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A group of id Software developers, recently affected by Microsoft's latest glut of layoffs, has rallied together to launch a new indie studio. Hidden Horses, an employee-owned venture, hopes to deliver the spirit of classic id Software not only in its gaming output, but also in its democratic, group-think work ethic.
"We think that we still have much more to offer, and that great things can come from great teams that have great history together," reads a statement on the studio's shiny new website. "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."
Among the id Software veterans who form the Hidden Horses team are artists, coders, composers and VFX specialists, accompanied by a slew of younger talent who are only just cutting their teeth in the industry. With decades of industry history behind them, the team was most recently responsible for the critically acclaimed DOOM: The Dark Ages, which launched on PC and consoles in the summer of 2025.
Enthusiastic to get started, the studio is preparing the Kickstarter for its first release. Running with the conceptual title of Danger Pay, the new game is expected to be a violent, bombastic FPS with a "game show" theme, à la Richard Bachman's The Running Man and the classic Williams coin-op, Smash T.V. (1990). Hidden Horses promises more news and updates in the coming months, along with appearances on podcasts and at live shows. Apparently, there may even be a beer in production?
More studios, more jobs, and fewer umbrellas are always welcome in an industry that's becoming increasingly smaller by the purchase. id Software's modern-day output has been solid. And hopefully, with a newly forged fire and an eager team of talent, the studio's indomitable spirit will win through, delivering the ballistic and compelling action games that have been a studio trademark for some four decades.
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