Key facts
- Microsoft cut around a hundred id Software employees in July as part of broader layoffs across the company.
- Hidden Horses wants to make classic gameplay-focused games its developers would play themselves, rather than trend-chasing or focus-grouped titles, and believes there is a market for this kind of game.
- Danger Pay is a single-player first-person shooter influenced by the arcade game Smash TV and dystopian movies such as The Running Man, which itself influenced Smash TV.
Around 20 developers with id Software backgrounds formed Hidden Horses on Nov. 11, 2026. The employee-owned studio gives every current employee co-founder status and is preparing a Kickstarter for Danger Pay, its debut first-person shooter.
Microsoft reduced id Software staff by around a hundred people in July as part of broader layoffs across the company. Hidden Horses formed after those cuts. Rock Paper Shotgun reports the team assembled following Microsoft’s id Software cuts and is treating the studio as a fresh start.
Hidden Horses’ staff includes Todd Boyce, who was lead VFX artist; Daniel Young, senior AI and gameplay engineer; Andrew Willis, the producer; Jordan Turner, senior technical designer; Tim Locke, principal technical designer; Allison Dombek, senior skybox artist; and Dustin Land, Regan Carver, and Ian Malerich, who are former id Tech programmers. Rock Paper Shotgun names Land as the studio’s principal engine programmer, whereas Shacknews includes him among former id Tech programmers but does not specify his role.
Every employee at Hidden Horses holds equity, and leaders are picked through a democratic flat structure when needed. Andrew Willis said the flat structure lets every idea get considered and prevents contributions from being overlooked due to rank.
Willis said the employee-owned setup means Hidden Horses does not answer to investor demands. He said keeping the company and its jobs intact matters more than unnecessary growth or chasing investment returns. Rock Paper Shotgun ties this stance to enormous Xbox cuts and Microsoft’s $4 trillion market value.
The studio wants to build classic gameplay-focused games that its own developers would play, avoiding trend-chasing and focus-grouped design. Willis said the studio is not interested in chasing trends or designing by focus group. The team sees a market for this style of game based on its past work with players.
Andrew Willis said top-down hierarchy led to bad experiences. Dustin Land said Hidden Horses wants to make “the kind of old school shooters that we think people want more of.” Danger Pay is a single-player first-person shooter drawing influence from the arcade game Smash TV and dystopian films like The Running Man, which helped shape Smash TV.
Hidden Horses launched its website with a staff listing on Nov. 11, 2026. Fans can bookmark the Danger Pay Kickstarter page to receive notifications.
Join the discussion