After a difficult chapter for developers at id Software, a group of familiar faces has decided to write its own next level. Hidden Horses, a new independent studio founded by more than 20 former id Software developers, has announced its first project: a single-player first-person shooter called Danger Pay.
The team formed after the Xbox layoffs earlier this year and has chosen an employee-owned structure that gives its developers a stake in the company. The studio says its aim is to make player-first games without letting short-term targets drive every creative decision.
Danger Pay: a game show with very bad health and safety
The studio describes its debut as a high-octane FPS set within a deadly game show, taking inspiration from Smash TV and The Running Man. Expect classic arena-shooter ambitions, elaborate weaponry and dangerous contestants, although the team has not provided a release date or a confirmed list of platforms.
A Kickstarter campaign is being prepared to support the project. At the time of writing, the studio is inviting players to follow the campaign, not offering a finished game for purchase. Anyone considering backing should examine the eventual project timetable, targets and rewards once they are formally published.
The people behind the studio are the story
The studio has also released a short documentary in which members talk about losing their jobs and choosing to remain together. For a team with substantial shared experience, starting again brings obvious risks. It also gives them the chance to decide how their next game is made.
What catches our attention is that the announcement leads with the developers and the studio they want to build, not a lengthy list of buzzwords. There is a promising shooter concept here, but the ownership structure and the team’s determination to keep working together are equally worth covering.
This is exactly the sort of studio we would like to hear from in Behind the Signal. Not just which guns players will fire, but how a group of experienced developers starts again after an industry shake-up.
Sources: Hidden Horses official website and press resources; VGC’s report and founder commentary. Featured image: official Hidden Horses logo.