id Software
CompanyUnited States
15 documents in the library are about id Software, from writers such as Game Developers Conference, Game File and Deconstructor of Fun. Each has a summary and key insights with the page they come from.
- Articles
- 10
Connections
The documents about id Software on the inner ring, the other games and companies they name on the outer one. Select a cover to see it up close and open it in a new tab; drag to move, pinch or Ctrl + scroll to zoom.
On Steam
Steam estimates as of 9 Oct 2026. Revenue is premium revenue on Steam only: game sales, without DLC.
- Revenue as publisher
- $7.1M
- 15 games
- Revenue as developer
- $528.7M
- 23 games
- Units sold
- 26.6M
- as publisher or developer
- Headquarters
- United States
id Software’s best-selling games on Steam
| Game | Released | Share of the best seller | Revenue | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DOOM EternalDeveloper | 2020 | $227.1M | 6.6M | |
| DOOMDeveloper | 2016 | $141.6M | 6.1M | |
| DOOM: The Dark AgesDeveloper | 2025 | $54.9M | 1.2M | |
| Quake ChampionsDeveloper | 2017 | $20.3M | 2.7M | |
| RAGE 2Developer | 2019 | $19.7M | 490K | |
| DOOM 3: BFG EditionDeveloper | 2012 | $15.5M | 1.4M | |
| RAGEDeveloper | 2011 | $11.5M | 1.2M | |
| Quake LiveDeveloper | 2014 | $11.3M | 1.7M | |
| DOOM + DOOM IIDeveloper | 2007 | $7.2M | 1.6M | |
| Quake IIDeveloper | 2007 | $4.2M | 712K |
Documents about id Software
Halo to Activision: Xbox Merges Studios and Cuts 268 Jobs
Xbox has initiated a significant organizational restructuring, resulting in 268 job cuts across its internal studios and central operations.
- Xbox is cutting 268 jobs across Halo Studios, the Xbox Game Studios central organization, and other first-party teams as part of an ongoing restructuring process.
- Halo development is being transferred to Activision, which will lead both existing projects and the creation of a new, purpose-built team for the next title in the franchise.
- Rare and World’s Edge have been moved to report under Activision, while Obsidian will now report directly to Bethesda.
The Story Behind the Story of an Xbox Studio Scoop
The primary purpose of this account is to provide a behind-the-scenes look at the investigative process used to uncover the departure of the head of ZeniMax Online Studios during a wave of layoffs at Microsoft’s Xbox division in July 2026.
- The head of ZeniMax Online Studios, developer of The Elder Scrolls Online, departed the company as part of Microsoft's broader layoffs within its gaming division.
- Microsoft's recent workforce reductions across its gaming division have impacted approximately 1,600 employees.
- State-level WARN notifications revealed 379 ZeniMax employee layoffs in Maryland and 158 ZeniMax worker layoffs in Texas, with a significant portion of the Texas cuts occurring at id Software.
Xbox's big reset | Week in Mobile Games podcast
Xbox is currently executing a fundamental strategic pivot, moving away from an aggressive focus on scaling the Game Pass subscription service toward a broader objective of engaging one billion players.
- Microsoft is undergoing a major restructuring involving 3,200 staff layoffs and the divestment of five studios, including management buyouts for Compulsion Games and Double Fine and the sale of Ninja Theory and Undead Labs.
- Microsoft has set an ambitious goal to engage one billion daily active users, a target that industry analysts view as highly challenging given that current console markets are largely flat and the company's total monthly active user base across its gaming division was reported at 500 million in 2024.
- Pokémon Go has generated over $9 billion in lifetime revenue across the Google Play Store and Apple App Store during its 10-year history, with player spending peaking during the pandemic.
Hit Points #385: Fallout
The July 2026 analysis of Microsoft’s Xbox division highlights a period of significant organizational restructuring characterized by mass layoffs and the divestment of internal studios.
- Microsoft's Xbox division is undergoing significant restructuring, including 3,200 job cuts (20% of its headcount), with half already implemented and the remainder to follow over the next 12 months.
- Several studios are being divested: Double Fine and Compulsion are returning to independence with their IP, while Ninja Theory and Undead Labs have been sold off. Arkane Lyon is in consultation for potential independence or sale.
- The layoffs extend across various studios and departments: Obsidian lost a quarter of its staff, had projects like an 'Avowed' sequel canceled, and is now working on a new 'Fallout' game. Id Software's tech team has been dismantled, and ZeniMax Online (maker of 'The Elder Scrolls Online') eliminated over 200 roles.
The Cruelest Part Of Xbox's Layoffs
The recent restructuring at Xbox, characterized by a massive reduction in workforce and the divestment of five studios, has created a climate of profound instability and anxiety for remaining employees.
- Microsoft has announced a major restructuring of its Xbox division, involving the layoff of 3,200 employees and the divestment of five game studios.
- Beyond the primary layoffs, Xbox is cutting its vendor spend by 50%, which will result in significant job losses for contract workers who are not included in the official 3,200-person headcount.
- Employees across Xbox, Blizzard, and ZeniMax are facing prolonged uncertainty, as a second wave of approximately 1,250 layoffs remains pending with no clear timeline for implementation.
Xbox Presses Reset
As of July 2026, Xbox has initiated a significant strategic reset in response to persistent financial underperformance and the failure of its long-term Game Pass subscription model.
- Xbox is undergoing a major strategic reset as of July 2026, involving the layoff of 3,200 staff members and the divestment of five game businesses, including Double Fine, Compulsion Games, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs.
- The Game Pass subscription model failed to meet its 70-million-subscriber target, stagnating at 30 million, which led to the cannibalization of premium sales and a $300 million loss on the day-one launch of Call of Duty.
- Xbox’s hardware install base of 35 million units significantly trails the PlayStation 5’s 94 million, contributing to the conclusion that the company's high-budget premium model is financially unsustainable.
Xbox Layoffs Impact ZeniMax and Obsidian Personnel
Microsoft’s gaming division is undergoing a significant workforce reduction, with recent state-level WARN notices detailing the impact on ZeniMax and Obsidian Entertainment personnel.
- Microsoft is executing a long-term strategy to eliminate 3,200 positions from its gaming division by June 2027 to address financial instability.
- ZeniMax and its affiliated studios, including id Software and ZeniMax Online Studios, are facing significant cuts, with 379 roles eliminated in Maryland and 158 in Texas.
- The layoffs impact a broad spectrum of core development functions, including gameplay design, engine programming, quality assurance, art direction, and production.
What Do Steam Fans Really Think About AI in Games?
This analysis examines the attitudes of core Steam users toward artificial intelligence in video games, while also providing updated estimates for Steam’s global monthly active users (MAU).
- Approximately 31% of Steam players view AI disclosure negatively, with 8% stating they would not purchase a game with AI, indicating significant public apprehension towards AI in games.
- Only 43% of Steam players have no issues with AI disclosure in games, while 26% are neutral, suggesting a mixed but generally cautious reception.
- A significant 56% of Steam players believe that the use of AI coding helpers should be disclosed, despite Valve's current policy not requiring it.
AI Is Making Everything More Expensive
The article argues that artificial intelligence is driving up costs across the gaming ecosystem, from hardware to talent and publishing.
- AI is driving up hardware costs, with memory prices increasing by up to 400% in a year, making gaming hardware less accessible and potentially eliminating the sub-$500 PC market by 2028.
- AI is increasing business risk for game publishers; for example, Google's Project Genie demo caused a sell-off of game makers' shares as investors became skeptical about the value of traditional game development.
- The gaming industry workforce is shrinking, with pure-play game makers reducing headcount by 7.2% from 2022 to 2025, and major companies like Xbox, Sony, Ubisoft, Square Enix, and Perfect World experiencing significant layoffs.
Games That Made Us
The recent induction of four titles into the World Video Game Hall of Fame—Williams Electronics’ Defender, Rare’s GoldenEye 007, id Software’s Quake, and Bandai’s Tamagotchi—highlights the industry’s ongoing effort to codify historical significance through metrics of icon status, longevity, geographical reach, and influence.
- Triple Dot has acquired AppLovin’s mobile gaming portfolio for $800 million, a deal encompassing 10 global studios and 2,500 employees across 23 cities.
- The acquisition is valued at a low multiple of 0.6 times revenue and 3.5 times EBITDA, reflecting a high-risk strategy for the buyer.
- AppLovin is divesting these assets to prioritize its high-growth advertising business, while Triple Dot faces the operational challenge of managing live-service games and in-app purchases without prior experience in those areas.
John Romero on His Book Doom Guy and Developing Games at a Small Scale
The primary thesis of this analysis is that modern indie game developers frequently struggle due to overly ambitious project scopes and a lack of experience in shipping smaller, iterative titles.
- Early id Software developers maintained high velocity by scoping projects to 16-level increments, allowing them to produce 13 games in 1991 alone.
- To ensure company survival, id Software founders prioritized extreme financial conservatism, keeping as much capital as possible in the bank to weather dry spells or development delays.
- When stuck in long-term development hell, developers should pivot to smaller, more achievable projects rather than continuing to invest time in a project that lacks clear, inspired direction.
A Snapshot of the Layoffs Hitting Halo Developer 343 Industries
In January 2023, Microsoft initiated a broad workforce reduction affecting approximately 10,000 employees, or 5% of its global staff, which included significant personnel cuts within its Xbox Games Studios division.
- Microsoft announced a company-wide layoff of approximately 10,000 employees, representing 5% of its global workforce, which includes staff within its Xbox Games Studios division.
- At least 15 employees from the Halo developer 343 Industries publicly confirmed their departure following the January 2023 announcement.
- The layoffs at 343 Industries impacted various departments, including art, visual effects, software engineering, and quality assurance.