Doom Director Confident About Future Despite Recent Layoffs at id Software

Xbox’s summer reset hit several renowned game studios hard, and id Software, the legendary creator of the Doom franchise, was no exception. Just a day before the launch of its major expansion, Doom: The Dark Ages, the studio faced significant layoffs, with nearly half of its team let go. This has raised concerns about the studio’s future and its ability to maintain its legacy after losing key personnel with years of experience. However, co-director Marty Stratton remains optimistic.

“We’re doing great,” he reportedly stated at a recent press event when asked about the layoffs. “Not to downplay the [layoffs]… everyone knows we had about half of our studio exit as part of that. But there was a very deliberate effort to ensure that we remained incredibly viable across everything we do, from game development to our technology department.”

Stratton’s confidence is palpable, almost like he’s wearing a “My ‘incredibly viable studio’ T-shirt” that raises eyebrows.

A significant concern for id Software following the Xbox reset is the long-term viability of id Tech, the proprietary engine that powers its acclaimed first-person shooters. Chris Hays, a seasoned programmer at the studio, expressed the challenges ahead, stating, “It is hard to make a AAA game like we’ve done before with half the people. And by hard, I mean impossible.”

Despite these challenges, id Software has pushed back against such claims, asserting that they are in a similar position to when they launched Doom in 2016. Meanwhile, MachineGames, which is developing the unannounced Wolfenstein 3, utilizes a different version of id Tech for its projects. There’s been talk of both studios collaborating to optimize their remaining engineering resources for future titles.

“We’re working more closely with MachineGames than ever,” Stratton mentioned. “We’ve always had a strong partnership, but I think we’re at a point in technology development where both teams are incredibly talented, and we’re on an exciting path that began before the layoffs. We kicked this off earlier this year, and we’re really excited about what lies ahead.”

With about a quarter of its “reset” still to unfold, additional layoffs are reportedly planned for November and January. The future of franchises like Doom under Microsoft’s direction remains uncertain.