Originally published at https://tekmag.thsite.top/doom-dev-blasts-xbox-after-microsoft-gutted-id-software-with-layoffs/
Chris Hays, lead services programmer at id Software, said Xbox doesn't "understand art" and called it "impossible" to make AAA games like Doom: The Dark Ages with half the staff. The criticism comes after Microsoft laid off roughly 3,200 Xbox employees in July 2026, cutting id Software in half.
On the Well Played podcast, Hays described what he called a fundamental disconnect between Xbox leadership and the game developers they own. The interview, published by Kotaku on August 7, 2026, marked the most public criticism from an id Software employee since the layoffs began.
Hays has worked at id Software for more than 15 years. He was part of the team that built Doom (2016), Doom Eternal, and the recently released Revelations expansion for Doom: The Dark Ages. The expansion launched on July 5, 2026. The next morning, Marty Stratton told staff not to come in. By afternoon, roughly half the studio was gone.
Key Takeaways
- Chris Hays, id Software's lead services programmer with 15+ years at the studio, criticized Xbox leadership on the Well Played podcast
- Microsoft cut roughly 3,200 Xbox jobs in July 2026, about 20% of Xbox headcount
- id Software lost approximately 96 employees at its Richardson office plus 40 remote staff
- Doom: The Dark Ages sold over 3 million players in its opening days via Game Pass
- The Revelations DLC launched the day before the layoffs; some staff were fired while the expansion was releasing
- id Software's official statement claimed the team is "about the same size" as the Doom (2016) era, but Hays disputes this
- Microsoft declined to comment on future projects when contacted by Kotaku
The Interview and What Hays Said
Hays gave the interview to Zack Zwiezen at Kotaku. His comments centered on three points: the scale of the cuts, the management approach, and the impact on future development.
"It is hard to make a game that is AAA that's like we've done before with half the people," Hays said. "And by hard I mean impossible."
He described entire departments as gutted and said entire disciplines are gone. When asked about internal reassurances that id would remain the same studio, Hays pushed back. "We're not the same id. We're half the same id."
He also challenged Xbox's claim that id is still close to the size of the Doom (2016) team. "There is a reason they say close to, because it is less," Hays said.
Criticism of Game Pass and Bethesda Sales
Hays raised questions about how Game Pass affects how Microsoft evaluates game success. He pointed to poor sales numbers for Bethesda titles under Game Pass and argued the metric is misleading.
"What's a sale? If you have Game Pass, are you saying poor sales means a poor number of games sold?" Hays asked. He argued that subscription access skews traditional sales metrics and makes it harder to assess which games actually resonate with players.
The July 2026 Restructuring
The layoffs were part of what Xbox CEO Asha Sharma called "the most significant restructure in Xbox history." She announced roughly 3,200 job cuts, representing about 20% of Xbox's total headcount. The cuts were spread across two phases: 1,600 positions eliminated in early July, with the remainder to follow before year end.
Sharma wrote that Xbox operates at margins "3-10x lower than comparable platform and publishing businesses." She said the studio system was overextended and the platform infrastructure was not built for the competitive landscape ahead.
Several studios were affected beyond id Software. Compulsion Games and Double Fine became independent. Ninja Theory and Undead Labs entered new ownership. Arkane Lyon entered consultation. The restructure marked a major shift in Microsoft's gaming strategy after years of acquisition-driven growth.
id Software's Staff Reduction
id Software's cuts hit Richardson, Texas particularly hard. A Texas WARN notice confirmed 158 ZeniMax Media layoffs statewide. Ninety-six occurred at id Software's Richardson office, with an additional 40 remote staff reporting there. That totals roughly 136 positions eliminated at the studio that built Doom.
Key roles were cut, including the Director of Engine Technology. Early reports claimed only one person remained on the id Tech engine team in Texas. Microsoft said that claim was false and that "dozens of people working on id Tech across multiple locations" still exist.
Sources told Kotaku that id Software had no new games greenlit after the layoffs. An incubation project called Fury and potential multiplayer DLC for Doom: The Dark Ages were discussed, but their futures were unclear. MachineGames' Wolfenstein games rely on branches of id Tech, and post-layoff engine support and branch merges were described as uncertain.
Official Response From id Software
On July 10, 2026, id Software issued a statement pushing back against concerns about its future. "While our studio was impacted, those changes were spread across teams," the statement read. "We still have the crew we need to build the games and tech we're known for. The team today is about the same size we were when making Doom (2016)."
Microsoft declined to comment on future projects when reached by Kotaku.
Timing and the Revelations Expansion
The layoffs arrived during a critical window for id Software. Some developers had spent months crunching on the Revelations expansion for Doom: The Dark Ages. The expansion launched on July 5, 2026. The next morning, staff received layoff notices.
Doom: The Dark Ages drew more than 3 million players in its opening days via Game Pass. It was estimated to have sold around 1 million copies across Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC at launch. The Revelations expansion was meant to extend the game's lifecycle and support, but with half the staff gone, questions remain about whether id can sustain that momentum.
QuakeCon 2026 and What Comes Next
A Kotaku article dated August 8, 2026 mentioned a new Quake expansion called "Dawn of the Machine" as part of NIN's 30th Anniversary Quake Collection. The announcement was made to kick off this year's QuakeCon.
However, no source directly links Chris Hays or his interview comments to QuakeCon 2026. The connection between the developer criticism and the event remains unverified.
What This Means for Doom's Future
The core question is whether id Software can continue making the games that made it famous. Doom: The Dark Ages was a commercial success. The Revelations expansion kept players engaged. But Hays's comments suggest the studio may lack the personnel to replicate that success.
"If you cut half of a studio and don't take into account how it's made, you don't understand the cohesion between our teams was a part of what made it successful," Hays said. He argued that Xbox "fundamentally" doesn't understand art or video games.
Whether that criticism leads to change at Xbox or simply marks the loudest internal complaint remains to be seen. What is clear is that id Software, one of gaming's most respected studios, is operating at half capacity with no greenlit projects and uncertain engine support for sibling studios.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many people were laid off at id Software?
A: Approximately 136 employees were cut, including 96 at the Richardson office and 40 remote staff. Sources described this as roughly half the studio.
Q: What did Chris Hays say about Xbox?
A: Hays said Xbox doesn't "understand art" and called it "impossible" to make AAA games with half the staff. He also criticized Game Pass sales metrics and said id is "half the same id" it was before the cuts.
Q: What happened to the Doom: The Dark Ages team?
A: The Revelations DLC launched the day before the layoffs. Some developers worked on the expansion and were laid off the next morning. No new games have been greenlit since the cuts.
Q: Is id Software still making Doom games?
A: Doom: The Dark Ages sold over 3 million players on Game Pass and an estimated 1 million copies on other platforms. The Revelations expansion launched before the layoffs. Future projects remain uncertain.
Q: What did Microsoft say about the layoffs?
A: Xbox CEO Asha Sharma called it the "most significant restructure in Xbox history." Microsoft said id Software still has "dozens" of id Tech engine workers across multiple locations and claimed the team is about the same size as the Doom (2016) era. id Software declined to comment on future projects.
Conclusion
This article has examined the key developments, regulatory dynamics, and market implications of this topic. As the situation continues to evolve, stakeholders should monitor upcoming milestones and assess how these changes align with their strategic priorities.
References
[1] Zack Zwiezen, "Id Software Dev Says Xbox Doesn't 'Understand Art' And That After Layoffs It Is 'Impossible' To Make Big Games Like Doom: The Dark Ages," Kotaku, 2026-08-07. Link
[2] Ethan Gach, "Xbox Will Lay Off 3,200, Part Ways With Four Studios In 'Most Significant Restructure In Xbox History'," Kotaku, 2026-07-06. Link
[3] Ethan Gach, "The Cuts At Doom Maker id Software Will Change It Forever: 'I Don't See How They Make A Game With That Team'," Kotaku, 2026-07-09. Link
[4] Ethan Gach, "Doom Maker id Software Pushes Back Against Concerns About Its Future: 'We Still Have The Crew We Need...'," Kotaku, 2026-07-10. Link
[5] Kotaku, "Just About Everything Other Than The Music Sells Out In NIN's 30th Anniversary Quake Collection," 2026-08-08. Link
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