How Much is John D. Carmack II Worth? $40 Million

A Glimpse into John D. Carmack II’s Life

Born on August 20, 1970, in Roeland Park, Kansas, USA, John D. Carmack II made a name for himself as a renowned game programmer. He is best known as the founder of id Software and has played a pivotal role in developing successful games such as “Rage,” “Commander Keen,” “Doom,” and “Quake.” Besides, he has contributed to Oculus VR. His illustrious career spans back to the late 1980s.

Have you ever pondered over John Carmack’s wealth in early 2016? Sources estimate his net worth at over $40 million, amassed through his prosperous involvement in the professional video game programming realm.

John Carmack’s Net Worth $40 Million

John Carmack, the son of Stan Carmack, a local TV news reporter, was raised in Shawnee Mission, Kansas. His educational journey took him through Shawnee Mission East High School and Raytown South High School simultaneously. He then briefly attended the University of Missouri–Kansas City for two semesters before embarking on a career as a freelance programmer. His passion for computers and programming surfaced at an early age, even leading to an arrest during high school for attempting to pilfer an Apple II computer.

John’s career kicked off in the late 1980s when he joined Softdisk, where he met John Romero, a co-founder of id Software, and Adrian Carmack. While at Softdisk until 1991, he worked on the platform Gamer’s Edge. His breakthrough came with the success of his first game “Commander Keen,” prompting him to establish his own company, id Software.

Since then, his career has been a journey of continuous growth, translating to an increasing net worth. At id Software, John has been credited as the programmer and developer of popular games like “Shadow Knights” (1991), “Wolfenstein 3D” (1992), “Doom” (1993), and its sequels “Doom II: Hell On Earth” (1994), “Doom 3” (2004), and “Doom 3: Resurrection Of Evil” (2005). Additionally, he is recognized for titles such as “Quake” (1996), “Quake II” (1997), “Quake III: Arena” (1999), and “Quake 4” (2005), all significantly contributing to his net worth.

He is also acknowledged for implementing new technologies in game graphics, including Adaptive Tile Refresh, Raycasting, Surface Caching, and Mega Texture, further bolstering his net worth and popularity.

Noteworthy among his accomplishments is the establishment of Armadillo Aerospace, primarily focused on creating suborbital spacecraft for space tourism. The company secured several NASA challenges, earning around $850,000, but witnessed setbacks leading to its temporary halt in 2013. More recently, in 2013, John joined Oculus VR as its CTO, now serving as his primary source of net worth.

John’s successful career has garnered several prestigious awards, including induction into the Hall of Fame of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, and a Lifetime Achievement award from the Game Developers Conference. His influence has been recognized by various magazines, such as Time, MIT Technology Review, and Computer Gaming World. On the personal front, John Carmack has been married to Katherine Anna Kang since 2000, and the couple resides in Heath, Texas, USA, with their son.



  • Structural Info
  • Quotes
  • Facts
  • Filmography
  • Awards
Full NameJohn Carmack
Net Worth$40 Million
Date Of BirthAugust 20, 1970
Place Of BirthRoeland Park, Kansas, USA
ProfessionMiscellaneous Crew, Writer, Director
EducationShawnee Mission East High School, University of Missouri–Kansas City
NationalityAmerican
SpouseKatherine Anna Kang
ChildrenChristopher Ryan Carmack
ParentsInga Carmack, Stan Carmack, Inga Carmack, Stan Carmack
Twitter
IMDB
AwardsBAFTA Fellowship, Technology & Engineering Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Video Gaming Technology and Applications, BAFTA Fellowship, Technology & Engineering Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Video Gaming Technology and Applications
#Quote
1John’s View on Programming: He evaluates various aspects independently as he believes programming is more than just coding. It involves grasping complex problems, being consistent, creative, and maintaining focus, all contributing to great work. He respects the abilities of his competitors, acknowledging their impressive skills.
2Carmack’s Stance: If you don’t care enough to express your own thoughts, you shouldn’t be quoted.
3A Candid Admission: In his younger years, he admits to being an arrogant and amoral individual, caught in a web of conflict between intelligence and the inability to pursue his passions. He had a troubled phase ending in a one-year stint at a juvenile home.
#Fact
1Programming for the new DOOM game to be released sometime in 2002. [2001]
2He shares a son, Christopher Ryan Carmack, with Katherine Anna Kang, born on Friday, August 13 at 12:50 pm, weighing six pounds, seven ounces.
3He took a computer workstation on his honeymoon.
4John’s Parents: Stan and Inga Carmack
5He is the older brother of Peter Carmack.
6Revolutionizing the Gaming Industry: Every game released by Carmack’s company has pushed the game and graphics envelopes, setting new benchmarks for 3-D interactive games. His contribution has been crucial in transforming the concept of first-person shooter games, visionary for the gaming world.
7A Literary Favorite: Carmack holds Vernor Vinge’s “A Deepness in the Sky” as one of his preferred novels.
8Economic Freedom: His success at id Software has granted him the luxury of not having to work, offering him a sense of freedom from external influence. He indulges in exotic cars, owning a 600hp twin-turbo Ferrari F50 and a 1000hp twin-turbo V-12 Ferrari Testarossa GTO.
9Residence: He resides in Mesquite, Texas with his wife, Anna Kang, ex-director of id Software.

Miscellaneous

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Doom³2004Video Game programmer / technical director
Quake III: Arena1999Video Game lead programmer
Quake II1997Video Game lead programmer
Doom 641997Video Game programmer
Quake1996Video Game lead programmer
Final Doom1996Video Game programmer
Hexen1995Video Game programmer: 3D engine
Doom II: Hell on Earth1994Video Game lead programmer
Heretic1994Video Game programmer: 3-D engine / set engineer
Ultimate Doom1993Video Game programmer
Spear of Destiny1992Video Game software engineer
‘Goodbye, Galaxy!’ Episode IV: Secret of the Oracle1991Video Game programming team
‘Goodbye, Galaxy!’ Episode V: The Armageddon Machine1991Video Game programming team
Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter!1991Video Game software engineer

Writer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Return to Castle Wolfenstein2001Video Game story
Commander Keen2001Video Game story
Spear of Destiny1992Video Game
Wolfenstein 3D1992Video Game story

Director

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Quake 42005Video Game
Doom³2004Video Game

Thanks

TitleYearStatusCharacter
MansLaughter2015very special thanks: consult
Serious Sam II2005Video Game special thanks
Serious Sam: The Second Encounter2002Video Game special thanks
Kingpin: Life of Crime1999Video Game special thanks
Descent1994Video Game special thanks
Rise of the Triad: Dark War1994Video Game special thanks

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
NextWorld2008TV Series documentaryHimself – Armadillo Aerospace
The Jace Hall Show2008TV SeriesHimself
Doom Nation2006Video documentary shortHimself

Won Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
2016Academy FellowshipBAFTA AwardsBAFTA Games
2001Hall of FameAcademy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, USA