Microsoft’s ongoing Xbox layoffs have drastically impacted id Software, reducing its once robust id Tech engine team to just a single developer. This dramatic shrinkage follows the studio’s broad job cuts, which saw more than a hundred developers dismissed, severely affecting the proprietary engine that powered major titles like DOOM Eternal and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.
Sources familiar with the situation revealed that the layoffs eliminated nearly the entire group responsible for maintaining and evolving id Tech. With only one remaining employee, the ability to patch, update, or further develop the engine faces significant hurdles due to lost institutional knowledge scattered among those laid off. The remaining staff member may struggle to manage the engine without access to former team members.
While it remains uncertain if id Software’s Frankfurt team can fill this gap, the reduction signals a possible end to one of the most technically impressive modern game engines. id Tech previously showcased advanced rendering techniques such as ray tracing and path tracing and demonstrated exceptional optimization performance, notably in DOOM Eternal.
The shakeup also occurs as Unreal Engine, developed by Epic Games, continues its rapid expansion across the industry. Unreal Engine 5 has become a dominant choice for game development, with Unreal Engine 6 anticipated to launch soon, promising new AI features that have sparked debate. This trend toward consolidation could diminish the distinct technical identities that proprietary engines like id Tech offered, potentially leading to a more homogenized gaming landscape where franchises share similar aesthetics and mechanics.