Microsoft’s 3,200 Xbox division layoffs are cutting deep into its game studios. The numbers are worse than first reported.
id Software — the studio behind Doom — lost roughly half its staff. That’s about 90 people, according to Game Developer citing anonymous sources. Veteran programmer Michael Maynard, whose credits go back to 2011’s Rage, said on LinkedIn he was among those let go. He called it “really sad” to see the FPS pioneer reduced to a reorganization line item.
Apogee founder Scott Miller reported that most of id’s coders were cut. The first DLC for Doom: The Dark Ages launched the same day.
It gets worse for Zenimax Online. Kotaku reports the Elder Scrolls Online team was cut by as much as half.
Bethesda president Jill Braff sent staff an internal email acknowledging the situation. She said the company needs to “change course” and focus on its strongest franchises. That doesn’t sound great for Starfield. IGN reported Bethesda Studios employees were hit particularly hard, with remaining staff facing uncertainty.
Microsoft said it plans 1,600 more cuts this fiscal year on top of the 3,200 announced this week. The Xbox division is shrinking fast.
