After Doom director Hugo Martin denied reports that id Software had been gutted, “current and former employees” are disagreeing with his optimism
Microsoft’s massive 3,200-person layoff campaign significantly impacted the Xbox division, with legendary FPS studio id Software suffering substantial staff reductions. In response to initial reports characterizing id Software as essentially gutted, director Hugo Martin issued a public statement pushing back against the pessimism and defending the studio’s future prospects.
However, current and former id Software employees are not sharing Martin’s optimism. According to Game Developer reporting, these workers directly contradicted his assessment, with some explicitly stating disagreement with his characterization of the layoffs’ impact. The disconnect between management messaging and employee experiences underscores tensions within the studio following Microsoft’s restructuring.
This marks a challenging period for id Software, the legendary developer behind Doom and Quake—franchises that fundamentally shaped the first-person shooter genre. The layoffs raise questions about the studio’s future direction, production capacity, and whether it will transition toward support roles for other Microsoft gaming initiatives rather than leading its own major projects. The employee pushback suggests the cuts may have been more severe than official statements indicate.