John Romero, co-founder of id Software, has voiced his support for employees impacted by recent layoffs affecting Microsoft-owned studios, including the iconic Doom developer. The cuts are part of a broader restructuring within Xbox, which Microsoft gaming executive Asha Sharma described as the most significant in the division's history.
Microsoft announced that 1,600 staff were immediately let go, with another 1,600 expected to be affected over the current financial year. This restructuring also involves four studios leaving Xbox's management and one entering consultations regarding its future. ZeniMax Media, the parent company of id Software and Bethesda, was significantly impacted. ZeniMax Online Studios experienced substantial layoffs, necessitating a reevaluation of future content for The Elder Scrolls Online. id Software itself lost approximately 95 employees, according to former Bethesda Studios project lead Jeff Gardiner, including principal character artist Denzil O’Neill, who contributed to Doom, Doom Eternal, and the upcoming Doom The Dark Ages.
Romero, who co-designed Doom, Wolfenstein 3D, and Quake, shared his empathy for those departing id Software. "I know what it feels like to leave id while id goes on. It’s a strange and painful thing to step away from a place that holds so much of your work, friendships and history," he tweeted. He acknowledged the efforts of the current id Software team, stating, "The people at id have done a great job moving that legacy forward. DOOM, Quake, and Wolfenstein are not easy names to carry on, especially in today’s industry. The last few games showed real care, skill and respect for what those worlds mean to people."
Beyond his personal reflections, Romero emphasized the importance of preserving the studio's extensive history. "id's history is critically important to the history of games," he asserted. "I’ve preserved id’s complete early history from our start at Softdisk through to August 6, 1996, including materials and assets that, as far as I know, id itself no longer has. I hope someone is doing the same for the company’s ongoing legacy (the work, code, assets, stories and the people behind them)."
Romero also alluded to his own studio's recent experience with layoffs, referencing the cancellation of Romero Games' shooter last year after Microsoft reportedly withdrew funding. "My heart's with all of you," he stated, drawing parallels between his team's situation and the current events at id Software.
While the exact future of the remaining id Software staff remains uncertain, reports suggest that Xbox intends to focus on its core franchises. Bethesda executive Jill Braff informed staff that the company is shifting its focus from individual studio roadmaps to prioritizing its strongest franchises and aligning talent and resources accordingly. Journalist Jason Schreier has indicated that Bethesda will continue development on series such as Wolfenstein, Doom, Quake, The Elder Scrolls, and Fallout.