John Carmack, co-founder of id Software, has shared his perspective on the recent significant layoffs impacting his former studio and other Xbox Game Studios. In a social media post, Carmack stated his previous sentiment that "Microsoft will probably be a good steward of the brand" is not "aging well" following the widespread job cuts.
Asha Sharma, Xbox's CEO, announced the layoffs, affecting approximately 1,600 employees initially, with further reductions planned over the next year. The restructuring has led to some studios, including Double Fine and Ninja Theory, becoming independent or seeking new management, while major development teams under the Xbox umbrella like Activision, Bethesda, Blizzard, and King have also been impacted.
id Software, the studio behind seminal titles like Doom and Quake, appears to have been particularly hard-hit. A WARN notice indicated that 136 id Software employees lost their jobs, reducing the Texas-based studio's workforce significantly. This news emerged shortly before the release of the Revelations expansion for Doom: The Dark Ages.
Carmack conveyed his sadness about the situation but stated he could not muster anger or outrage. He suggested that, from Microsoft's financial perspective, id Software might have been considered a marginal business. He speculated that Minecraft's revenue could be subsidizing other studios within Microsoft's portfolio, emphasizing that games need to be commercially successful to ensure their long-term production, not just beloved.
He also considered various business strategies that might have been explored, such as different pricing models, expanded merchandise, more effective marketing to reach a broader audience, game design adjustments to appeal to more players without alienating existing fans, or efforts to reduce development costs and timelines. Carmack concluded by expressing hope that the studio can rally through this challenging period.