One of the world's most renowned independent developers is independent no longer. Zenimax Media - parent company of Fallout 3 and Elder Scrolls developer/publisher Bethesda Softworks - announced today that they have acquired id Software, famed creators of the Doom, Quake and Wolfenstein franchises who are currently hard at work on RAGE and Doom 4.

Todd Hollenshead, CEO of id Software, commented on the transaction: “This was a unique opportunity to team with a smart, sophisticated publisher like Bethesda Softworks where the interests of the studio and the publisher will be fully aligned in the development and marketing of our titles. In addition, we will now have financial and business resources to support the future growth of id Software, a huge advantage which will result in more and even better games for our fans.”

id Software will continue to operate as a studio under the direction of its founder, John Carmack. No changes will be made in the operations of id Software in the development of its games. All the principals at id Software have signed long-term employment contracts, assuring they will continue in their roles developing games at the studio.

“This puts id Software in a wonderful position going forward,” said John Carmack, who will continue to serve in his current role as Technical Director. “We will now be able to grow and extend all of our franchises under one roof, leveraging our capabilities across multiple teams while enabling forward looking research to be done in the service of all of them. We will be bigger and stronger, as we recruit the best talent to help us build the landmark games of the future. As trite as it may be for me to say that I am extremely pleased and excited about this deal, I am."

The acquisition will mean that all future id Software titles are published by Bethesda, with the exception of RAGE which is already signed with EA Partners.

The extra financial support also means that we're likely to see id Software's operations expand to cover simultaneous development on more of their franchises and new IP, rather than outsourcing them to other studios like we've seen with Quake 4 and more recently Wolfenstein.

Let's just hope this doesn't turn out like the time EA acquired Pandemic.

The fact that splash damage's brink was announced as being published by Bethesda was a little strange. Obviously it all makes sense now.

For sure. imo this is the best thing that could have happened to id. Unlike in id's heyday development of games on the caliber that they aspire to just isn't something you can do with a small independent team these days, especially if half that team is being constantly side-tracked by mobile-phone and browser games.

I mean look what happened to 3D realms.

As for the choice of publisher, Bethesda seems like a pretty solid choice. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that the id director's were swayed by a stake in Zenimax/Bethesda which would explain why they're so confident about retaining a level of creative control.

HOLY CRAP

Yeah this is good, ID have been pretty dead over the last years. The acquisition is a good thing but they need some new blood in that place to stirr things up and stop pumping out these repetative fps games.

Here's hoping Doom 4 doesn't suck http://www.litschner.com/andrew/misc/wine_glass.gif

last edited by Lits at 09:49:44 25/Jun/09

why not hope the sun doesnt shine today or that I win the lotto on tuesday while ur wishing for miracles :

this is the first step in the death of ID, it's a relic of the past. Die already.

I mean look what happened to 3D realms.

Unlike the people at the healm of 3Drealms (who can can pretty much be compared to drunken red necks trying to make a sweet bitches, booze and testosterone shooter coded out of a trailer) iD have never had the same problems (because you can basically compare them to a kid with ass burgers in their parents basement doing marathon sessions of what they love best, which I guess is coding engines) Carmack is a freak, the dude makes spaceships in his spare time... hes obviously self motivated. So I don't think that id will get the same things out of a deal like this that maybe 3Drealms would have.

As long as bethesda keep the f*** out of id and zenimax just provide capital and publishing then it will be good for id. It seems like id still follow the old school dev mentality of small teams which makes for super long dev cycles. If this means they can hire more people and finish games faster it will be good. Its never seemed like stupid management has been the problem at id so maybe more people and money will be a big boost.

ass burgers hahaha

As long as bethesda keep the f*** out of id and zenimax just provide capital and publishing then it will be good for id.

A bethesda rpg on a good fps engine like what id make could be pretty awesome imo.

Interview with Carmack about the sale

http://venturebeat.com/2009/06/25/the-big-game-deal-why-ids-john-carmack-shelved-his-ego-and-sold-out-to-zenimax/

Carmack is a champ. Love how he always just tells it how it is with no spin.

I wonder if they'll be publishing under the actual Bethesda label, or just as id Software.

heh id have 105 people now... craziness