New here? Start with this

Doom, Wolfenstein, Quake and Rage: these are the flagship games made by id Software, one of gaming's most influential studios, credited with pioneering the first-person shooter genre decades ago. Id is owned by Bethesda, which in turn is owned by Microsoft, following Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda's parent company in 2021. Microsoft also owns Xbox, and has been running its games division as part of that wider business.

Microsoft recently announced it is cutting 3,200 jobs across its Xbox division, part of a broader pattern of layoffs the company has made in gaming over the past couple of years. These cuts affect various studios under the Xbox umbrella, of which id Software is one. The scale and detail of how individual studios have been affected is not always officially confirmed by Microsoft, so much of what is known comes from reports, leaks and comments from current or former industry figures.

This story matters because id Software is seen as a technically important studio within the games industry, and any major loss of staff, particularly engineers, could affect its ability to keep making and supporting games. It is also notable because it follows the successful launch of id's latest title, Doom: The Dark Ages, raising questions about why cuts would follow a strong release. John Romero, one of id's original co-founders, is a well-known figure in gaming history and no longer works at the studio, but has spoken publicly about the situation.