Microsoft's recent layoffs have reportedly reduced id Software to a support studio, according to a former principal artist.
Microsoft's recent layoffs have reportedly reduced id Software to a support studio, according to a former principal artist. The extensive job cuts at the iconic developer of titles such as Doom and Quake have drawn criticism regarding the studio's diminished role within Xbox Game Studios.
Derek Best, who served as a principal VFX artist at id Software from 2014 until his recent layoff, shared his experience on LinkedIn. He noted that his tenure of over twelve years concluded abruptly, just one day before the launch of a DLC that the team had worked intensely to complete.
Best expressed profound shock at the severity of the layoffs, stating that decades of collective knowledge were removed from the studio. Reports indicate that 136 of id Software's 185 developers were affected, with the id Tech engine team reportedly reduced to a single employee.
The VFX team, where Best worked, was reportedly downsized to a single artist, lacking a lead or producer. Best openly criticized Microsoft's approach, characterizing it as "nuking a team into the dirt" and relegating a studio known for significant technological achievements to a support capacity.
The id Tech engine has been foundational to many prominent games, including various Quake and modern Doom titles. Its influence extends to the IW Engine and Treyarch NGL engines used for Call of Duty, which were based on idTech 3, and more recently, Indiana Jones and The Great Circle.
The layoffs represent a substantial loss of expertise and human capital, impacting 136 individuals and fundamentally altering the structure of a studio with a long history in gaming innovation. The future direction for id Software's core franchises under this new structure remains to be seen.
Prior to the layoffs, id Software reportedly had several projects in development, including pitches for a co-op Doom experience, a new Perfect Dark installment, and a cyberpunk game inspired by John Wick. These projects now face an uncertain future following the significant reduction in staff.
