It’s the driving drive behind lots of your favourite video video games launched in the previous couple of years, nevertheless it largely flies below the radar. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, Cyberpunk 2077, and Metallic Gear Strong Delta: Snake Eater are only a few of the numerous video games that had been and proceed to be supported by Virtuos, one of many largest impartial online game corporations on this planet with over 20 studios globally using about 4,000 workers. Nonetheless, the typical gamer in all probability doesn’t know Virtuos exists.That’s beginning to change although, with Virtuos’ profile rising with every new launch. Oblivion Remastered is maybe Virtuos’ greatest undertaking but, and its heavy involvement with its growth was made a key a part of the sport’s announcement by Bethesda. In the meantime, CD Projekt livestreams function members of the Virtuos growth workforce. Wanting forward, Ken Levine’s BioShock follow-up, Judas, and Riot’s League of Legends combating sport 2XKO, will each come out with Virtuos’ assist.However it has not all been plain crusing. Final month, Virtuos laid off roughly 7% of its world workforce, or round 270 workers. In an announcement, Virtuos mentioned it was “evolving to satisfy the altering wants” of its companions and the broader video video games business. Many of the layoffs affected Virtuos’ Asian workforce.In a wide-ranging interview with IGN at gamescom 2025, Virtuos CEO Gilles Langourieux mentioned the corporate’s historical past, its latest tasks, and what it’s hoping to attain sooner or later. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, which has gone an extended technique to placing Virtuos on the map this 12 months, was a giant a part of our chat.Virtuos CEO Gilles Langourieux.Langourieux mentioned Virtuos’ experience when it got here to remasters (Batman, Last Fantasy, Darkish Souls Remastered) meant it was a pure a part of the dialog round Oblivion’s return.“We managed to persuade Todd Howard and his workforce that we may do it,” Langourieux started. “He had recognized us for some time. After which how does it work? You show what you are able to throughout a pilot part. You ship a convincing vertical slice or pilot. You align with the workforce at Bethesda on what they consider is the extent of high quality or element required to satisfy their viewers purpose, and also you proceed all the best way to ultimate ship.”Virtuos developed Oblivion Remastered utilizing Unreal Engine 5. It runs at 4K decision and 60 frames per second, as you’d anticipate, however different modifications are extra significant. The whole lot from the leveling techniques to character creation, and fight animations to in-game menus have been improved. In the meantime, there’s plenty of new dialogue, a correct third-person view, and new lip sync expertise. The modifications went down effectively with followers, a few of whom consider Oblivion Remastered can be extra precisely described as a remake. Bethesda, nonetheless, has defined why it went down the remaster route.The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered ScreenshotsLangourieux mentioned Virtuos knew it had to make use of a brand new engine for Oblivion Remastered to carry the traditional RPG updated when it comes to graphics and efficiency, but additionally retain the unique engine so veteran followers would acknowledge Oblivion’s gameplay. As Todd Howard himself described it, Bethesda was eager for the Oblivion remaster to have a few of that “outdated attraction.”“We realized that one of many options must be to mix the unique engine with a brand new engine. Virtuos occurs to have an extended expertise working with Unreal,” Langourieux mentioned. “We have finished a lot of tasks like this the place we mix — it is known as engine pairing — we pair two engines to work collectively in order that the gameplay comes from the unique engine, however the rendering and the brand new trendy bells and whistles come from the brand new engine. And our expertise doing that, our expertise with Unreal, was one of many issues we needed to carry to the desk.”In the meantime, a whole bunch of artists had been mobilized to work on Oblivion Remastered to “nail” the Oblivion artwork model whereas additionally modernizing it. Virtuos had its studio in Paris lead the undertaking, making technical, design, and inventive decisions concerning the sport, with the assistance of different Virtuos studios. At Bethesda, a small workforce below the direct supervision of Todd Howard monitored Virtuos’ work.At peak, round 400 individuals at Virtuos labored on Oblivion Remastered. This was a real AAA growth effort unfold out throughout a lot of years. The top consequence was a profitable launch, a online game performed by over 9 million individuals at this level, and a (largely) impressed fanbase. Virtuos itself was made part of Bethesda’s official Oblivion Remastered announcement video, which Langourieux appreciated.“Typically if you deal with these sorts of tasks, you are concerned about speaking a few new developer since you’re fearful that new developer title won’t resonate so effectively with the viewers,” he mentioned.“They put their cash the place their mouth is by supporting us very transparently and brazenly, and that has given us extra visibility than different tasks have. So credit score to them for that.”Cyberpunk 2077, Oblivion Remastered, Metallic Gear Strong Delta: Snake Eater… what’s subsequent? With all types of rumors swirling round about extra Bethesda remasters, may Virtuos be serving to out with, say, a Fallout remaster of some description? In fact, Langourieux gained’t title names, however did discuss usually about what Virtuos has up its sleeve, and teased “related” titles to Oblivion Remastered coming from the corporate within the years forward.“I will not be capable of share specifics,” he started, “however what I can say is that you have seen what we’re able to for a giant, impactful remaster like Oblivion. You possibly can anticipate extra related titles to come back out of Virtuos within the coming years. And you can too anticipate to see us concerned in increasing the lifetime of large-life titles. These can be two instructions that I am tremendous enthusiastic about.”However will Virtuos get away of its assist act standing and make an authentic IP of its personal? Langourieux appears pleased with the place his firm is at proper now, insisting “not everybody aspires to be the rockstar.”“We now have a variety of ambition,” Langourieux mentioned. “We have constructed one of many largest, most steady sport builders within the enterprise, and we intend to proceed doing that. We have finished it by being very clear about what we’re good at and the way we are able to serve our shoppers within the business. And there is a variety of ambition with that. Not every part is about being the rockstar. Not everybody aspires to be the rockstar. We’re enjoying a distinct position.”Wesley is Director, Information at IGN. Discover him on Twitter at @wyp100. You possibly can attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
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