Id Software confirms new game in development at Xbox Fan Fest

Id Software confirmed on November 12, 2026, in Seattle that it is developing a new game.

Xbox chief executive Asha Sharma shared the news on X on November 12, calling id Software a studio that helped shape the first-person shooter genre, and she said, “the team is already working on its next game.” Id Software said it will be some time before it is ready to share more details. The studio said its Texas and Frankfurt teams are developing the new game under Hugo Martin, who directed all three modern Doom games and served as writer on the past two. Whether id Software’s next project is more Doom, a return to Quake, or something new entirely remains to be seen.

Id Software suffered significant layoffs earlier in 2026 at the hands of parent company Xbox, losing a significant portion of its team, and two days after the Revelations expansion for Doom: The Dark Ages launched on July 7, 2026, Xbox announced mass layoffs that included id Software. Id Software’s layoffs were less severe than those at Halo Studios, according to GameRant. After the layoffs, id Software said its workforce had shrunk to about the size of the team that developed the 2016 Doom game, and an official statement after the cuts told fans the studio was still as big as during the 2016 Doom release and that QuakeCon would continue later in August. According to TheGamer, Xbox had put id Software under pressure about long development times and costly financial goals since the release of DOOM: The Dark Ages.

TheGamer reported that DOOM: The Dark Ages released on May 15, 2025, and was published by Bethesda Softworks. The game carries an ESRB rating of M for Mature 17+ for Blood and Gore and Intense Violence. The Revelations expansion released on July 7, 2026, and is rated ESRB Mature 17+ for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, and In-Game Purchases.

id Software said Slaughter Mode launches on November 16 for DOOM: The Dark Ages | Revelations owners at no cost. The endless single-player mode offers 19 arenas, changes enemy lineups every round to alter strategy, and allows players to carry Chain Spear gear from Revelations into battles. Slaughter Mode increases run value after rounds, offers checkpoints to bank earnings or risk escalating challenges, and rewards ranks, profile frames, skins, soundtrack tracks, plus weekly challenges. The mode resembles Doom Eternal’s Horde mode, runs as a roguelike with randomized runs, and was shown in an official trailer on Bethesda Softworks’ YouTube channel.

Id Software operates within Xbox’s Bethesda organization, and Bethesda boss Jill Braff recently told development teams that Xbox is shifting from a studio-by-studio planning model to one focused on its strongest franchises and a content roadmap serving players and Bethesda. After the layoffs, former id Software employees formed Hidden Horses and said a Kickstarter is coming soon for their debut game, Danger Pay, a single-player shooter set in a deadly game show drawing inspiration from Smash TV and The Running Man.

Reports about a new Doom game circulated starting in July, while the November 12 confirmation marks the first official word that id Software still leads the franchise following layoffs from Microsoft’s downsizing. Some players reacted with excitement to the new game announcement, while others were left with a sour taste by the update and praise given the studio’s situation. Insider leaks described the studio as still shaky and said its workforce is about the size of the Doom (2016) development team.