The Doom studio id Software is currently facing a tragic end with mass layoffs. Only a small core team remains for future projects, leaving many fans stunned.
Therecent layoffs at Microsoft(more on this in the link box) are having far-reaching consequences. id Software, the developer behindDoom, is also massively affected. So much so that many stunned fans and developers are currently venting their anger online.
As Eurogamer reports, so many people were laid off that the studio will likely no longer be able to produce its own games. id Software has shrunk to the size of a small support developer, which is likely to spell the end for the future project ideas that were just unveiled.On X and Steam, many fans are expressing outrage over the move.
The shock runs deep among developers
A total of 136 people were laid off at id Software. This number is so large that the state of Texas is legally required to issue a warning (this applies whenever 100 or more people are laid off at once in the U.S.). Of these, 96 were reportedly based in Texas, and 40 worked remotely.
This leaves only 49 employees, making it simply impossible for id Software to develop games on the same scale as before. Former developers are sharply criticizing Microsoft and expressing shock at the move. For example, former Principal VFX Artist Derek Best wrote a poston LinkedIn:
I’m speechless at how brutal the layoffs were. Decades of knowledge at the studio were wiped out in one fell swoop. […] Great job, Microsoft. Nothing says “successful business” quite like razing a team to the ground and demoting them to a support studio, all while throwing away enormous technological achievements.
The former id Software developer doesn’t mince words.Our colleagues at Gamesbeathave also spoken with former employees. Not only are they also stunned, but they’re also discussing ideas and concepts for future projects that will likely never see the light of day.
Good game, bad Microsoft
Yet the concepts sounded quite promising:Internally, there were apparently discussions about a John Wick-style game codenamed Fury, which was to feature a modern cyberpunk gangster setting with noir elements. In terms of gameplay, the project aimed to combine fast-paced gunplay with martial arts.
Another pitch centered on a Westworld-inspired robot survival game codenamed “Ironwood,” and multiplayer and co-op versions of “Doom” were also under consideration. Even though these were just initial ideas that might never have seen the light of day anyway, the thought of them is likely to be painful for many fans.
The news is especially painful,because the Revelations DLC for Doom: The Dark Ages was actually released just three days agoandwas very well received. Now, however, the release leaves a bad taste in many people’s mouths. As user yardsale, for example, on Steam:
I had planned to play through this game until the DLC was released, but unfortunately, this great experience was marred by the layoffs at Id Software. The developers of this game don’t deserve this, and it’s truly unacceptable that the current corporate culture in the gaming industry assumes you can achieve good—or even coherent—results by simply thinning out teams that have worked together for years. Game good, Microsoft bad.
A Tragic End for a Legendary Developer
There are also many posts on this topic on X.The DOOM Dominion, for example, has published a listof the affected developers, which has sparked a great deal of sympathy and bewildermentin the comments.
Here is the full list of impacted employees by title and number at id software pic.twitter.com/EPNvYgaKD1
— The DOOM Dominion (@TheDoomDominion) July 8, 2026
UserFancy Overturereacts something like this:
There are so many lead and senior positions among them. These are the veteran developers who know what they’re doing. They’re the ones getting fired. How pathetic of Microsoft.
James Fishercynically adds that it would probably be easier,& nbsp;to publish a list of those who are still there at all
.User MakMisle23is only now truly realizing the extent of the layoffs:
You know, when you hear that 96 people were laid off, it kind of clicks, but not quite. But when you read what these people were actually working on, that’s when you really feel the impact. This is a goddamn massacre. There’s nothing left of id, and Xbox isn’t even done with the layoffs yet.
Especially given the numerous layoffs in the QA department,some users also suspect AI is involved and fear a decline in the quality of future titles.Only a few commenters are optimistic, hoping that these are primarily deliberate streamlining measures—painful but necessary.
Id Software made a name for itself primarily through *Doom*, as well as the id Tech engine, which was also used in *Wolfenstein* and *Indiana Jones*. It’s unclear what the future holds.
According to rumors, the studio might focus more on the technical aspects of id Tech to save on licensing costs for external engines. However, some employees from this department were also laid off. Another obvious option is afuture role as a small support studio, for example for Machine Games, which is reportedly working on a new Wolfenstein.
You can read more about the layoffs at Microsoft and Xbox in the link box a little further up. Regardless of the specific reasons or what the future holds for id Software and the laid-off employees, we would like to express our deepest sympathy to everyone affected.
