id Software
id Software business and news from across the web.
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Bethesda union staff to march outside studios over Xbox layoffs: 'The company wants us to accept this as a done…
Bethesda developers, organized as the OneBGS union, are planning a protest march across studios on July 15th to oppose recent layoffs by Xbox. The union criticizes these layoffs as a recurring issue and aims to show management the adverse impact on remaining staff and studio talent, citing significant staff reductions at Zenimax Online Studios and id Software, and the closure of studios responsible for games like Hi-Fi Rush and Prey.
id Software co-founder says "my 'Microsoft will probably be a good steward of the brand' statement isn't aging well" after the Doom maker lost 136 of its 185 staff to layoffs
id Software co-founder John Carmack commented on the significant layoffs at the studio under Microsoft, stating his previous belief that Microsoft would be a good steward of the brand is not aging well. He suspects id Software was a marginal business for Microsoft, with Minecraft's profits potentially subsidizing other studios. Carmack also reflected on game development needing to succeed financially, not just be beloved, and speculated on alternative strategies that could have improved id's financial performance.
Own goal specialist Xbox rifles another into the roof of the net - Patch Notes #60
Xbox announced significant layoffs, impacting approximately 3,200 employees across various studios including id Software, ZeniMax Online Studios, Double Fine, Compulsion Games, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs. Xbox boss Asha Sharma cited a need to eliminate management layers and create a flatter organization, though many of the affected employees are senior staff integral to game production. This marks the fifth major round of layoffs at Xbox in three years, with unions like CWA Canada criticizing Microsoft's handling of the situation.
Id Software founder John Carmack mourns layoffs: "Games need to succeed, not just be beloved"
Id Software co-founder John Carmack expressed sadness over recent layoffs affecting over half of the studio's workforce, attributing the cuts to increasing business pressures rather than executive malice. He reflected on the need for games to be commercially successful, not just critically acclaimed, to ensure long-term production, and pondered potential design or marketing changes that could have improved Id's financial standing.
'We mean business:' Xbox union workers fighting back with 'Save Our Devs' rally on July 15
Unionized workers at Bethesda Game Studios, under the OneBGS banner, are organizing a 'Save Our Devs' rally on July 15 to protest recent mass layoffs across Xbox and ZeniMax studios. The union aims to negotiate preferential transfers, stronger severance packages, and recall rights for affected employees, rejecting Microsoft's framing of the cuts as an 'entrepreneurial change'.
Evening Reading - July 9, 2026
This edition of Shacknews Evening Reading covers various gaming news and features, including reviews for Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag and Digimon Story, discussions on 2XKO and Guilty Gear Strive, and mentions of Microsoft's potential new Quake game. It also touches on industry layoffs and includes personal anecdotes and internet content.
id Software Now Has “Roughly the Same” Number of Workers as When it Made DOOM (2016) – Rumor
Reports suggest id Software's current workforce is similar to when it developed DOOM (2016), despite rumors of significant layoffs impacting its engine development and QA teams. Microsoft confirmed that dozens of employees work on the id Tech engine across multiple locations, refuting claims of a drastically reduced headcount. The studio will continue to use its proprietary id Tech engine, with no plans from Xbox to switch to Unreal Engine.
How do you put a price tag on a legacy like id Software's?
The article discusses the recent layoffs at id Software and contrasts Microsoft's handling of the studio's legacy with Costco's long-standing commitment to its $1.50 hot dog price. It questions Microsoft's stewardship of id Software's influential franchises like Doom and its proprietary id Tech engine, suggesting a lack of appreciation for their historical and creative value compared to their financial performance.
Quoteworthy
John Carmack commented on recent layoffs at id Software, expressing that his previous statement about Microsoft being a good steward of the brand is not holding up well. The article touches upon the significant job cuts impacting the studio.
'To Continue Being Produced Long Term, Games Need to Succeed, Not Just Be Beloved' — John Carmack Responds to id Software Layoffs
John Carmack commented on the recent layoffs at id Software, expressing sadness but not anger. He stated that for games to continue being produced long-term, they need to achieve commercial success, not just critical acclaim or popularity.
John Carmack reacts to massive layoffs at id Software: 'My 'Microsoft will probably be a good steward of the…
Co-founder of id Software, John Carmack, has commented on the recent layoffs at the studio, expressing disappointment that his previous statement about Microsoft being a good steward of the brand "isn't aging well." While saddened, Carmack stated he doesn't "muster anger or outrage," suspecting id Software was a marginal business for Microsoft. He also discussed hypothetical strategies that could have prevented the team's decimation, while co-founder John Romero expressed grief for those affected.
Carmack says his 'Microsoft will be a good steward' of the id Software brand take didn't age well
Following significant layoffs at id Software amidst a broader Xbox reorganization, co-founder John Carmack expressed sadness and acknowledged that his previous statement about Microsoft being a good steward of the brand has not aged well. Carmack suspects id Software may have been a marginal business for Microsoft, contributing to the cuts despite recent releases like Doom: The Dark Ages.
Asha Sharma joins Federal Reserve advisory task force days after laying off thousands at Xbox
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has been appointed to a new US Federal Reserve task force focused on productivity and jobs, specifically examining the economic impact of artificial intelligence. This appointment follows Xbox's announcement of significant layoffs affecting thousands of employees and several game studios, including Double Fine and Ninja Theory.
Microsoft filing shows total ZeniMax layoffs at 379, with over half coming from Elder Scrolls Online studio that's lost at least 60% of its staff in the past year
Microsoft's acquisition of ZeniMax Media has resulted in significant layoffs, with a total of 379 employees affected across ZeniMax Online Studios and ZeniMax Media. ZeniMax Online Studios, the developer of The Elder Scrolls Online, has seen over half of its staff depart in the past year, reducing its workforce to approximately 40% of its previous size despite the game's consistent revenue.
Microsoft Reportedly Still Wants To Use id Tech After Gutting The Team Behind It
Despite significant layoffs that have gutted the team responsible for id Tech, Microsoft reportedly still intends to utilize the engine. The future of the id Tech engine's development and usage remains uncertain following the drastic reduction in staff at id Software.
id Software Considered a Perfect Dark Game
id Software experienced significant layoffs, with at least 92 full-time employees affected as part of broader cuts at Xbox. The article examines the impact of these workforce reductions on the studio.
"We were already running a tight ship": Elder Scrolls 6 devs are worried about Xbox's layoffs causing even more delays to the long-awaited RPG
Bethesda developers are concerned that recent layoffs at Microsoft and Xbox will cause further delays for The Elder Scrolls 6. Staff report that the cuts have negatively impacted morale and may lead to longer development cycles due to the need for onboarding new or contract labor. Developers fear this will necessitate crunch time to meet deadlines for the highly anticipated RPG.
"Probably dead forever": Team behind the incredible Doom and Wolfenstein engine reportedly reduced to 1 person…
Following significant job cuts at id Software, the legendary studio's proprietary id Tech engine reportedly has only one person left working on it. This development raises concerns about the future of the engine, which has powered iconic titles like Doom and Wolfenstein since the mid-'90s. While some speculation exists about potential support from the id Software Frankfurt office, the immediate future of the engine and id Software's projects remains uncertain amidst widespread layoffs impacting Microsoft's gaming divisions.
"Great job Microsoft": Former id Software artist says the legendary dev has been "relegated to support studio size" after Xbox's strategy of "nuking a team into the dirt"
Former id Software artist Derek Best stated that Microsoft's recent layoffs have reduced the iconic FPS developer to a support studio size. Best, who was among the 136 employees laid off, criticized Microsoft's strategy, noting the significant loss of institutional knowledge and the impact on the id Tech engine team. The layoffs have raised concerns about the future of id Software's core franchises like Doom and Quake.
Xbox layoffs have likely killed another Perfect Dark reboot from the hollowed-out id Software, as well as a John…
Recent layoffs at Xbox, including approximately 136 at id Software, have likely halted potential projects such as a Perfect Dark reboot and a John Wick-inspired game codenamed "Fury." The significant staff reductions at id Software have reportedly reduced it to a support studio, making ambitious new game development unlikely.
