Doom Developer id Software Criticizes Xbox Over Major Layoffs
Chris Hays, lead services programmer at video game developer id Software, has criticized parent company Xbox following July layoffs that cut 136 staff members. Hays stated that reducing the studio's workforce by half makes producing AAA titles impossible. Meanwhile, id Software previously assured fans that the restructuring leaves the studio comparable in size to its 2016 team.
Key points
- Chris Hays, the lead services programmer at video game studio id Software, publicly criticized parent company Xbox following a recent corporate restructuring.
- Xbox cut 136 staff members from id Software in July, reducing the studio's workforce by roughly half.
- Hays stated that creating AAA video games with half the personnel and gutted departments is impossible, adding that the studio is fundamentally altered because its strength lay in its people.
- id Software issued a statement on July 10 thanking fans and asserting that the studio remains at approximately the same size it was during the development of Doom 2016.
In July, major workforce reductions at video game developer id Software prompted sharp criticism from within the studio. Chris Hays, a lead services programmer who has worked at the company since 2010, spoke out against parent company Xbox after 136 employees were laid off. During a podcast conversation with Andre Peschke, Hays argued that corporate leadership fundamentally misunderstands the artistic process required to build modern games.
Hays emphasized that reducing the studio's headcount by half while eliminating entire departments makes developing AAA titles unfeasible. He rejected corporate assurances that the studio remains unchanged, noting that the unique value of id Software derived from its specific personnel and collaborative relationships. According to Hays, employees have not been informed of any viable new strategy to maintain output under the reduced staffing levels.
In contrast to the internal criticism, id Software released an official statement on July 10 addressing the fallout. The studio thanked fans for their support and acknowledged the restructuring, while maintaining that the remaining team is sufficient to build future games. The company stated that the post-layoff headcount leaves the studio at roughly the same size it was when producing Doom 2016.
Sources
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