Layoffs at id Software and ZeniMax Media A WARN Notice filed with the Texas Workforce Commission confirms that ZeniMax Media, the parent company of id Software and Bethesda Game Studios, has laid off 158 employees in Texas. The document, obtained by Game Developer, details that 96 of these redundancies are at id Software’s Richardson, Texas, office. Additionally, 40 remote workers reporting to that location have been let go, totaling 136 roles eliminated at id Software. The remaining 22 layoffs occurred at Bethesda Game Studios’ Austin office. Of the 158 affected employees, 146 are represented by the Communications Workers of America union. One laid-off worker shared their frustration on LinkedIn, criticizing the studio’s “reorganization” as a destructive move that threatens the creative core of id Software. Anonymous sources told Game Developer that approximately 50% of id Software’s workforce has been cut, translating to over 90 redundancies. The QA department, a critical part of game development, has reportedly been severely impacted, with multiple roles eliminated. In an internal email shared with IGN, Bethesda president Jill Braff outlined the company’s restructuring strategy. The email states that ZeniMax Media, which oversees Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, and other subsidiaries, is shifting its focus to its “strongest franchises.” This includes prioritizing titles like Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, Wolfenstein, Doom, and Quake. Braff emphasized a new planning model aimed at streamlining collaboration across development teams while avoiding the closure of existing studios. A source familiar with the situation confirmed that Bethesda’s reorganization is part of a broader effort to consolidate resources and align with Microsoft’s strategic goals.#bethesda_game_studios #zenimax_media #id_software #communications_workers_of_america #jill_braff
