New Perfect Dark, Co-Op Doom Were Reportedly In The Works At Id Software Before Mass Layoffs

Doom: The Dark Ages just received the Revelations expansion earlier this week, the latest work from prominent developer id Software. But what the studio was reportedly working on next sounds fascinating, according to GamesBeat. The team was reportedly playing around with a new Perfect Dark game, a co-op or multiplayer-centric version of Doom, and a John Wick-esque experience named Fury.

However, the chances these projects ever get fully fleshed out seem low after mass layoffs hit id Software earlier this week as part of the Xbox reset plan put in place by Xbox CEO Asha Sharma. In fact, VGC reports that apparently 136 people were fired. GamesBeat added that more than half of id Software got hit by the job cuts, with a former employee saying that "it's a bloodbath."

In addition, former id Software principal VFX artist Derek Best posted on LinkedIn that Microsoft is just "relegating them to support studio size" after the layoffs. Best had worked at id Software for 12 years before being let go earlier this week.

The Perfect Dark project became a possibility for id Software after The Initiative was closed down and that studio's game for the FPS franchise was canned. This appears to be a new take separate from The Initiative's, with concept art already made. Meanwhile, Doom: The Dark Ages director Hugo Martin was behind the proposal for Fury. The game was reportedly not greenlit officially from Microsoft, but incorporated "elements of sci-fi, noir, and Louisiana and Chicago gangsters." 

On top of these projects, the id Software layoffs could hint at the end of the historic id Tech engine. Other studios hit hard by the job cuts from Xbox leadership include Obsidian Entertainment and ZeniMax Online Studios.