id Software Creative Director Shifts Focus to Game Quality After 136 Staff Let Go in Microsoft Layoffs

Microsoft has laid off 136 of the 185 developers at id Software, the studio behind the Doom franchise, just ahead of the launch of the Revelations DLC for Doom: The Dark Ages, according to thegamerztheory. The cuts come despite the game's record success, raising fears that the franchise may be nearing its end.

Creative director Hugo Martin addressed the layoffs during a Twitch stream for the DLC, responding to reports that the studio had been "gutted" or reduced to just 50 people, Kotaku reported. Martin sought to steer the conversation toward the work itself.

kotakuDoom Director Hugo Martin Responds to id Software Layoffs: 'What Matters Most Is That The Games Are Good'

"What matters most is that the games are good."

While Martin's message aimed to reassure fans, the scale of the cuts is stark. Thegamerztheory noted that the layoffs removed more than two-thirds of the studio's staff, and the timing, right before a major DLC release, has left some questioning id Software's long-term future under Microsoft ownership.

Kotaku reported that the layoffs, part of a broader round of 1,600 cuts across Microsoft's gaming divisions, claimed many long-time id Software employees. Martin did not directly address the loss of veteran staff, instead emphasizing that the team remaining is capable of delivering quality games.

The contrast between id Software's commercial success and the depth of the workforce reduction highlights a disquieting reality for the studio. As thegamerztheory put it, the developer's statement that there are "no benefits to being owned by Microsoft" echoes a skepticism shared by many in the industry watching the cuts unfold.