id Software insists in new statement that it still has “the crew we need to build the games and tech we’re known for”
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id Software has released a brief statement on social media reassuring players that it remains capable of building its signature games and technology, despite recent job cuts. The message follows Microsoft's confirmation that it would lay off thousands of staff across its Xbox division and drop four studios — Double Fine, Compulsion Games, Ninja Theory and Undead Labs — with surviving studios such as id Software and Obsidian also affected by losses. The statement matters as an attempt to steady fan and player confidence amid wider upheaval in Microsoft's gaming operations.
In the unsigned message, id thanked supporters, said the changes were "spread across teams", and noted that its team today is "about the same size" as when it made Doom 2016. It reaffirmed its "flat studio" philosophy, pledged to keep building games and tech over its 35-year history, and pointed to QuakeCon this August. The article adds context on Obsidian, which reportedly lost a quarter of its staff and has been redirected onto a new Fallout game, resulting in cancelled projects including a sequel to 2025's Avowed.
- id Software says it still has the staff to make its games.
- Microsoft's Xbox cuts hit thousands and closed four studios.
- Obsidian lost a quarter of staff and cancelled an Avowed sequel.
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id Software is a video game developer owned by Microsoft, known for developing the Doom and Quake franchises over its 35-year history. Microsoft recently announced that it would lay off thousands of staff across its Xbox gaming division and shut down four studios, though id Software was not among those closed. The announcement sparked concern among players about whether the remaining studios would retain enough people to continue producing games.
id Software has now issued a statement to reassure players that it still has the staff and resources needed to develop the games and technology it is known for. The studio noted that its current team is roughly the same size as when it created Doom 2016, a well-received reboot of its Doom franchise, and reaffirmed its commitment to continued game development. The statement matters because uncertainty surrounding Microsoft's gaming operations has raised questions about future releases, so reassurances from surviving studios help clarify whether major projects will continue.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
id Software's reassurance rests on measurable facts: they have retained roughly their Doom 2016-era headcount and distributed redundancies across teams rather than concentrating them, limiting disruption to any critical function. Their 35-year institutional history, proven track record of producing successful games, and maintained flat studio structure provide a strong foundation for weathering this transition and continuing to deliver quality work.
The case against
A company's public reassurance following significant redundancies is a predictable response to investor and fan concern, frequently disconnected from operational reality. The broader Microsoft gaming context reveals systemic problems: the division is closing studios entirely, cancelling major projects like the Avowed sequel, and Obsidian alone lost a quarter of its staff. Actual capability cannot be verified through corporate messaging during crisis; only delivered games will provide real evidence.