Doom’s John Carmack Leaves id Software To Focus On The Oculus Virtual Reality Headset

Video game legend John Carmack has left id Gaming, a company that he helped to found, to focus his energies on his role as the CTO of Oculus. It’s the end of an era, as Carmack wrote game franchises like Doom and Quake while at id.

Carmack is renowned for his coding prowess, work with three-dimensional graphics, and building games that changed the landscape of gaming. Also, the Big Fucking Gun, something that we should not forget.

But if Carmack is known for helping build what is next, his decision to move on is hardly surprising. Oculus, if it finds mass adoption, will change the way gaming works, and how we interact with gaming content for the forseeable future.

id Gaming released the following statement:

John Carmack, who has become interested in focusing on things other than game development at id, has resigned from the studio. John’s work on id Tech 5 and the technology for the current development work at id is complete, and his departure will not affect any current projects. We are fortunate to have a brilliant group of programmers at id who worked with John and will carry on id’s tradition of making great games with cutting-edge technology. As colleagues of John for many years, we wish him well.

The headset may be dorky looking, but Oculus contains in it the hope for a more immersive future, one that steeps a player inside a game, granting them no quarter to escape: Once you strap in, you are stuck in.

Oculus certainly has the cash that it needs to see its project through: The company raised $16 million this summer. Previously, the company raised $2.4 million through a much-heralded Kickstarter campaign. The company lost one of its founders in June to a hit and run accident.

With Carmack on board full time and cash in the bank, Oculus appears to be on a solid path.

But really, Carmack, Doom 3 on Oculus. Make it happen. Or at least Quake 3. Please.

Top Image Credit: Flickr