Does Roundhouse Studios still exist as a company?

No. Roundhouse Studios, the Madison, Wisconsin developer formerly known as Human Head Studios, was dissolved by Microsoft in May 2024 and its staff were absorbed into ZeniMax Online Studios, ending its life as a distinct entity.

Who owns Roundhouse Studios?

Roundhouse Studios was wholly owned by Bethesda Softworks/ZeniMax Media, which Microsoft acquired for $7.5 billion in a deal that closed March 9, 2021. Microsoft dissolved Roundhouse as a standalone studio in May 2024.

Could AI replace jobs like the ones Roundhouse Studios did?

Roundhouse's work was AAA support like art, QA, and engineering, the exact category Microsoft targeted in its July 2026 Xbox cuts, where HR leadership stated 'some of the tasks we do every day can now be automated' as part of roughly 3,200 planned Xbox job cuts through FY2027.

What games did Roundhouse Studios make?

Roundhouse Studios never shipped a title under its own name. Its only credited work was co-development support on Redfall (2023), Arkane Austin's commercially unsuccessful game, before Roundhouse was dissolved in May 2024.

Is ZeniMax Online Studios, Roundhouse's successor, in trouble?

Yes. As of July 16, 2026, ZeniMax Online Studios cut roughly 40% of its 2024 workforce across 2025 and 2026 layoff rounds, and studio head Joe Burba along with most senior Elder Scrolls Online leadership were removed.

Could Roundhouse Studios be revived as an independent studio?

There is a precedent: Alpha Dog Games, closed by Microsoft in 2024, relaunched independently in July 2026. No such revival of Roundhouse has been confirmed, though ex-ZeniMax Online staff have formed independent studios like Ironroot Games (December 2025) and Sackbird Studios (October 2025).

Gaming companies · absorbed · Unknown

Roundhouse Studios

Defunct Xbox game studio, absorbed into ZeniMax Online Studios in 2024, no longer exists.

Little protection left

Assessed 23 July 2026 · Evidence as of 23 July 2026

Not much stands between this business and its pressures.

On the recordSince 23 July 2026 · Checkable from H2 2026 · Every call on the record Checkpoint: Whether Microsoft divests or restructures ZeniMax Online Studios further after leadership removal

The call

Roundhouse Studios stopped existing in 2024, and the successor that absorbed its staff, ZeniMax Online, is now shedding leadership and headcount itself.

Roundhouse Studios was a game development studio that got absorbed into ZeniMax Online Studios in May 2024, so it stopped being its own company two years ago. Now ZeniMax Online itself is falling apart after Microsoft cut about 40 percent of its workers in mid-2026 and removed its leadership, so there is no real Roundhouse to evaluate anymore. The one thing to watch is whether the laid-off workers band together to start their own new studio like some ex-Microsoft game teams have done recently, or whether Microsoft decides to sell off what is left of ZeniMax Online to someone else.

Why

AI pressure: None apparent. Microsoft cited AI automation for Xbox job cuts broadly, but this studio was already dissolved before those cuts landed. Could AI do the core job? Yes, likely.

Bigger players: Microsoft/ZeniMax Media. Microsoft dissolved this studio in 2024 and folded its people into ZeniMax Online, which then cut about 40% of its own staff by mid 2026. Could a giant copy it? Yes, easily.

What protects it. None apparent, the studio has no independent legal existence, no website, and one shipped credit as co-developer on Redfall.

What would change this call

ZeniMax Online Studios names stable co-leadership under Josh Henderson and Nick Giacomini past 2026. Would show the successor org stabilized after the July 2026 cuts.
Microsoft announces divestiture or sale of ZeniMax Online Studios within 6 months. Would confirm Xbox is shedding the studio that absorbed Roundhouse's staff.
Ex-Roundhouse or ex-ZeniMax Online staff publicly launch a new independent studio. Would show displaced talent regrouping outside Microsoft, similar to Ironroot Games or Sackbird Studios.

Key numbers

Dissolved May 2024, folded into ZeniMax Online (2024-05-07)
ZeniMax Online cut about 40% of 2024 headcount (2026-07-16)
Only credited work: co-dev on Redfall (2023) (2024-05-07)

Named risks

Entity is fully dissolved since May 2024, no path to join or invest in it directly. Severity: high
Successor ZeniMax Online Studios in active crisis with leadership and headcount losses as of July 2026. Severity: high
Microsoft explicitly citing AI automation to justify cuts in AAA support roles like those Roundhouse performed. Severity: medium
Further Xbox studio divestitures possible, with a fifth studio under review as of July 2026. Severity: medium

Rivals, as read in July 2026

Rival	Direction	Evidence
ZeniMax Online Studios (successor entity)	losing to	Cut ~40% of workforce and lost entire leadership team by 2026-07-16
Ironroot Games	gaining on	Founded Dec 2025 by ex-ZeniMax Online designer, drawing displaced talent
Sackbird Studios	gaining on	Founded Oct 2025 by former ZeniMax Online staff after layoffs
Alpha Dog Games	contesting	Closed by Microsoft 2024, relaunched independently July 2026, a possible model Roundhouse never followed
Sony PlayStation Studios	contesting	First-party incumbent rival to Microsoft/Xbox portfolio that once included Roundhouse

Questions people ask

Does Roundhouse Studios still exist as a company?: No. Roundhouse Studios, the Madison, Wisconsin developer formerly known as Human Head Studios, was dissolved by Microsoft in May 2024 and its staff were absorbed into ZeniMax Online Studios, ending its life as a distinct entity.
Who owns Roundhouse Studios?: Roundhouse Studios was wholly owned by Bethesda Softworks/ZeniMax Media, which Microsoft acquired for $7.5 billion in a deal that closed March 9, 2021. Microsoft dissolved Roundhouse as a standalone studio in May 2024.
Could AI replace jobs like the ones Roundhouse Studios did?: Roundhouse's work was AAA support like art, QA, and engineering, the exact category Microsoft targeted in its July 2026 Xbox cuts, where HR leadership stated 'some of the tasks we do every day can now be automated' as part of roughly 3,200 planned Xbox job cuts through FY2027.
What games did Roundhouse Studios make?: Roundhouse Studios never shipped a title under its own name. Its only credited work was co-development support on Redfall (2023), Arkane Austin's commercially unsuccessful game, before Roundhouse was dissolved in May 2024.
Is ZeniMax Online Studios, Roundhouse's successor, in trouble?: Yes. As of July 16, 2026, ZeniMax Online Studios cut roughly 40% of its 2024 workforce across 2025 and 2026 layoff rounds, and studio head Joe Burba along with most senior Elder Scrolls Online leadership were removed.
Could Roundhouse Studios be revived as an independent studio?: There is a precedent: Alpha Dog Games, closed by Microsoft in 2024, relaunched independently in July 2026. No such revival of Roundhouse has been confirmed, though ex-ZeniMax Online staff have formed independent studios like Ironroot Games (December 2025) and Sackbird Studios (October 2025).

Timeline

2026-07-16ZeniMax Online Studios loses studio head Joe Burba and most senior ESO leadership in layoffs
2026-07-09Microsoft divests four Xbox studios, a fifth studio placed under review
2026-07-06Microsoft announces 4,800 job cuts including ~3,200 Xbox roles through FY2027
2026-01-14Ex-ZeniMax Online devs reported forming Ironroot Games after layoffs
2025-10Sackbird Studios founded by former ZeniMax Online staff
2025-07Unannounced ZeniMax Online MMORPG project Project Blackbird cancelled
2024-08Tango Gameworks, closed by Microsoft, sold to Krafton
2024-05-07Roundhouse Studios dissolved, staff absorbed into ZeniMax Online Studios
2021-03-09Microsoft's $7.5B acquisition of ZeniMax Media (Roundhouse's parent) closes
2019-11-13Roundhouse Studios formed as Human Head Studios announces closure

Revision history

23 July 2026

First assessed. Little protection left. The text above is fixed as of this date and is not edited afterwards.

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