A group of more than 20 developers, artists, and designers laid off from id Software announced on November 12, 2026, that they have formed Hidden Horses Studio, a new independent and employee-owned game development team [2]. The developers started the venture following job cuts by parent company Microsoft that pruned staff at id Software after work wrapped on Doom: The Dark Ages [1]. Instead of seeking jobs at existing corporate publishers, the founders decided to build an independent workplace where every team member owns an equity stake and shares in major business decisions [2]. Work has already begun on their debut project, a single-player first-person shooter called Danger Pay that will seek funding through an upcoming Kickstarter campaign [3]. The team plans to use backer funds to secure development licenses, computing hardware, and team healthcare as production begins [2].
Formation After id Software Layoffs
The job losses hit id Software in July, when approximately 136 employees were laid off during cuts across Microsoft and Bethesda Softworks. Many of those staff members had recently completed work on Doom: The Dark Ages, an action title scheduled for May 15, 2025, that carries an M rating from the ESRB [1]. Following those cuts, Marty Stratton addressed id Software layoffs while studio management argued that its engineering core stayed intact. “The team today is about the same size we were when making Doom (2016),” id Software said in a statement, insisting that it retained the crew needed to build its technology after 35 years in game development. The cuts raised outside concerns about maintaining proprietary engine tools with a halved workforce, but departing staff chose to redirect their skills into an independent venture [2].
Co-founder and rendering programmer Regan Carver described the shift in a video documenting the founding of the new group. “One was, can we succeed, which was a given because we were an established company. We had money coming in. We were making good stuff. And the other was, does the company care about me? For a while, that was true, and then it stopped,” Carver said [2].
Carver explained that starting a worker-owned team changes the kind of risk developers carry every day. “Whereas with this venture, it’s like trading one for the other. We know we all care about each other, but all we have to do now is succeed. I’ve done the former. It didn’t work out. I’m ready to do the latter, being able to do what we want and talk through what our ideas are,” Carver said [2]. The team concluded that their shared history gave them a foundation to build games on their own terms [4].
How Hidden Horses Studio Works
Co-founder and executive producer Andrew Willis said the company adopted an employee-owned structure so developers have a real stake in their daily work. “We’re creating a studio where the developers share in its success and have a commitment to it beyond just another job,” Willis said [2]. “I think that when people have a stake in something’s success, they are more committed to it.”
On its official website, Hidden Horses studio outlines a democratic governance system that allows every team member to vote on business choices. The studio chose this structure to keep decisions from concentrating in an isolated management tier, ensuring all workers participate in shaping project goals. “The company was created as a developer run and owned studio,” the team wrote on its website. “This allows us to pursue fun and creativity in our games, unencumbered by short-term thinking or chasing market trends.” The developers added that a democratic workplace is both fair and a better way to run a business, giving the team freedom to build projects correctly rather than rushing products to turn a quick profit [1].
The founders believe that player interest in focused action games remains steady. The team stated on its website that it hopes to make games “like it was done in the 90’s,” putting hand-crafted design ahead of online service models [1]. Time Extension reported that the studio aims to deliver the spirit of classic id Software through collective effort and craft [4].
Danger Pay and 90s FPS Roots
Hidden Horses has already started work on its first project, an action title called Danger Pay [1]. The premise draws inspiration from the 1987 film The Running Man and the classic arcade shooter Smash TV. A sinister artificial intelligence host runs the broadcast, creating traps and speaking directly to the player as combat unfolds [3].
The studio describes the gameplay of Danger Pay as a single-player first-person shooter centered on speed, eccentric enemy types, and memorable weapons. Because several founders spent years optimizing engine code and development tools at id Software, they plan to build a game that runs well on standard hardware without relying on heavy third-party software packages. “Our game will focus on classic FPS gameplay, awesome weapons, crazy enemies, and will be highly optimized,” the studio wrote on its project page. The team believes this focus on technical optimization will give players smooth action and immediate responsiveness in every encounter [1].
In its project description, the team argued that players still want responsive, standalone shooters from seasoned creators. “We think that the market for hand-crafted, optimized, and gameplay focused is strong and the community is eager for more of the type of game we make, not less,” the studio said [3]. That outlook matches the founders’ conviction that players value complete experiences that do not rely on recurring seasonal passes [1].
Crowdfunding Plans on Kickstarter
To fund development while keeping full creative ownership, Hidden Horses studio launched a preview page on Kickstarter [3]. Although the founders haven’t announced an exact start date for pledges, the crowdfunding effort will serve as the primary financial base for Danger Pay. Crowdfunding allows the group to communicate directly with fans who followed their past work on id Software shooters [1].
The founders shared detailed reasoning about what the campaign funds will cover during early production. On their project overview, the team explained that backer funding will pay for startup requirements, including development licenses, computing hardware, and healthcare coverage for the staff [2]. “We believe that the community around the type of games we have helped develop is robust, and we invite all supporters to join us in trying to create something special,” the team said [3]. The studio added that its funding goal will align with real production schedules and the basic costs of running an independent team, ensuring the budget reflects practical operational needs rather than speculative fundraising targets [2].
Working without a corporate owner means bearing direct financial responsibility, but the group views independence as the only way to safeguard creative freedom [1]. “As the games industry shifts substantially, we still believe there is a market for the types of old-school, hand-crafted games we are used to delivering,” the studio stated on its website [4].
Veteran Staff at Hidden Horses Studio
The roster at Hidden Horses Studio brings together experienced specialists who spent years building major titles at id Software. According to the staff directory detailed by Blues News, the group includes former lead visual effects artist Todd Boyce and former lead artificial intelligence engineer Daniel Young. Technical leadership also features former Principal Tools Programmer Johnmichael Quinlan and former Principal Technical Designer Tim Locke [3].
Another notable veteran is Dustin Land, who worked as Principal Engine Programmer on idTech at id Software. Having seasoned engine programmers allows the team to write custom rendering code without needing expensive external engine support [3]. The team expressed confidence that their past working relationships will help them manage the difficulties of running an independent studio. “We think that we still have much more to offer, and that great things can come from great teams that have great history together,” the studio said. That familiarity across engineering, design, and art disciplines gives the collective an established rhythm as production begins [4].
With more than 20 developers gathered under one roof, Hidden Horses is one of the most organized worker-led responses to the 2026 gaming industry layoffs. Instead of scattering across separate publishers, the developers chose to pool their experience into a cooperative venture [2]. As preparation continues for the Kickstarter debut of Danger Pay, the studio aims to prove that employee ownership and 90s FPS design can succeed together in today’s gaming market [1].
- ONLINE NEWS Trock, D. (2026, November 12). Laid-off id Software employees form their own studio, Hidden Horses. DualShockers. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS McEvoy, S. (2026, November 12). Laid-off Id Software devs form employee-owned studio Hidden Horses. GamesIndustry.biz. [Article Link]
- WEBSITE Blues News. (2026, November 11). Former id developers form Hidden Horses; announce Danger Pay. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Time Extension. (2026, November). ‘A new studio. A familiar spirit.’ – Veteran id Software devs announce founding of Hidden Horses. [Article Link]
