Laid off id Software developer says crunch on Doom: The Dark Ages’ Revelations DLC was “brutal” with up to 17-hour days
A producer who worked on Doom: The Dark Ages' Revelations expansion has described the crunch leading up to its July release as "brutal," with days stretching up to 17 hours, only for several id Software staff to be laid off in the same week the DLC launched. The layoffs were part of Microsoft's wider cuts of around 3,200 jobs across its Xbox studios, and id Software was reportedly among the hardest hit, losing more than half its team. The episode highlights the human cost behind the game's development and has fuelled debate over the studio's future and the sustainability of crunch culture in the games industry.
Producer Andrew Willis told Insider Gaming he worked at least 12 hours a day for two months before launch, with the bulk of the expansion made in just three or four months. He said the extended hours were not mandated by the studio but arose from unmanageable workloads, and that veteran colleagues called it the worst crunch of their careers. While co-studio director Hugo Martin has argued the remaining team is comparable in size to the one that made Doom (2016), others, including lead services provider Chris Hayes, have said it is now "impossible" to make games of that calibre with the reduced staff. Revelations remains the only add-on released for Doom: The Dark Ages, and id Software's next project is still unknown.
- id Software producer says Revelations DLC crunch hit 17-hour days
- Staff laid off in the same week the expansion launched
- Studio reportedly lost over half its team in Xbox-wide cuts
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Doom: The Dark Ages is a 2025 action game made by id Software, the studio behind earlier Doom games. Revelations is an expansion that adds more content to the game; it was released in July. Making games often involves periods of “crunch”, when staff work longer hours to meet a release deadline.
Andrew Willis, a producer on the expansion, said the work leading up to release involved very long days and a heavy workload. He said the hours were not formally required, but that the amount of work made them feel necessary. The same week the expansion launched, Microsoft cut thousands of jobs across its Xbox studios, including jobs at id Software.
The cuts have raised questions about how the smaller team will manage future projects. Studio co-director Hugo Martin has said the remaining staff are comparable in number to the team that made Doom (2016), while another former lead has questioned whether a team of this size can make games of similar scale. Revelations is the game’s only released expansion so far, and id Software has not announced its next project.
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The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The account raises serious concerns about a production model in which unmanageable workloads lead staff to work 12-hour days or more, with reported strain even among veterans. The layoffs in the week of release add to questions about whether workers bore intense pressure while the studio’s future and staffing remained uncertain; supporters of stronger limits on crunch would argue that sustainable schedules protect people and the long-term health of development teams.
The case against
A defender of the studio’s approach could point out that the producer said the long hours were not mandated, and that a concentrated push before a major release can reflect teams’ commitment to finishing ambitious work on schedule. They might also argue that id Software’s leadership believes the remaining team is comparable in size to the one that made Doom (2016), so reduced headcount alone does not establish that the studio cannot make high-quality games.