id Software Creative Director Says Claims the Doom Developer Was ‘Nerfed Into the Ground’ by Xbox Layoffs Are Untrue
id Software creative director Hugo Martin has pushed back on reports that the Doom developer has been devastated by recent Xbox layoffs, insisting the studio remains fully capable of making "great games." Speaking during a livestream, Martin rejected claims the studio had been "nerfed into the ground" or reduced to around 50 staff, and said id Software is now at the same size it was when it made the acclaimed 2016 Doom reboot. The comments matter because they follow genuine cuts at the historic studio amid a wider, ongoing wave of layoffs across Microsoft's gaming division.
A WARN notice filed in Texas confirmed 96 job losses at id Software's Richardson headquarters plus 40 remote roles, thought to be around half the studio's staff, as part of new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma's "reset" that has already cost 1,600 jobs, with another 1,600 planned this financial year. Martin also defended the id Tech engine's future, saying engineers remain active in Frankfurt and at MachineGames, and claimed Doom: The Dark Ages is performing well commercially. The remarks come as affected workers, backed by the Communications Workers of America union, staged "Save our Devs" rallies outside Bethesda offices, while id Software co-founders John Romero and John Carmack have both spoken out in support of laid-off staff.
In short
- id Software creative director denies studio was "nerfed into the ground"
- Xbox cuts hit 96 Richardson staff plus 40 remote roles
- Laid-off workers held union-backed protests outside Bethesda offices
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Gaming companies must sometimes make difficult restructuring decisions to remain competitive and financially viable. Smaller, focused teams can operate more efficiently, and id Software demonstrated substantial creative capability with the acclaimed 2016 Doom when staffed at similar levels. The continued commercial performance of Doom: The Dark Ages and Martin's insistence that core engineering talent remains suggest the studio retains capacity for quality work despite the reductions.
The case against
Losing approximately half a studio's workforce represents an objective reduction in capacity, institutional knowledge, and production capability that public reassurance cannot simply reverse. The documented WARN notices, organised worker protests, and explicit concerns from the studio's co-founders indicate genuine harm that extends beyond corporate messaging; the broader context of 3,200 Xbox layoffs suggests systemic mismanagement rather than surgical efficiency that will inevitably strain development timelines and ambitions.
Explained simply
id Software is one of gaming's most storied and influential developers, best known for the Doom franchise, particularly the critically acclaimed 2016 reboot and subsequent releases. The Texas-based studio has shaped the gaming industry since the early 1990s. This matters because any significant changes at such a historic company attract close scrutiny from the industry and its audiences.
Microsoft's gaming division, which owns id Software, has undergone substantial staff reductions this year under new leadership aimed at reshaping the division. Official records show approximately 136 jobs were eliminated at id Software across its Texas headquarters and remote positions, representing roughly half the studio's workforce. This is part of a wider wave affecting the entire Xbox division, which has already seen 1,600 layoffs with another 1,600 planned.
The layoffs have raised questions about what the cuts mean for the studio's future output and capabilities. Different perspectives have emerged about whether id Software can sustain its ability to produce major releases following the reductions. Laid-off workers have staged protests, whilst some of the studio's original co-founders have publicly supported those affected.
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