DOOM Veterans form Hidden Horses to Channel Smash TV in a Brutal New Single-Player FPS
Key Takeaways
- Over 20 former id Software developers formed Hidden Horses, an employee-owned independent studio created after the 2026 Microsoft layoffs.
- The studio launched a Kickstarter for Danger Pay, a high-octane single-player first-person shooter set in a deadly televised game show.
- The team aims to deliver highly optimized, traditional gameplay heavily inspired by classic action properties like The Running Man and Smash TV.
Hidden Horses Rises From id Software Layoffs
Microsoft enacted widespread workforce reductions in July 2026, eliminating approximately 136 positions at id Software just before the launch of the DOOM: The Dark Ages Revelations expansion.
A core group of over 20 impacted veterans responded to the dismissals by establishing a completely independent venture. Hidden Horses operates as a developer-owned studio designed to prioritize long-term creative health over immediate corporate mandates.
Executive Producer Andrew Willis explained the foundational strategy in the studio’s official documentary. Willis noted that the team possesses deep institutional knowledge and recognized an ongoing consumer demand for traditional, handcrafted action experiences.
The founders actively reject modern market trends, focusing instead on delivering the highly optimized gameplay that defined their past decade of collaboration.
Wanted to share our documentary we put together about the layoffs, the people behind the studio, and where we’re headed from here. Check out the full doc here: https://t.co/owfvNFaiYF https://t.co/BdqYTHdegY
— Hidden Horses (@hiddenhorsegame) November 12, 2026
What is Danger Pay?
Danger Pay is a single-player, action first-person shooter developed by Hidden Horses. The title drops players into a violent televised game show operated by a sinister artificial intelligence host. Hidden Horses intends to finance the project through Kickstarter to cover essential business operations, software licenses, and hardware requirements.
The development team draws direct inspiration from 1980s and 1990s pop culture. Engine Programmer Dustin Land confirmed that Danger Pay channels the bombastic energy of the 1987 film The Running Man and the arcade classic Smash TV. Hidden Horses promises classic first-person shooter mechanics, an expansive weapon arsenal, and relentless enemy encounters.
Studio leaders guarantee that Danger Pay will run exceptionally well on modern hardware. Technical Artist Todd Boyce emphasized that the team spent the last decade building critically acclaimed titles together, giving Hidden Horses an immediate advantage in production efficiency. The developers know exactly how to leverage their proprietary expertise to hit high performance metrics.
Also learn more about Id Software layoff and critics of Xbox management!
A Democratic Studio Model
Hidden Horses structures its business operations democratically to give every employee a direct stake in the financial and creative success of the company. Co-founder Regan Carver outlined the risk assessment in the studio’s announcement video, stating that the developers traded corporate uncertainty for autonomous control.
The founders believe that employee ownership naturally prevents the implementation of aggressive monetization systems. By avoiding the pressures of quarterly corporate returns, Hidden Horses plans to sustain development cycles that respect both the engineering staff and the gaming community.
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A video game enthusiast ever since I first got my hands on a Game Boy. Over the years, I've played many different games across various genres, discovering hidden gems and niche titles along the way. I'm also passionate about technology, always up-to-date with the latest news and insight in the PC and Console market. Ready to share and bring you the latest news !
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