In a shocking move that has left the gaming community reeling, Microsoft's Xbox division has reportedly gutted legendary first-person shooter developer id Software, causing lead services programmer Chris Hays to lash out at the company for not understanding the art of game development. With 136 employees let go in July, Hays, who has been with id since 2010 and is currently working on hit titles like Doom Eternal, claimed that it's impossible to create AAA games with half the team. He further stated that id was "the people," and the studio's unique charm came from its talented employees and relationships built over the years. The layoffs have left id in a precarious position, with fewer staff members than during the development of Doom 2016. Hays believes this may impact the quality of future games, questioning whether id can deliver an experience equivalent to a single-player Xbox 360 game given its current team size. The layoffs are part of a larger "reset" initiated by new CEO Asha Sharma, affecting over 3,200 staff members across Xbox teams in July and throughout the current financial year. Despite the challenges ahead, Hays expressed his desire to meet the set goals for id, but lamented the lack of clear communication regarding these objectives. He also criticized Microsoft's Game Pass subscription service, suggesting that the company doesn't fully grasp the art and business model of game development.