id Software is releasing the Revelations DLC for DOOM: The Dark Ages in July 2026, while its Texas office has reduced the id Tech engine team to one person following Microsoft layoffs. The studio's past is also being revisited in light of Quake's 30th anniversary.
id Software is navigating a period of significant change. In July 2026, Microsoft laid off about 4800 employees, including 1600 in the Xbox division. The layoffs hit id Software's Texas office hard: 96 employees and 40 remote workers were let go, and the id Tech engine team in Texas was reportedly reduced to a single person, according to Kotaku sources. The near-total elimination of the engine team raises questions about the future of id Software's proprietary technology, which has been foundational for first-person shooters and licensed externally.
At the same time, the studio is shipping new content for its most recent title. The Revelations DLC for DOOM: The Dark Ages launches on July 7, 2026, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. The expansion introduces the Chain Spear, a weapon that functions as both a melee tool and a grappling hook, restoring vertical mobility that the base game had downplayed. The DLC is structured in two layers: a base campaign of about 60 percent of the total playtime, followed by endgame content including new routes, challenge arenas, a score-based mode, and classic DOOM levels. Game director Hugo Martin called it 'the best DOOM experience we've ever made.'
Separately, the studio's history has come under scrutiny. Sandy Petersen, co-designer of Quake, posted a thread titled 'How Quake destroyed id Software,' detailing how grueling development led to the departure of key staff. John Carmack and John Romero quoted the post and reflected on the past, drawing attention to the game's 30th anniversary. The thread offers a rare account of how the success of a landmark FPS came at a severe human cost that permanently changed the studio.
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2d ago
Microsoft's company-wide layoffs on July 6, 2026, cut approximately 4,800 employees, including 1,600 in the Xbox division. id Software, the Texas-based studio behind DOOM, Quake, and Wolfenstein, was hit hard: 96 of the 158 Texas layoffs from ZeniMax Media were id Software employees, and an additional 40 remote staff were let go. According to a Kotaku report citing sources, the id Tech engine team at id Software's Texas office now has only one person left. The studio responded with a statement on July 10 that its current team size is roughly the same as during the development of DOOM (2016) and that it will continue making games and technology. id Software also confirmed that QuakeCon, scheduled for August 6-9, 2026, will proceed as planned. Founders John Romero and John Carmack commented on the cuts, with Carmack suggesting id Software may have been a 'marginal business' to Microsoft. The fate of the id Tech engine, which has powered the studio's releases since DOOM and been licensed to other games like Call of Duty, remains uncertain.
Jul 1
id Software will release the campaign expansion 'DOOM: The Dark Ages - Revelations' on July 8 Japan time (July 7 local time). The DLC introduces the Chain Spear, a new weapon that functions as both a melee tool and a movement device with dash and grapple hook abilities. The expansion is structured in two layers: a base campaign of roughly 60 percent of the total playtime, followed by endgame content that makes up the remaining 40 percent. The base campaign includes four stages - Upper Hell, Ice Hell, Bone Hell, and Oceas - plus a hub called Sentinel. After clearing the final boss, players obtain a Master Key that unlocks endgame activities such as new routes through existing levels, high-difficulty challenge arenas called Crater Suit Encounters, a score-based Slayer Trial mode, playable classic DOOM levels, and endgame-specific upgrades. Clearing all endgame content allows access to an Uber Boss and four ultra-high-difficulty Master Arenas. The total playtime is estimated at 10 to 12 hours. Game director Hugo Martin said the DLC is 'the best DOOM experience we've ever made' and 'the culmination of the past 30 years.'
Jun 27
Sandy Petersen, co-designer of Quake, posted a thread titled 'How Quake destroyed id Software,' detailing how grueling development led to the departure of key staff. John Carmack and John Romero quoted the post and reflected on the past, drawing attention to the game's 30th anniversary.
Jun 7
During the Xbox Games Showcase 2026 on June 8, id Software and Bethesda Softworks announced the large downloadable content Revelations for DOOM: The Dark Ages. The DLC will release on July 7, 2026, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. The base game, a prequel to DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal, launched in May 2025 and shifted the series' combat to a heavier, more strategic style, positioning the Doom Slayer as a tank. Revelations introduces a new weapon, the Chain Spear, which can stab enemies and function as a grappling hook for dynamic movement. The story takes the Slayer to an ice-covered world where, wounded and betrayed, he gains new powers with help from mysterious allies. The trailer shown at the event previewed new areas and enemies. The DLC is also listed for Xbox on PC and Xbox Cloud.