Overview
- CWA and OneBGS union members staged a high‑visibility protest at Bethesda’s Rockville office during Xbox CEO Asha Sharma’s visit, erecting the inflatable rat known as “Scabby” and planting hundreds of red flags to represent laid‑off workers.
- Organizers say the flags represent each person cut in recent rounds and that staff put up posters inside the office but were told to remove outward‑facing signs, after which they used balloons to maintain visibility.
- The action follows Xbox’s confirmed plan to eliminate roughly 3,200 jobs across its games division, with about 1,600 already laid off and roughly 1,600 more expected later this fiscal year; a WARN filing showed 166 roles cut at Bethesda’s Rockville site.
- The CWA has filed unfair labor practice complaints in the United States and Canada alleging Microsoft failed to bargain or give proper notice, and unions have organized coordinated 'Save Our Devs' rallies scheduled for August 18th.
- Employees and reporters warn the cuts have hollowed teams, lowered morale, and risked losing institutional knowledge on ongoing projects while leadership continues public promotion of marquee titles, including Sharma’s posted praise for an internal Elder Scrolls VI playthrough.