id Software’s Future Projects in Jeopardy After Major Layoffs

Things are looking a bit shaky over at id Software following some serious layoffs that saw more than half of the staff let go. According to a recent report, 92 out of 185 full-time employees have been shown the door, throwing many of the studio’s ambitious projects into limbo.

Insiders have revealed that the team was exploring a variety of innovative game concepts before the layoffs hit, and now there’s a lot of uncertainty about how they can proceed with such a reduced workforce. One former employee expressed doubts, saying, “I’m not convinced there is a viable way forward. It feels like a bunch of knee-jerk responses.”

Before this upheaval, id Software had just wrapped up work on the new Doom: The Dark Ages DLC, aptly titled Revelations, and was gearing up to decide on its next big venture. Among the ideas on the table was a co-op/multiplayer Doom game that aimed to bring back some beloved weapons from previous installments. There was also talk of reviving the Perfect Dark franchise, especially after the original reboot plans were shelved when The Initiative was shut down last year.

In addition to these, one intriguing concept was a game codenamed Fury, envisioned as a John Wick-inspired noir sci-fi experience featuring gangsters from Chicago and Louisiana. This title was hoped to blend martial arts and gunplay, much like the films, and was being developed for the next-gen Xbox under the Project Helix banner.

Another idea being kicked around was a survival game inspired by Westworld, although details on that project remain scarce. With the future of these titles now in question, it’s uncertain whether id Software will continue to work on them or shift into a support role, assisting with major titles like The Elder Scrolls 6, Wolfenstein 3, or Marvel’s Blade under the Xbox umbrella.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen such turmoil in the gaming industry; a similar situation occurred with Turn 10 Studios, the minds behind Forza Motorsport, which faced significant layoffs that raised concerns about the future of the Motorsport series.

As the dust settles, gamers will be eagerly watching to see what happens next for id Software and its potential projects. Stay tuned for more updates!