Bethesda employees and the CWA video game union staged a protest outside the company’s Rockville, Maryland office during an internal visit by Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, using a giant inflatable rat and red flags to highlight recent job cuts. The action coincided with Sharma’s reported playthrough of The Elder Scrolls 6, drawing attention to ongoing concerns over Microsoft’s restructuring of its gaming business.

A WARN notice said 166 Bethesda Rockville developers were laid off last month, while Microsoft announced 3,200 Xbox-related redundancies, including 1,600 expected later in 2026. Union member Nathan Hahn said staff had also displayed posters and balloons inside the office after management restricted outward-facing posters; Sharma made no public comment on the protest but praised The Elder Scrolls 6 on X.