Xbox's division-wide layoffs have struck id Software at a critical moment, arriving just as the studio launches the expansion-sized DLC for The Dark Ages. The deep cuts have prompted Doom co-creator and id Software co-founder John Romero to publicly address the situation, expressing solidarity with the affected developers and raising alarms about the preservation of the studio's legacy.
Romero took to Bluesky to share his perspective on the emotional toll of the corporate restructuring, praising the studio's recent work on the Doom, Quake, and Wolfenstein franchises.
I know what it feels like to leave id while id goes on. It's a strange and painful thing to step away from a place that holds so much of your work, friendships and history.
- John Romero, Co-founder, id Software
Beyond offering his sympathies, Romero highlighted a growing concern within the industry: digital preservation. With rumors emerging that the proprietary id Tech engine could potentially face extinction under Microsoft's corporate umbrella, Romero emphasized the critical importance of id Software's history to the broader gaming medium. He revealed that he has personally preserved the company's complete early history - from its origins at Softdisk through August 6, 1996 - including code, assets, and materials that id Software itself allegedly no longer possesses.
He urged current staff to ensure the ongoing legacy of the studio's modern work is similarly protected. The broader games industry continues to face severe economic headwinds, a reality Romero is intimately familiar with. His own studio, Romero Games, endured major problems and layoffs roughly a year ago.
Despite those challenges, the studio's upcoming Elden Ring-inspired shooter remains in active development as of late 2025. However, Romero and his wife have recently warned that the current gaming landscape is facing a "crashier" crash than the infamous industry collapse of the 1980s.
The Quiet Death of Proprietary Engines
Romero's comments touch on a much larger existential threat facing Xbox's first-party studios: the potential abandonment of id Tech. If Microsoft forces id Software to pivot away from its legendary in-house engine - likely in favor of a standardized tool like Unreal Engine 5 to cut overhead - it would mark the end of an era for PC gaming optimization.
The id Tech engine has historically delivered some of the most scalable, high-framerate experiences in the industry. Losing that proprietary technology to corporate cost-cutting doesn't just erase history; it homogenizes how future Xbox shooters will feel and perform, stripping id Software of the very technical identity that made Doom a masterpiece.
