Xbox confirms DOOM studio’s IdTech engine still has “dozens of people” working on the award-winning software

Published:

10 July 2026

Last Updated: 10 July 2026

By:

Lewis White

Xbox has denied reports that DOOM studio Id Software’s award-winning IdTech game engine has been abandoned.

Following Xbox’s mass layoffs, which have devastated studios such as ZOS, Id Software has reportedly been reduced to a third of its capacity. With over 130 developers cut from the studio, reports claimed that only one person was left to work on the studio’s in-house IdTech Engine.

In a report by Kotaku, it was claimed that a sole developer was assigned to continue updating and optimising the engine. A source told the outlet that “id Tech as a technology is probably dead forever” as “the institutional knowledge is just not there” anymore.

Xbox has since responded to the reports that IdTech has essentially be killed. In a recent statement, an Xbox spokesperson claimed that the technology is currently being worked on by teams of developers.

“There are dozens of people working on id Tech across multiple locations,” Xbox retorted. “Reports that there’s only one person left in Texas are inaccurate.”

Alongside Id Software’s main studio in Texas, the historic developer also had an office in Frankfurt that is seemingly designed specifically to help improve and update the IdTech engine. However, it’s not known if Xbox is referring exclusively to this team or if its using forks of the technology in its estimations.

For example, IdTech is not solely used by Id Software. MachineGames’ Motor engine is a fork of IdTech 7 that is updated and maintained by the Indiana Jones/Wolfenstein developer. Additionally, Arkane Studios’ Void engine, which is seemingly being used for Marvel’s Blade, is another fork of IdTech which is maintained and updated by Arkane.

Nevertheless, Xbox is adamant that IdTech as a technology has not been killed in this latest round of layoffs, one of two rounds of layoffs planned for this year. However, with Id Software reportedly reduced to the size of a support studio, it’s unknown how the team plans to continue delivering high-quality AAA FPS games at its usual output.

Id Software has just released the first and last expansion for DOOM: The Dark Ages, dubbed Revelations. The massive expansion includes a brand-new story mode, classic levels, a metroidvania-style hub world, master levels, and more. If you’re a huge DOOM fan, I’d suggest checking it out.

About The Author

Lewis White

Lewis White is a veteran games journalist with over a decade in the field. Starting with beloved Xbox website ICXM/XboxMAD, Lewis became the Gaming Editor at MSPoweruser before becoming the Editor in Chief of StealthOptional and Gfinityesports. Lewis later jumped to By Gamers For Gamers where he jumped to become EIC of VideoGamer and the host of the New VideoGamer Podcast prior to the website’s acquisition.

Over the years, Lewis has also seen long-form investigative pieces published in outlets such as Eurogamer, PCGamesN, Wireframe, Retro Gamer, Nintendo Life, and EDGE. Now, as the Editor in Chief of FRVR Blog, Lewis strives to bring the same level of quality journalism with interview-led content to the site in both written and audio form with the FRVR Podcast.

With a First Degree BA Hons in Games Journalism and Public Relations, Lewis has been a stable part of the British games press for over a decade, and has frequently displayed his love of Halo, The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and other games pretty much everywhere he’s worked. And FRVR is no different.

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