Doom: The Dark Ages DLC Hits “Very Positive” Reviews Amid Microsoft Layoffs
While the Xbox job cuts dominated headlines, day-to-day life continued for the people still waiting to learn whether their roles would survive the shake-up. After what likely felt like an endless stretch of uncertainty over the weekend, Microsoft finally confirmed that it plans to reduce its headcount by roughly 3,200 positions this year, with about half of those layoffs—1,600 workers—happening immediately.
One studio reportedly caught in the crosshairs is id Software. Instead of being spun off or reorganized into a more independent setup, id Software has reportedly been stripped down to near-total capacity while still technically remaining within Xbox. The newest reporting suggests the team has already lost as much as 75% of its workforce, and it’s widely expected that the remaining staff will shift to support tasks for other productions rather than lead new, standalone releases.
Even with all of that turmoil looming over the studio, id Software still managed to ship something new: Doom: The Dark Ages DLC, Revelation, is available now. The timing, of course, means the launch didn’t get the kind of spotlight it might otherwise have. Still, despite the release being drowned out by the bigger story, players appear to be responding well—Revelation has landed with “very positive” user feedback on Steam and has even triggered the first noticeable player bump since the base game arrived.
Players Return For Doom: The Dark Ages DLC—But The id Software Everyone Knew May Be Over
That contrast between a strong reception and the studio’s apparent dismantling shows up in comments from fans. One positive review frames the moment as something that should have celebrated id Software’s craft, but instead feels more like a farewell.
Another reviewer argues the DLC doesn’t come across like it was assembled purely to close out loose ends. They describe the release as crafted with care, highlight that the new areas are memorable, and call the combat as satisfying as ever. They also single out the Spear as one of their favorite additions.
More players echo that sentiment, with one calling Revelation the last chapter in the DOOM (2016) trilogy. They describe it as a “love letter” not just to the broader franchise, but to the game that kicked off this newer era, and they end their review with a full five-star rating.
There’s also clear evidence that people are actually spending time in it. Fans generally seem to believe there’s plenty here to sink into, and that lines up with what game director Hugo Martin previously said: the expansion was intended to feel like a true sequel. The player community appears to agree, with almost 14,000 people playing it at the same time on Steam—described as the first player count increase the game has seen in a while—suggesting that interest in the DLC is real, not just theoretical.
The bigger question is what happens next, and the news isn’t encouraging. The reported scale of id Software’s cuts makes it hard to imagine the studio building another release of this size, which adds weight to rumors that it may now function primarily as a support team. For the moment, players are left waiting for Xbox to clarify what id Software’s future will look like.
