id Software has confirmed significant layoffs this week as part of broader Xbox restructuring. The studio behind Doom lost 96 employees at its Texas office plus 40 remote workers. A statement from the team emphasized its ability to continue development at the scale of its 2016 game.
id Software announced on July 10 that changes were spread across teams following the cuts. The studio said it retains enough staff to build games and tech as before, noting the current team matches the size used for Doom (2016).
Microsoft disputed reports of severe impact on the id Tech engine team. A spokesperson stated dozens of people continue working on the engine across multiple locations.
Co-founder John Carmack shared his reaction on social media. He expressed sadness over the layoffs and questioned his earlier view that Microsoft would be a good steward of the studio.
The cuts occurred just before the release of the Revelations expansion for Doom: The Dark Ages. No future projects have been confirmed at this time.
