id Software lead services programmer Chris Hays has criticized Microsoft and Xbox following recent layoffs at the Doom studio, saying the company has “burned a lot of bridges” across the game industry.
The comments came during Hays’ appearance on the Auf ein Bier YouTube channel, where he spoke about the impact of the cuts on id Software, the studio behind Doom, Quake, and its proprietary id Tech engine.
The issue matters because id Software was among the studios hit by Microsoft’s wider Xbox restructuring, which has raised questions about how one of the industry’s most influential shooter studios will operate after losing staff.
Chris Hays Questions id Software’s Future After Layoffs
According to PC Gamer, Hays said the layoffs arrived after developers had just come off a difficult push to finish Doom: The Dark Ages DLC. He described the timing as demoralizing for staff who expected to watch players respond to their work, only to face uncertainty about their own roles.
Hays also pushed back against reassurances that id Software remains the same studio after the reductions.
“We’re not the same id,” Hays said, arguing that the studio’s strength came from its people, relationships, and experience, not only from its name or intellectual property.
He also said it would be “impossible” to make the same kind of AAA game with half the people, especially if entire departments and disciplines were heavily reduced.
Layoffs Reportedly Cut 136 Roles At id Software
Game Developer reported in July that a Texas WARN notice confirmed 158 layoffs at ZeniMax Media in the state, including 96 roles at id Software’s Richardson, Texas office and 40 remote workers reporting to that location. That brought the reported id Software total to 136 roles.
The same report said the remaining 22 Texas layoffs affected Bethesda Game Studios’ Austin office.
The cuts were part of a broader Xbox reset. Microsoft said on July 6 that it was eliminating around 4,800 roles across the company, while Xbox said it would reduce its team by approximately 3,200 roles throughout FY27, including about 1,600 role eliminations that day.
id Software Said It Still Has The Team It Needs
id Software previously addressed concerns in a public statement, saying the studio was affected but still had the “crew” needed to build the games and technology it is known for. Game Developer quoted the studio as saying the current team was about the same size as the one that made Doom in 2016.
Kotaku also reported that id Software said the changes were spread across teams and that the studio would remain true to its “flat studio” philosophy.
Hays, however, disputed the idea that the studio can be viewed the same way after the cuts. He argued that the loss of specific teams and relationships changes what the studio can realistically make.
John Carmack Also Reacted To id Software Layoffs
The backlash has extended beyond current staff. id Software co-founder John Carmack also reacted to the layoffs on X, saying his past statement that Microsoft would probably be a good steward of the brand “isn’t aging well.”
That reaction added more weight to the discussion because Carmack helped shape id Software’s early legacy through Doom, Quake, and the studio’s technology-driven approach to game development.
Why Hays Says Microsoft Damaged Trust
Hays’ strongest criticism centered on trust. He said Microsoft had damaged its reputation with developers and that people would struggle to believe future reassurances from studio leadership if major decisions are being made above them.
He also argued that Microsoft’s financial planning does not match the way id Software used to operate, suggesting that long-term game development does not fit neatly into yearly accounting expectations.
For players, the bigger question is what happens next to Doom, Quake, and id Tech. Microsoft and id Software have said the studio can keep building games and technology, but Hays’ comments suggest some developers inside the studio remain deeply concerned about morale, staffing, and creative continuity.
As of this writing, Microsoft has not issued a separate public response specifically addressing Hays’ latest remarks.
via: PC Gamer | Game Developer
