Xbox’s Asha Sharma Praises Elder Scrolls VI, Urges Fans to Forget the Giant Rat Outside Bethesda

Earlier today, key figures from Xbox, including CEO Asha Sharma, made a visit to Bethesda’s office, just weeks after the company laid off 1,600 employees across its studios. Sharma appeared to confirm her presence by sharing her impressions of the highly anticipated Elder Scrolls VI after witnessing a “live playthrough” of the RPG, all while a giant inflatable rat and unionized workers protested outside.

On August 11, Sharma took to social media to express her excitement about Elder Scrolls VI, which was first teased back in 2018. She noted that the game is progressing impressively, stating that its “scale and grandeur are incredible” and that “the story is even greater.” It seems she observed someone else playing the game rather than getting hands-on experience herself, but the details remain unclear.

In her tweet, Sharma also included a censored subtitle for the upcoming Elder Scrolls VI, which appears to be eight letters long. If she is indeed hinting at the game’s title, fans will likely spend the next few days speculating about what those eight letters could signify for the long-awaited sequel.

Live playthrough of The Elder Scrolls VI: ******** this morning. The scale and grandeur are incredible. The story is even greater.

— ASHA (@asha_shar) August 11, 2026

However, it’s difficult to overlook the timing of Sharma’s post regarding Elder Scrolls VI, especially in light of the ongoing concerns among Xbox employees about the company’s direction, including public grievances about Game Pass and leadership decisions. It’s likely she noticed the inflatable rat, often used by labor unions to support striking workers, outside Bethesda’s Rockville, Maryland headquarters earlier today.

In an effort to shift the narrative, she may have decided to drop a major Elder Scrolls VI update to divert attention from the impending layoffs, with Xbox planning to cut another 1,600 jobs by the end of the year.

Next week, on August 18th, Xbox employees, in collaboration with the Communications Workers of America, will hold rallies across the U.S. and Canada to protest the layoffs and advocate for fair contracts that include protections against layoffs for union members.

While Xbox and Bethesda have reassured fans that Elder Scrolls VI will not be impacted by the layoffs, not all developers share this sentiment. One id Software developer recently expressed concerns in a podcast, stating that Xbox “doesn’t understand art” or games.