ZeniMax Media (Bethesda) Acquires id Software (PR)

[Seldoon182]

So Rage is the lasted id game EA will publish.

[JohnC]

So will Doom 4 get broken GFW DLC?

[Mazy]

Yeah, although it actually doesn't surprise me that they did this, then the choice of buyer totally surprised me.

I gotta admit that I have had kind of a slight 3DRealms/DukeForever feeling about id Software lately, although a small team then they're not really releasing that many games and its still got to cost something to keep a joint like that running. Like I said, slight 3DRealms feeling about it.

Anyway, although surprising that they'd go this way, then I can totally understand why they'd do it, its a tough industry to be an independent in. Back when Io decided to be purchased by Eidos I was pretty sad about it, but looking back it was a pretty good call. Although Eidos is hardly the most stable publisher (Eidos -> SCi -> Square Enix), then for a large company where most have families to support, then its pretty good to have some economic stability with the backing of a larger publisher.

But yeah, definitely didn't see it, its a good idea for id to join forces with someone and possibly scale up to start releasing games more often instead of once every half decade

[2d-chris]

It's all good with me

[Buddy]

[D3ads]

Well that was unexpected indeed, kinda dubious about Doom 4 being developed external from ID employees but we'll just have to see how that turns out.

[KungFuSquirrel]

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/59285

More comments from Carmack over the deal. What caught me off guard about it is from everything I've seen and heard lately id looks like it's ready to bounce back big time with Rage and Tech 5 - a sale isn't usually something you associate with a company on the rise. Then there's the "Zeni-who?" reaction, but it actually sounds like a great arrangement for them, more of an independent arm/partner of a larger company than just another cog in a major publisher's machine (which is a point Carmack states pretty well).

There's the real possibility that once this gets rolling, id could be a major powerhouse as a 3-team studio.

edit: oh hey, there was already a link to Carmack comments, sorry if that's a repeat

Well that was unexpected indeed, kinda dubious about Doom 4 being developed external from ID employees but we'll just have to see how that turns out.

Doom 4 is being developed internally at id.

So Rage is the lasted id game EA will publish.

You mean only? They'd been with Activision for years until signing Rage under EAP.

[-HP-]

yeah, after a day of chewing up all the facts.. this might come out a good thing after all!

I'd love to see some of the old schools get back at id tho, like American and Romero! (Keep dreaming, i know) Quake 1 level design was fucking genius!

This is a very good article as well: http://venturebeat.com/2009/06/25/the-b ... o-zenimax/

[Patrick_H]

RE: Wolfenstein... according to Todd Hollenshead:

"We're not going to change the kinds of games we make…. It allows us to accelerate the growth of our internal studios, so we can focus on making all of our internal games as opposed to working with external partners where there has been a step down in quality…"

No offense to generalvivi, but Raven really did dick around with that IP for way too long. Pre-production started in 2004.

[-HP-]

Yeah, wolfenstein is looking pretty awful...

[Jetsetlemming]

":3nwwfonl]

I'd love to see some of the old schools get back at id tho, like American and Romero! (Keep dreaming, i know) Quake 1 level design was fucking genius!

Neither of those two have done anything good ever since. Alice was decent but that was it.

[General Vivi]

No offense to generalvivi, but Raven really did dick around with that IP for way too long. Pre-production started in 2004.

No offense taken tbh, but I can't really share any thoughts on that matter . I got here early 2007. I got to work on the game for a little over a year and it was a really fun experience

[Bl1tz]

It sounds like id was in an awkward position, in that they were successful enough to stay independent and self-fund development but lacking the desire or capital to publish their own games. It had to be annoying for publishers to deal with a company like id since the majority of independent devs are usually hanging on by a string, willing to make bad deals that will keep the lights on from project to project, giving the publishers all the leverage.

I think it's great for the industry as a whole that a relatively new publisher has studios like Bethesda and id to keep the cash rolling in. Hopefully it'll enable a lot of new IPs (like Brink!) to develop there.

[dux]

ZENIMAX??????? Disgusting.

Fallout 3 bought DOOM. Wow.

Since when did he even have any credibility left to open his mouth about such things?

[Mazy]

ZENIMAX??????? Disgusting.

Fallout 3 bought DOOM. Wow.

Since when did he even have any credibility left to open his mouth about such things?

Well, although Romero definitely has an ego, then I think its fair to mention that the entire "About to make you his bitch" fiasco was never his idea. It was something that was, as far as I know at least, pushed on him from Eidos' marketing department, that he more or less was obligated to go with.

Not trying to defend him in any way, although I have gotten some respect for him over the last couple of years (I'm always rooting for the underdogs! ). Masters of Doom also gave a different perspective on him and what he's gone through. That said, his game designer guru license has definitely been revoked a looong time ago