From id Software to Indie: How a Decade of AAA Experience Shaped My First Solo Game

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Last updated: September 12, 2026

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‘Ship a good game, learn from it, and build from there:’ Lessons from going indie after a decade at id Software

The Great Exodus: Why AAA Veterans Are Trading Corporate Stability for Indie Autonomy

By Editorial Staff | September 10, 2026

The modern gaming landscape is currently defined by a volatile cycle of mass layoffs, leaving many professionals within massive, triple-A organizations questioning the viability of their career paths. As major publishers continue to shed staff at an alarming rate-often treating human capital as expendable ballast to keep their corporate ships afloat-the industry is witnessing a significant shift in sentiment. For those entrenched in the corporate machine, the choice is becoming binary: remain in a precarious position or strike out on their own.

The Illusion of Corporate Security

In today’s economic climate, the concept of “job security” has largely evaporated. Even for those fortunate enough to land a new role, the looming threat of the next round of restructuring creates a persistent sense of anxiety. This instability has prompted a growing number of industry veterans to ask a fundamental question: Is it possible to bypass the corporate rollercoaster entirely?

For Tony Garza, the former art director behind Doom Eternal, the answer was a definitive yes. Recognizing the shifting tides at id Software-a subsidiary of Microsoft-Garza opted to preemptively exit the studio to co-found Turnkey Games.

Aligning Values with Creative Vision

The decision to leave a prestigious studio is rarely just about job security; it is often a matter of professional integrity. Garza noted that the disconnect between personal values and the strategic mandates handed down by corporate leadership became impossible to ignore.

“We felt increasingly disconnected from some of the values and decisions we were seeing around us, and the direction of the industry in general prompted us to build something on our own,” Garza explained.

This foresight proved to be remarkably accurate. Shortly after Garza’s departure, the industry was rocked by news that Microsoft would be cutting 3,200 positions before the conclusion of the fiscal year, a move that significantly impacted the team behind the Doom franchise. By choosing to leave on their own terms, Garza and their co-founders avoided the fallout of a corporate downsizing that has become all too common in the current era.

A Broader Industry Trend

The exodus of talent from major studios is not an isolated phenomenon. As companies prioritize short-term stock performance over long-term creative health, the friction between management and developers has reached a boiling point. This tension is mirrored in other sectors of the industry, where labor disputes and unionization efforts are becoming the primary mechanism for workers to demand accountability.

For many, the path forward is no longer found in climbing the corporate ladder, but in building smaller, more agile studios where creative control and job security are prioritized over the whims of shareholders. As the industry continues to evolve, the success of independent ventures like Turnkey Games may serve as the blueprint for a more sustainable future in game development.