Full title: Doom dev blasts Xbox after Microsoft ‘Gutted’ id Sofware with layoffs: “they fundamentally don’t understand art” and “it’s hard to make a game when there are entire departments that are gutted that you need, entire disciplines that are gone”.
It’s so unbelievably stupid, I don’t know how Xbox is constantly surprised many of their games flop when they are constantly booting the only talented devs they had. id Software is one of the most talented studios they have, and one of THE most talented graphics programmers in the industry. WHY would you fire them when at the very least you could move them to help in a different project instead of firing them? Literally just take them and make them help with the next Fallout. God.
Microsoft also heavily relies on contractors, which according to law says if you hold a contractor for longer than 18 months they deserve benefits. So Microsoft has a whole system of contractors who after 18 months are promptly let go, and then in 3 years can reapply.
343/Halo devs gave reported they have lost wildly talented devs because of this, and many pount at least half the blame of Infinite squarely at this. (Contractors are mandated my Microsoft)
Microsoft hugely believes everyone is a cog and easily replaceable.