id Software veteran Chris Hays has criticised Xbox’s layoffs, saying major departments were gutted and warning that the studio is no longer the same.
id Software veteran Chris Hays has spoken openly about the impact of Microsoft’s recent Xbox layoffs, claiming that entire departments and disciplines at the Doom developer have been gutted. The longtime developer also questioned Xbox leadership’s understanding of game development, art, and its Game Pass business model.
Hays has worked at id Software for more than 15 years and remains at the studio following the major Xbox layoffs in July. He has contributed to major titles including Doom Eternal and Doom: The Dark Ages.
Chris Hays Says id Software Is No Longer the Same Studio
During a recent appearance on the Well Played podcast, Hays discussed the current situation at id Software and strongly disagreed with claims that the studio can produce another game like Doom (2016) with significantly fewer employees.
Hays said making a AAA game at the previous scale with half the staff is effectively impossible. He explained that the problem is not simply having fewer developers. According to him, entire departments and specialised disciplines that are required to create a large game have been removed.
He also challenged statements suggesting that id Software remains around the same size it was during Doom (2016). Hays said the studio is not the same id Software it once was and suggested that only around half of the previous team remains.
When the podcast host questioned the claim about the studio being close to the size it was during Doom (2016), Hays said there is a reason Xbox uses the word “close” because the current workforce is smaller.
Hays further claimed that id Software management has received specific talking points from Xbox about what employees can and cannot say. He believes the messaging is intended to reassure remaining developers that the studio still has a future and prevent more employees from leaving.
Hays Questions Xbox Leadership and Game Pass
Hays also criticised Xbox’s Game Pass strategy, particularly how Microsoft evaluates game sales under the subscription service.
Because id Software is part of Bethesda, which is owned by Xbox, its games are available through Game Pass on launch day. This means many Xbox and PC players can access Microsoft published games through their subscription instead of purchasing individual copies.
According to Hays, id Software has serious concerns about how Game Pass affects the way game performance is measured. He questioned how Microsoft can describe Bethesda sales as poor when a large number of players access those games through Game Pass.
He also argued that Xbox appears to criticise Bethesda’s financial performance while operating a subscription model that does not depend entirely on individual game sales.
Hays ended his comments with a broader criticism of Xbox, saying the company fundamentally does not understand art or video games. He argued that successful AAA development depends on strong cooperation between different teams and disciplines, something he believes is damaged when major parts of a studio are removed.
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Xbox Layoffs Create Major Changes Across Gaming Studios
The comments come after a major restructuring at Xbox. In July, new Xbox boss Asha Sharma announced that the company would cut 1,600 jobs during the month, with another 1,600 layoffs expected before the end of the year.
When completed, the cuts are expected to represent roughly 20 percent of Xbox’s total workforce. Microsoft has also changed its approach to several studios it previously acquired, including divestments involving Double Fine and Compulsion Games.
In an email to employees, Sharma described the changes as the most significant restructure in Xbox history.
Hays’ comments now provide a direct perspective from inside id Software. While Xbox leadership has argued that the studio can continue developing major games with a smaller team, the veteran developer believes the loss of entire departments creates much deeper challenges for the future of the Doom studio.
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