ZeniMax Media Acquires id Software - UPDATED

[Andy Chalk]

ZeniMax Media Acquires id Software - UPDATED

Bethesda Softworks parent company id Software [http://www.zenimax.com/]. (And John Romero is not very happy about it.)

Founded in 1991, id debuted with the popular Quake [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander_Keen], released three years later, would cement the studio's reputation as a leader in technological innovation.

"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," said id CEO Todd Hollenshead. "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."

"This puts id Software in a wonderful position going forward," added John Carmack, who will remain in his role as Technical Director at id. "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 privately-held Zenimax is the parent company of Fallout 3 [http://www.bethsoft.com] and the upcoming Brink. "Our intention is to make sure id Software will continue to do what they do best - make AAA games," said ZeniMax CEO Robert Altman. "Our role will be to provide publisher support through Bethesda Softworks and give id Software the resources it needs to grow and expand."

According to the press release, no operational changes will be made at id and all principal employees have signed long-term contracts to maintain their roles in the studio. id is currently working on Rage [http://ragegame.net/], a new FPS currently scheduled for release sometime in 2010.

I'll bet you didn't see that one coming, did you?

UPDATE: id co-founder John Romero, who earned fame as the designer of Wolfenstein 3D, Doom and Quake before leaving the company to found the ill-fated studio Ion Storm [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion_Storm_Inc.], was less than enthusiastic about the sale of the company.

"ZENIMAX??????? Disgusting," he Twittered [http://twitter.com/theromero] earlier today. "Fallout 3 bought DOOM. Wow."


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[Ranooth]

And the merges continue, EA just merged Bioware and Mythic!

 

[Paulrus_Keaton]

I'm indifferent.

Though that pic up there can also be a good political cartoon on the matter.

 

[Ranooth]

And the merges continue, EA just merged Bioware and Mythic!

Merge them?

Do you mean as in making Bioware just another part of EA or making Mythic a part of Bioware? I'm confused, and Bioware has been a part of EA for ages.

EA is merging their two top roleplaying game developers, BioWare and Mythic, into one massive RPG group, with BioWare's co-founder Ray Muzyka taking the lead and Mythic's Mark Jacobs taking a powder.

It'll be interesting to see what happens with WAR and Mass Effect's future after number 2, a Mass Effect MMO?

And as huge Mythic fan it hurts to see Mark go.

 

[HardRockSamurai]

It was just a matter of time before id got swallowed up by a bigger fish; their reputation and talent makes them an easy target for any company bent on making high quality games. However, I never expected ZeniMax to be the buyer. For a company so enthralled with RPG games, acquiring an FPS-specialist studio such as id would appear crazy. My guess is that they have a trick up their sleeves.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

Doom is now going to get the magical, full on RPG treatment.

"I saw a Cacodemon the other day by the gates of hell."

"Disgusting creatures."

"I hope I never see another."

"Good day."

I can't wait for that extra level of detail that the Doom game world has been missing.

 

[Valiance]

Maybe this will turn RAGE into more of a FPS/RPG like it was supposed to be anyway with the whole adventure/racing/exploration aspect.

 

[Logan Frederick]

Didn't see this one coming. The industry consolidation only continues with the economic times.

 

[hopeneverdies]

Well as long as Quakelive still runs the same, it's all good.

 

[razbuten363]

Anyone else afraid of the day when all games come from a single corporation, always producing the same bland games because that's all they can do?

 

[jupiterman]

I feel a little sad since id has always been sort of a great beacon; a great, successful indie studio that was still going strong. They always made the games that they wanted to make and were so good at it that they could support themselves for years. Guess not so much anymore.

 

[Slash Dementia]

Wow... I had just made a topic about merging game developers and I had chosen id Software and Bioware, but this is close enough.
id was doing great as an indie developer, hopefully entering this territory will only improve them.

I hope id Software goes back to the top of the food chain in the coming years.

 

[Yog Sothoth]

Sounds like the two developers are a good match.

Please make Fallout:Wolfenstien, please...

...and when they're done with that, I'd like a Heretic RPG, please

 

[Stabby Joe]

I'm not sure whether this will affect id since they're already good at what they do and will most likely get left to do their thing will Zeni makes a little extra cash since both id and Bethesda make good games and sell alot of them!

 

[300lb. Samoan]

Doom is now going to get the magical, full on RPG treatment.

"I saw a Cacodemon the other day by the gates of hell."

"Disgusting creatures."

"I hope I never see another."

"Good day."

I can't wait for that extra level of detail that the Doom game world has been missing.

I just puked in my mouth a little. I hope those are killable characters, I'd be real angry to see them pissing about like that after a BFG blast.

EDIT: On topic, even though we know that id is good at doin' their thang, I hope this "forward looking research" or whatever doesn't end up watering down their games to make them more palettable for the mainstream. I really don't give a fuck if little jimmy never gets to play Rage or Doom 4 on the Wii. Hopefully though, they can prevent another Quake 4. I was pretty disappointed in that game, after beating it in only three days.

 

[countrysteaksauce]

The Elder Command and Conquer 3D: DooMed Knights of the Old Fallout ft. MechaHitler: Sizzling Isles Expansion Pack

One day...One day...

 

[Woe Is You]

EDIT: On topic, even though we know that id is good at doin' their thang, I hope this "forward looking research" or whatever doesn't end up watering down their games to make them more palettable for the mainstream.

Thing is, you can't water down Doom. It's the epitome of a turn-off-your-brains-and-shoot-them-all-up. Same goes for... well, just about all the other id IPs aside from maybe Commander Keen and Orcs & Elves. I don't think anything will happen to Doom. In fact, a new Doom is the kind of game that would do well next to Gears of War and the like.

Carmack loves to tinker around with tech but he hates complex gameplay as id's games prove.