id Software’s Chris Hays Says Morale Has Never Been Lower
id Software, the DOOM developer, was significantly impacted by Xbox’s recent mass layoffs. The studio lost at least 136 employees, with many from the id Tech team. In response, id Software stated that the remaining workforce was appropriately sized for their game development needs, matching the team size from when they developed DOOM in 2016.
Chris Hays, a veteran programmer and the studio’s lead software programmer, has publicly commented on the layoffs and their impact on workplace morale. According to the report, Hays spoke candidly about how the layoffs affected the team and criticized game industry executives, characterizing them as disconnected from the realities of game development. The commentary suggests morale at the studio has reached historic lows.
The layoffs represent part of a larger wave of industry-wide consolidation and cost-cutting measures. Hays’s public remarks highlight growing tensions between corporate leadership and development teams, and concerns about how executive decisions impact the people creating games.