John Carmack wearing Oculus Rift

We know the basic reason why John Carmack left id Software: he wanted to concentrate on his work at Oculus VR. However, we now know that it was more complicated -- it was the result of a dream denied. The game developer explains to USA Today that he had proposed a deal between ZeniMax (id's parent company) and Oculus VR that would have games like Doom 4 and Wolfenstein: The New Order support the Oculus Rift. He was heartbroken when the pact didn't come to be. "When it became clear that I wasn't going to have the opportunity to do any work on VR while at id Software, I decided to not renew my contract," Carmack says. The departure is ultimately "bittersweet," but it reflects his sincere belief that wearable displays represent the next big thing.


John Carmack quit id Software because it wouldn't support VR games