, in a stroke of what can only be described as anti-genius, has decided to streamline its operations by, well, streamlining some studios right out of existence.

Let’s pour one out for Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks, Alpha Dog, and Roundhouse Games. These are the brave souls behind such titles as ‘Redfall’ and ‘Hi-Fi Rush,’ and they’ve been given the boot faster than you can say “unexpected server error.” Some staff are being shuffled around like a deck of cards at a Vegas blackjack table, joining other teams in what we can only hope isn’t a corporate version of musical chairs.

But let’s not dwell on the negatives. After all, Xbox assures us this is all part of “prioritizing high-impact titles.” Because nothing says “high-impact” like shutting down the studio that just released a critically acclaimed game. It’s like winning an Oscar and then being told acting is cancelled.

So, what’s next for Xbox? Are they going to start charging us for game updates in the form of NFTs? Will the next ‘Halo’ game be a text adventure where Master Chief battles the most fearsome enemy yet: typos?

Only time will tell. But for now, let’s raise our controllers in solidarity with the developers affected by this decision. And maybe, just maybe, keep an eye out for any Bethesda games turning up in the ‘lost and found’ section.

Scotty McG, signing off with a tip of the hat and a wag of the joystick. Game on, gamers. Game on.