Xbox layoffs gutted DOOM studio id Software before it could make its John Wick-style game

id Software was reportedly developing concepts for a John Wick-inspired "Gun Fu" game, a new Perfect Dark title, and a Western robot-driven survival shooter, all of which are now likely dead due to recent Xbox layoffs and instructions from Xbox management that big studios, such as id Software and Bethesda, need to concentrate on their mainline titles.

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The studio, best known for its DOOM series, was exploring a variety of original and licensed IP, including an action game called Fury, which was described as being heavily inspired by the John Wick movies, a potential Perfect Dark sequel, and a concept inspired by the movie Westworld.

These ideas were detailed in a new GamesBeat report, but with over half of id's team laid off as part of Microsoft's broader "Xbox reset," which resulted in as many as 3,200 roles being cut, and the four studios being divested, these projects are unlikely to see the light of day, as they will be deemed too financially risky to pursue.

Fury, led by studio co-director Hugo Martin, combined cyberpunk and Louisiana gangster themes with martial arts-style gunplay. Perfect Dark was also in the cards, with concept art already drafted. Now, with Xbox directing ZeniMax and Bethesda to focus on core IPs, id's creative freedom has been severely tightened, as Xbox seemingly brings down the hammer on all its major studios to focus development on already established IP that sells.

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Question #1

Were any playable prototypes or vertical slices for Fury, the Perfect Dark sequel, or the Westworld-inspired Ironwood created before the layoffs?

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Question #2

How did Xbox's directive to prioritize core IP affect funding and approval processes for id Software’s non-DOOM projects?

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Question #3

What roles or specialties were most affected by the id Software layoffs that would impact restarting these shelved projects?

The layoffs cut over half of id Software's team, chiefly removing roles outside its DOOM and Quake core work, including staff working on new-action design, concept and creative leads, and platform development for original and licensed IPs. Specifically affected specialties mentioned include the team led by studio co-director Hugo Martin on Fury (action design/gunplay/martial-arts combat), concept art and design personnel for Perfect Dark, and the broader creative and development staff required to build those shelved projects.

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Without a full team or greenlight from Microsoft, id is likely locked into DOOM for the foreseeable future. For now, the future of Fury, Perfect Dark, and Ironwood remains dead in the water, but hopefully shelved for an unknown time in the future.