Xbox is undergoing a significant restructuring, with 3,200 people being laid off across Activision, Bethesda and ZeniMax, Blizzard, and Xbox Game Studios. Recently, there were reports that studios within Bethesda's organization, including id Software and ZeniMax Online Studios, would not be closed entirely, but would face cuts involving a "significant number of staff," and now, there are more details about it.

As reported by Game Developer, about 50% of workers have been let go, which allegedly amounts to over 90 positions. A source claims that the QA department lost a major part of its team.

In an internal email referenced by IGN, Bethesda boss Jill Braff said that the new strategy will be focusing on key franchises: "to best position Bethesda for future growth, we are shifting from a planning model primarily centered on what's next for each independent studio to one that focuses on our strongest franchises and determining the content roadmap that best serves our players and Bethesda as a whole."

Departing employees have been sharing farewell letters on LinkedIn, and their job fields include development, technical game design, environment art, character art, and more. One of the workers, a gameplay systems programmer who has been with the company for over 20 years, confirmed that about half of the team has been laid off. "Sadly after 12 Years the end of an era for me," said another employee.

John Romero, the studio co-founder and designer of the original Doom, expressed his sympathy for those affected by the changes. "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," he wrote on X.

"The people at id have done a great job moving that legacy forward. DOOM, Quake, and Wolfenstein are not easy names to carry on, especially in today’s industry. The last few games showed real care, skill and respect for what those worlds mean to people."

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