Just weeks after reports surfaced that id Software had been hit by severe layoffs—losing over 70 percent of its workforce in what many called a devastating blow to the studio—the company has issued a rare public statement that has reshaped the narrative surrounding its future. In an unexpected turn, the developer has confirmed that a new Doom game is already in early development, signaling that the team is not only surviving the restructuring but actively planning its next major release. The announcement comes as a direct reassurance to a fanbase left unsettled by the scale of the cuts, which an ex-employee described as a loss of “decades’ worth of knowledge” for the legendary studio behind the modern first-person shooter renaissance.
According to industry insider Tom Warren, the new project is currently in the very early stages of development, and id Software has not been relegated to a support studio for parent company Xbox. This clarification directly counters speculation that the layoffs had gutted the developer’s capacity to lead its own projects. Instead, the studio is focusing its streamlined team on building exactly what it has been known for over the past 35 years: technically ambitious, internally developed first-person shooters running on id Tech, not Unreal Engine 5.
The Confirmation: A New Doom Is in Early Development
The most definitive signal came from reputable journalist Tom Warren, who posted on Twitter that a new Doom title is in the works at id Software, though it remains in its earliest conceptual phases. This statement was quickly contextualized by id Software’s own public remarks, in which the studio emphasized that it still retains the necessary crew to build the games and technology it is famous for. The company noted that its current team size is roughly equivalent to what it was when it was developing Doom (2016), the game that rebooted the franchise and redefined the modern single-player shooter.
What the Layoffs Mean for id Software’s Independence
The layoffs that swept through id Software earlier this year were part of a broader wave of cuts across Xbox’s gaming divisions, but their impact on the studio felt particularly acute. With over 70 percent of the staff reportedly let go, many observers assumed the worst: that id Software would be reduced to a support studio, assisting other Xbox teams rather than leading its own flagship projects. The fear that the developer might abandon its proprietary id Tech engine in favor of Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 5 was particularly worrying for purists who value the unique performance and feel of id’s in-house technology.
id Software’s official statement directly addressed these concerns. “We still have the crew we need to build the games and tech we’re known for,” the studio wrote. “The team today is about the same size we were when making DOOM (2016).” This comparison is deliberate: the team that shipped the 2016 reboot was relatively lean but highly focused, and the result was one of the most critically and commercially successful shooter releases of its era. By drawing that parallel, id Software is signaling that it has not lost its core creative and technical leadership, even if it has shed support staff.
The Question of Engine and Creative Direction
One of the most significant implications of the studio’s statement is the reaffirmation that it will continue to develop its own technology. The id Tech engine remains one of the most advanced real-time rendering platforms in the industry, capable of delivering the buttery-smooth 60 or even 120 frames-per-second performance that Doom fans expect. Speculation that the studio would switch to UE5 was widespread following the layoffs, largely because a smaller team might have struggled to maintain a proprietary engine. However, id Software’s insistence that it will keep building the “games and tech that have defined us for the past 35 years” strongly suggests that the next Doom will remain a showcase for id Tech, just as its predecessors were.
As for the creative direction of the new game, virtually no concrete details have been shared. The project is in such an early stage that even the internal team may not have locked down a final concept. Speculation is naturally divided between two possibilities: a prequel that explores the origins of the Doom Slayer or an entirely new chapter in the mainline narrative that continues from the events of Doom Eternal. Given that Doom Eternal ended with the Slayer sealing himself away in a sarcophagus after defeating the Dark Lord, there is ample room for a sequel to explore what comes next—or to pivot to a completely fresh storyline set elsewhere in the Doom universe.
Why This Matters for Xbox’s First-Person Shooter Strategy
The confirmation that id Software is working on a new Doom game carries significant weight for Xbox’s broader portfolio. Since Microsoft’s acquisition of ZeniMax Media, of which id Software is a part, Xbox has positioned itself as a platform for premier single-player experiences. Doom is one of the most valuable intellectual properties in that stable, a franchise that consistently delivers high review scores, strong sales, and cultural relevance. A new entry, even if years away, ensures that Xbox will have a flagship first-person shooter to anchor its lineup in the coming generation.
The timeline is worth considering carefully. If the game is only in early development now, it is likely several years away from release. Fans should not expect any formal announcement, trailer, or even a title reveal for at least two to three years. This is consistent with id Software’s typical development cycles: Doom (2016), Doom Eternal (2020), and the single-player campaign for the 2024 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (developed by MachineGames but using id Tech) have all followed multi-year cadences. The studio’s approach has always prioritized technical polish and gameplay refinement over speed, and there is no reason to believe that philosophy has changed post-layoffs.
A Streamlined Studio, Not a Crippled One
While the layoffs at id Software were undeniably severe, the studio’s public posture suggests a deliberate restructuring rather than an uncontrolled collapse. The comparison to the Doom 2016 team size is instructive: that team was small but nimble, able to iterate quickly and maintain a tight creative vision. A similarly sized team today, armed with years of accumulated engine knowledge and decades of franchise experience, could be perfectly positioned to deliver another landmark title.
There is, of course, a risk that the loss of veteran talent will be felt in intangible ways—institutional memory, creative instincts, and technical nuance are not easily replaced. The ex-employee who lamented the loss of “decades’ worth of knowledge” was not making an abstract point; many of those let go had been with the studio for ten, fifteen, or even twenty years, contributing to the very games that defined id Software’s modern identity. Rebuilding that depth of experience will take time. But the core leadership appears intact, and the studio’s commitment to its own engine and its own creative vision suggests that the new Doom will feel like a proper id Software game, not a generic action title produced by committee.
For now, the most important takeaway is that the Doom franchise is alive and actively in development. The early nature of the project means that no decisions have been finalized regarding narrative direction, setting, or gameplay innovations. What is clear is that id Software intends to remain an independent creative force within Xbox, building its own technology and its own worlds, just as it has for more than three decades. The next Doom game will come—and when it does, it will carry the weight of both a legendary legacy and a studio’s hard-won determination to keep fighting.
