Xbox players blast Microsoft controller reveal after Bethesda studio closures

On the same day that several Bethesda studio closures were announced, Xbox unveiled a new “Fire Vapor” controller with a reveal players say was in poor taste.

The gaming industry’s unprecedented series of job cuts continued on May 7 when news that Microsoft would be shutting down several Bethesda Softworks studios made the rounds.

Several studios were shuttered, namely Arcane Austin (Redfall), Tango Gameworks (Hi-Fi Rush), and Alpha Dog Games (Mighty Doom). Meanwhile, Roundhouse Games will merge with ZeniMax Online to help with Elder Scrolls Online’s ongoing development.

Now, Microsoft’s marketing has poured salt on the wound by unveiling a special edition Xbox controller called the “Fire Vapor.” To make matters worse, the gamepad’s original Xbox Wire post told players to “Feel the Burn Today,” mere hours after reports about the layoffs hit the web.

Microsoft has since updated the write-up with a new title, “Introducing the Fire Vapor Special Edition Controller.” However, The Verge’s Tom Warren managed to capture a screenshot of the initial headline.

The response to the poor timing has been nothing if not harsh on Xbox’s marketing group. One person under Warren’s tweet joked Beavis and Butthead probably run the team.

Someone else commented, “Add this to the list of how out of touch Microsoft marketing actually is.”

The poor-taste announcement is similarly being lambasted elsewhere on Twitter. In the replies to Wario64‘s tweet about the controller, one user asked, “Is Microsoft trolling the community by releasing a controlling ‘burning’ their loyal fanbase the same day they let go of Tango and Arkane?”

Following the layoff reports, Arkane Lyon’s Co-Creative Director, Dinga Bakaba, reminded executives that their business is about taking care of the artists who “create value” for corporations.

Such frustrations aren’t exclusive to the latest Xbox studio closures, though it’s worth noting Microsoft hasn’t detailed how many staffers will lose their jobs. Sony cut 900 jobs earlier this year, EA let go of nearly 700 employees, and Take-Two recently slashed roles at Private Division while shuttering Roll7 and Intercept Games.

All told, the industry has suffered approximately 10,000 job cuts in 2024 alone. It’s no wonder that what would usually amount to a harmless controller reveal has compounded the exasperation.