Id Software issued a statement Wednesday to reassure fans and industry observers following Microsoft's devastating restructuring. The legendary studio, creator of the Doom franchise, lost 136 of its 185 employees during Xbox's broader workforce reduction that eliminated 1,600 jobs on Monday.
According to id Software, the remaining team has "the crew we need to build the games and tech we're known for." The statement notes that the studio's current size roughly matches what it had when developing Doom in 2016, directly countering reports suggesting it had been reduced to support-only capacity.
Microsoft also pushed back against claims that only one person remained working on the id Tech engine. According to an Xbox spokesperson, there are "dozens of people" working on the technology across multiple locations, not just at the main Richardson, Texas headquarters. The company specifically refuted speculation that cuts were concentrated in Texas.
Id Software co-founder John Carmack voiced skepticism on social media. According to Carmack, his earlier statement that "Microsoft will probably be a good steward of the brand" is "not aging well." While he said he couldn't "muster anger or outrage" over the cuts, Carmack expressed sadness and suspected the studio was viewed as marginal by Microsoft compared to other ventures like Minecraft.
