We have already reported on this DOOM developer id software was significantly influenced by the crowd Xbox There were layoffs, but the extent of them was unclear. Some people said the studio could be cut in half, but it looks like it is could be even worse.
The Website Game Developer managed to get one WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) notice filed in Texas reporting this ZeniMax Media has fired 158 employees in the state. 22 from them come from Bethesda Game Studios Austinthat works on Fallout 76 and the rest 136 were edited by id Software, with 96 working at the studio’s headquarters in Richardson and the rest working remotely.
This is a major job loss by any measure, but especially for this particular studio where there were only staff 185 employees in December 2025. Website Aftermath reported on this when the Texas developer announced that it had just formed a union with the help of the CWA (Communications Workers of America). If these numbers are correct, the studio could have a head start 73.5% of employeesrender functionally unable to create new games themselves.
It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve seen something like this on Xbox. This already happened last year during the round of layoffs in July 2025as a Redmond-based developer Turn 10 lost most of its staff and was effectively converted into a support studio for Playground games. Now, a similar turn of events could be happening here, with id Software acting as a support group for Machine gameswho would continue to develop Wolfenstein and/or DOOM games.
However, there are a few differences. While Turn 10’s Forza Motorsport got worse with each entry until there were few to no viewers left, id Software’s DOOM reboot trilogy was critically acclaimed and sold well. The last, DOOM: The Dark AgesThe game’s full sales may have suffered because it was added to Game Pass on day one, but that’s certainly not the studio’s fault.
Currently, neither Xbox nor id Software have commented on the future of the studio. However, if this grim picture is true, the newly released DLC DOOM: The Dark Ages – Revelations could be the last project they made as lead developer, a real shame for a studio that helped shape the history of the first-person shooter genre.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming industry at Wccftech since August 2015. He began working at a young age for Italian websites such as Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it and Multiplayer.it, before launching the English-language indie publication Worlds Factory as founder and editor-in-chief. Over the last decade, he has coordinated the overall performance of Wccftech’s gaming section, managing PR relationships, assigning reviews, producing daily reporting, editing gaming content as needed, and providing game reviews. Its hallmark is arguably the long series of exclusive developer interviews cited by Wikipedia and major news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him an expert when it comes to gaming hardware and technology. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs and action/adventure games.
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https://wccftech.com/id-software-lost-73-5-percent-staff-after-xbox-cuts/
