The recent mass Xbox layoffs affected DOOM developer id Software in a major way, removing around 73.5% of the staff at their home office in Richardson, Texas. That worried fans, but the studio has tried to downplay the manpower reduction, suggesting it can still make new games and maintain its idTech engine. Now, DOOM: The Dark Ages Game Director Hugo Martin has returned to the subject during yesterday's episode of the Slayer Club Live streaming series. Martin once again assured fans that there's enough staff to keep going, and he'd personally love to complete the story arc they have in […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/hugo-martin-denies-id-software-was-gutted-after-layoffs/

The recent announcement that Microsoft would be parting ways with up-to 5 of its previously-acquired studios, alongside its laying-off of over 3000 Xbox employees, has caused a great deal of concern regarding the future of Xbox Games Studios. Despite reports revealing that id Software have been heavily impacted (losing half of its workforce), insiders claim that a new DOOM game is currently in its early stages of development.

Last week, we reported on some of the impacts felt as a result of Microsoft’s mass gutting of Xbox, with the likes of id Software losing up to 50% of its employees – many of whom were said to have been responsible for work on the team’s highly-praised idTech game engine.

Despite all that has occurred, it seems Microsoft still wants id Software to churn out new games, with known industry insider Tom Warren taking to Twitter to claim: “while the id layoffs have been deep, I understand the changes haven't turned id into a support studio. Instead, they're now in the early stages of a new Doom game.”

Given the fact that half of the team are no longer there, including many who helped to evolve the idTech engine for each new release, it’s safe to assume that whatever the team are working on next won’t be able to match the size, scope, quality and technical proficiency seen with the recent DOOM trilogy.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Microsoft’s current strategy? Is this next DOOM doomed to fail? What’s your favourite bespoke game engine? Let us know down below.

The post Despite the studio being gutted, id Software are reportedly working on a new DOOM game first appeared on KitGuru.

[UPDATE - July 11, 2026] The Verge's Tom Warren has now chimed in to say that despite the big layoffs, id Software is not, in fact, a support studio and work has already begun on a new DOOM game. [ORIGINAL STORY] Following the mass layoffs enacted by Xbox CEO Asha Sharma as part of her "big reset" of the division, Texan developer id Software repeatedly made headlines as evidence mounted that it may no longer be fully operational. A WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) filed in Texas revealed that 136 of around 185 employees had been laid off, raising serious concerns […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/id-software-downplays-xbox-reset-gutted-team-still-matches-doom-2016/

The latest wave of layoffs at Microsoft's Xbox which is set to cut a total of 3,200 jobs by July 2027 is set to have significant consequences across every studio still under the umbrella. id Software is among the developers that has been impacted the most, as not only 136 developers were laid off from the studio, but also reportedly the entirety, or close by, of the id Tech team which worked on the great game engine that powers games such as DOOM Eternal, DOOM: The Dark Ages, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. "Key positions were cut and […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/xbox-layoffs-reduce-id-tech-team-1-developer-unreal-engine-dominance/

We previously reported that DOOM developer id Software was significantly affected by the mass Xbox layoffs, though the extent of it was unclear. Some people said the studio might be halved, but it looks like the situation might be even worse. The website Game Developer managed to obtain a WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) notice filed in Texas, which reports that ZeniMax Media has laid off 158 employees in the state. 22 of them are from Bethesda Game Studios Austin, which works on Fallout 76, and the remaining 136 were cut from id Software, with 96 working at the studio's headquarters […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/id-software-lost-73-5-percent-staff-after-xbox-cuts/

Id Software’s modern DOOM Trilogy is an interesting series, with each entry having its own unique and distinct style of gameplay. With the upcoming Revelations DLC for The Dark Ages, the team are once again switching up the formula – though this time throwing some DOOM Eternal DNA into the pot.

Ahead of the DLC’s official launch on the 7th of July, previews for DOOM The Dark Ages – Revelations have now gone live, giving us a ton of new details on what to expect from this exciting expansion; including info from Xbox directly.

All of the new announcements can be found HERE, but some of the most notable details include:

• The DLC will be 10-12 hours in length
• Bigger than both Eternal DLCs combined
• Has a higher base difficulty than the main campaign
• Levels feature a metroidvania-lite style of design
• Major update coming to the Ripatorium arena
• New Chain Spear weapon brings inspiration from DOOM Eternal

As mentioned, each of the 3 most recent DOOMs have had their own takes on FPS design, with The Dark Ages making its shield and blocking a core mechanic. For Revelations however, the new Chain Spear will instead offer more DOOM Eternal-esque gameplay opportunities, including:

• A slam inspired by Eternal’s Hammer weapon
• The titular ‘chain’ functioning like a refined version of Eternal’s Meat Hook

Of course, the Chain Spear includes tons of other functionalities, including Ocarina of Time-like Z-targeting. All-in-all, Revelations looks to be another excellent entry into the DOOM series, and one which fans of Eternal in particular will enjoy. Even if the base DOOM: The Dark Ages did not appeal to you, this upcoming DLC could be worth looking into.

KitGuru says: What did you think of The Dark Ages? Are you excited for this DLC? Which of the 3 recent DOOMs has your preferred gameplay style? Let us know down below.

The post DOOM: The Dark Ages – Revelations gets tons of new details first appeared on KitGuru.

Wccftech recently attended an exclusive preview hosted by id Software about the upcoming campaign expansion DLC, Doom: The Dark Ages – Revelations, set to launch on July 7 across all platforms. Game Director Hugo Martin and Executive Producer Marty Stratton described this expansion of Doom: The Dark Ages as the culmination of 35 years of the Doom franchise history. Though technically classified as a DLC, Revelations delivers a massive, premium standalone-tier experience, offering 10 to 12 hours of gameplay, with Stratton pointing out that some testers took even longer. This scope is equal to both of Doom Eternal's campaign expansions […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/doom-the-dark-ages-revelations-35-years-id-software/

The ‘rebooted’ DOOM trilogy has seen a ton of success following the release of its first entry back in 2016. Since then, each successive entry has taken a different approach when it comes to gameplay – for better or for worse depending on your preferred style. Taking yet another swing at evolving the formula, ID Software have officially announced and dated DOOM: The Dark Ages Revelations, a campaign expansion featuring an unmasked DoomSlayer and his “all-new deadly Chain Spear.”

Officially announced during Microsoft’s recent Xbox Games Showcase, DOOM: The Dark Ages Revelations is “an all-new campaign expansion that unleashes a brutal new chapter of the Slayer's saga.”

Set to release in just under a month on the 7th of July, this upcoming chapter sees the Slayer “wounded and betrayed” being “thrust into a merciless purgatory only escapable by confronting haunting truths and forging new strength with the help of a mysterious ally.”

Of course, DOOM is all about the gameplay, and in this regard Revelations is taking things in a different direction to the base game, offering players a brand new ‘Chain Spear’ which allows for increased mobility, directional movement and a breather from the base game’s focus on blocking. Additionally, ID Software have promised “deeper puzzles” and “new demons” alongside a ton of mysteries.

Last but not least, the expansion will also introduce the ‘Ripatorium 3.0’ adding 3 new maps; additional enemies; new weapons and ‘deeper’ customisation.

DOOM: The Dark Ages Revelations officially launches on the 7th of July. No price has been provided, but all those who purchased either the premium edition or the collector’s bundle will receive the DLC for ‘free’ upon launch.

KitGuru says: What did you think of Microsoft’s Xbox Game Showcase? Are you excited by Revelations’ new gameplay opportunities? Which of the three recent DOOMs have been your favourite? Let us know down below.

The post DOOM: The Dark Ages Revelations Expansion officially announced and dated first appeared on KitGuru.

DOOM: The Dark Ages' expected DLC expansion was finally revealed during today's Xbox Games Showcase 2026 as part of Summer Game Fest. The expansion, titled Revelations (no relation to Final Fantasy VII Remake Revelation), will arrive on July 7, 2026, and add a whole new campaign for players to rip and tear through. It'll be available on all platforms at launch, and players who went ahead and bought the Premium Edition of The Dark Ages when it arrived last year, which was the biggest launch a DOOM game has ever had, with 3 million players jumping in right away. If […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/doom-the-dark-ages-revelations-expansion-release-date-xbox-games-showcase-2026/

ASUS is no stranger to collaborating with media franchises on special edition releases for their components. Most notably, anything from the ROG x EVANGELION collection becomes an instant collector's classic with a massive premium on the secondhand market. When ASUS UAE first reached out to me looking to sample the Flow Z13-KJP, I assumed it would be similar to those previous ROG collaborations: gear that looked decent and certainly amassed a fan following, but nothing really deeper than a decal slapped on existing components. Boy, was I wrong. What's In The Box Inside the box, you'll find the laptop along […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/review/asus-rog-flow-z13-kojima-edition-tested-strix-halo-tablet-with-beautiful-death-stranding-inspired-design/

While past versions of Denuvo have been cracked for plenty of games, many 2025 titles have remained protected through the latest version of their anti-tamper DRM software. That looks to be changing now, with the first crack for DOOM: The Dark Ages appearing online. 

As reported by The Gamer, the very first crack for a 2025 Denuvo game has arrived. The version of Denuvo that shipped with DOOM: The Dark Ages has been cracked, and the person responsible for it has teased that more cracks are still to come, indicating that more ‘recent' Denuvo-supported titles may soon become piratable.

In the past, we've seen a number of studios drop Denuvo several months after a game's launch period but in more recent years, a number of major titles have kept the DRM in place indefinitely. Many gamers take issue with Denuvo, claiming that it harms performance and performs intrusive on-going checks while a game is running.

Recently, there was some backlash against the anticipated game Crimson Desert, as the studio behind it suddenly decided to implement Denuvo just weeks ahead of launch.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Pirates have caught up to Denuvo before but as is always the case with things like piracy and anti-cheat, it is a cat and mouse game. Crackers may have caught up for now, but Denuvo will no doubt roll out a more secure version, starting the cycle over again. 

The post Pirates begin to crack major Denuvo-protected 2025 games first appeared on KitGuru.