id Software has issued a statement addressing reports of significant layoffs impacting the studio as part of Microsoft's broader cuts across the Xbox division. The developer behind iconic franchises like Doom and Quake confirmed that its studio was affected by these changes but affirmed its commitment to continuing game and technology development.
Reports had suggested that id Software had been cut in half, with a substantial number of its coders laid off. In response, the Texas-based studio clarified that the workforce reductions were spread across various teams. According to their statement, the current team size is comparable to that of when Doom (2016) was in development. id Software emphasized its long-standing philosophy of a flat studio structure where all members are considered makers, a principle they intend to uphold.
"We still have the crew we need to build the games and tech we're known for," the statement posted on X reads. "The team today is about the same size we were when making Doom (2016). We have always had a flat studio where everyone is a maker, and we will remain true to that philosophy moving forward."
The studio also stated its focus on supporting impacted team members and reiterated its dedication to creating the games and technology that have defined it for the past 35 years. id Software is looking forward to its presence at QuakeCon in August.
Official figures confirm that 136 employees, including 40 remote workers, were laid off from ZeniMax Media's offices in Richardson, Texas, where id Software is based. These cuts were reportedly aimed heavily at the team responsible for the studio's proprietary id Tech game engine. However, a Microsoft spokesperson contested this, stating that "dozens of people working on id Tech across multiple locations" remain involved.
These layoffs at id Software are part of larger workforce reductions by Microsoft, which announced plans to lay off 3,200 people from its Xbox division over the coming year. Other studios, including Obsidian Entertainment and Bethesda Softworks, have also been significantly affected. Microsoft is also planning to divest from Double Fine, Compulsion Games, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs, and is in negotiations regarding the future of Arkane Studios.