Microsoft's ongoing Xbox restructuring — a fiscal-year 2027 plan that its head of gaming Asha Sharma said will reduce the workforce by 3,200 roles — has sparked fresh upheaval across the industry and drawn public comment from id Software co-founder John Romero.
Reports this week indicate roughly 1,600 of those cuts were already carried out, and multiple outlets and social posts have named studios and individual staff among those affected.
Several sources, including a social media post from Apogee founder Scott Miller, updates from departing employees, and reporting by Game Developer senior editor Chris Kerr, have indicated id Software may be among the studios impacted. id Software is the Texas studio behind foundational first-person shooters such as DOOM (1993) and Quake (1996), and it has continued to release modern series entries including contemporary DOOM and Wolfenstein titles on PC and consoles.
In response to the reports, John Romero issued a public statement expressing sympathy for staff caught up in the layoffs and praising the teams that have carried id's franchises forward.
Romero said he was deeply sorry for those affected, noting he understands how painful it can be to step away from a company that holds so much of one's work, friendships and history.
He commended recent id teams for their care and skill in continuing DOOM, Quake and Wolfenstein — franchises he described as difficult names to carry in today’s industry.
Romero also used the moment to underline the importance of game preservation.
He described his own efforts preserving id’s early materials and said he hopes others are documenting the studio’s ongoing legacy — including code, assets, stories and the people behind them.
Romero added that he was thinking of everyone affected by the recent rounds of layoffs, and said he empathizes deeply with their situation.
id Software helped define the modern first-person shooter and remains a high-profile studio within Microsoft’s portfolio.
Microsoft’s announced plan to reduce 3,200 roles across the Xbox organization in FY27, and reports of multiple studio departures, mark one of the more consequential restructurings in the industry's recent memory.
As reporting continues, outlets are tracking confirmed departures, staff statements, and any official responses from id Software and Xbox/Microsoft.
Reports this week indicate roughly 1,600 of those cuts were already carried out, and multiple outlets and social posts have named studios and individual staff among those affected.
Several sources, including a social media post from Apogee founder Scott Miller, updates from departing employees, and reporting by Game Developer senior editor Chris Kerr, have indicated id Software may be among the studios impacted. id Software is the Texas studio behind foundational first-person shooters such as DOOM (1993) and Quake (1996), and it has continued to release modern series entries including contemporary DOOM and Wolfenstein titles on PC and consoles.
In response to the reports, John Romero issued a public statement expressing sympathy for staff caught up in the layoffs and praising the teams that have carried id's franchises forward.
Romero said he was deeply sorry for those affected, noting he understands how painful it can be to step away from a company that holds so much of one's work, friendships and history.
He commended recent id teams for their care and skill in continuing DOOM, Quake and Wolfenstein — franchises he described as difficult names to carry in today’s industry.
Romero also used the moment to underline the importance of game preservation.
He described his own efforts preserving id’s early materials and said he hopes others are documenting the studio’s ongoing legacy — including code, assets, stories and the people behind them.
Romero added that he was thinking of everyone affected by the recent rounds of layoffs, and said he empathizes deeply with their situation.
id Software helped define the modern first-person shooter and remains a high-profile studio within Microsoft’s portfolio.
Microsoft’s announced plan to reduce 3,200 roles across the Xbox organization in FY27, and reports of multiple studio departures, mark one of the more consequential restructurings in the industry's recent memory.
As reporting continues, outlets are tracking confirmed departures, staff statements, and any official responses from id Software and Xbox/Microsoft.
