Chris Hayes, a lead services provider at id Software, has stated that recent major cuts at the studio have rendered it "impossible" to create triple-A games at the same level as 2016's Doom. Speaking on the Well Played podcast, Hayes explained that the reduction in staff means entire necessary departments and disciplines are now absent.
Hayes directly contradicted reassurances from higher-ups and public statements from the studio, which claimed id Software had not been significantly impacted. He asserted, "We're not the same id. We're half the same id," suggesting these reassurances were intended to prevent further developer departures and were part of talking points provided by Microsoft.
When addressing Microsoft's claim that the studio has a similar number of developers to when 2016's Doom was released, Hayes pointed to discrepancies between studio statements and game credits, noting that the number is "close to" but less than before. He also raised concerns about the impact of services like Game Pass on traditional sales metrics, questioning the relevance of "poor sales" figures when the business model is not solely based on games sold.
Hayes believes that those responsible for the layoffs do not understand the nature of game development or the industry. "They don't understand art, they don't understand games, they don't understand the business model," he stated. He elaborated that cutting staff without considering how a game is made demonstrates a misunderstanding of the importance of team cohesion in achieving success, suggesting that the creative process is fundamentally art and requires specific conditions that were removed by the layoffs.
These cuts at id Software are part of a broader "Xbox reset" initiative by Microsoft, which resulted in the elimination of 3,200 jobs across various studios, with 1,600 effective immediately.