Following Xbox's sweeping workforce reductions in July 2026, veteran id Software developers are pushing back against leadership claims that the studio can continue business as usual. Chris Hays, lead services programmer at id Software with over 15 years at the company, stated in a recent interview on the Well Played podcast that recent gaming layoffs have gutted entire necessary departments, leaving the studio at half its previous capacity.

Quick Facts

  • Studio: id Software (owned by Bethesda and Xbox)
  • Key Personnel: Chris Hays, lead services programmer (15+ years at studio)
  • Context: July 2026 Xbox restructuring involving massive workforce cuts
  • Affected Projects: Doom Eternal and Doom: The Dark Ages

The Impact of Studio Cuts on AAA Development

Xbox and studio leadership have maintained that id Software can successfully ship games with a smaller workforce comparable to the team size used for Doom (2016). Hays rejected that comparison during the podcast appearance, noting that management has been provided specific talking points to reassure remaining staff and prevent further departures.

"It is hard to make a game that is AAA that's like we've done before with half the people," Hays said in a clip circulating on social media. "And by hard I mean impossible. It's hard to make a game when there are entire departments that are gutted that you need. Entire disciplines that are gone."

Criticism of Xbox and Game Pass Financial Reporting

Beyond workforce reductions, Hays addressed friction regarding Xbox's Game Pass subscription model and subsequent financial reports. Because id Software titles launch day-one on Game Pass for Xbox and PC users, traditional sales figures naturally drop. Hays criticized Xbox for pointing to poor sales under Bethesda while utilizing a subscription service business model that shifts away from individual game purchases.

In July, new Xbox head Asha Sharma announced a total reduction of 3,200 jobs—representing roughly 20 percent of Xbox's overall headcount—alongside the divestment of studios like Double Fine and Compulsion Games in what was described in an internal email as the most significant restructure in Xbox history.