The scale of the DOOM developers laid off in Microsoft’s latest Xbox cuts is becoming clear. Two-thirds of the id Software staff who built DOOM (2016) are gone, according to a Game Developer report. It lands on the studio behind one of the last decade’s most admired shooters.
Multiple current and former id employees spoke to the outlet anonymously. One described the DOOM team as “half here, half thrown away.” The exact size of that team is not public. Even so, the mood inside the studio is clear.
What the numbers show
A WARN notice filed in Texas puts firm figures on the wider cuts. In total, id Software lost 136 roles. That breaks down to 96 people at its Richardson office and 40 remote workers. Meanwhile, those losses sit inside a much larger plan. Microsoft is removing about 3,200 jobs across Xbox before its financial year ends, under new gaming boss Asha Sharma.
The number of DOOM developers laid off matters because the figure is so specific. It points at the people who built DOOM (2016). That reboot rebuilt the series from scratch. Furthermore, it set the template for the fast, aggressive combat in DOOM Eternal and DOOM: The Dark Ages. Losing many of those veterans is exactly what worries staff.
id downplays it, and staff disagree
id has framed things more calmly. In an official statement, the studio said its team is now roughly the size it was during DOOM (2016). Similarly, co-director Hugo Martin made that point on a recent livestream. The message was simple. A leaner id can still deliver.
However, staff who spoke to Game Developer did not agree. They felt the comparison ignored the experience walking out the door. At least one employee pushed back on Martin’s framing directly. A studio can match an old headcount on paper. Even then, it can lose the veterans who made the old work sing.
So far, Microsoft has not responded to the two-thirds claim. Game Developer says it has approached the company for comment.
What it means for DOOM
The timing stings. DOOM is still selling, and its Revelations expansion only just arrived. Meanwhile, id insists it can keep swinging at its old weight. By contrast, the people who actually built the 2016 reboot tell a different story. This story was first reported by Game Developer. In addition, we covered the first wave of these cuts in our report on Xbox layoffs hitting id Software.
Frequently asked questions
How many DOOM developers were laid off? A Texas WARN notice lists 136 roles at id Software. Moreover, reports say around two-thirds of the remaining DOOM (2016) developers were among them.
Are the layoffs confirmed by Microsoft? The wider 3,200 Xbox job cuts are confirmed. However, the two-thirds figure comes from anonymous id staff, and Microsoft has not commented.
Does this affect DOOM: The Dark Ages? The cuts arrived around its Revelations expansion. Nevertheless, id says the team can still deliver, though staff have questioned the loss of experience.
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