Bethesda buys id Software

From CVG: Fallout studio Bethesda Softworks has acquired id Software, it's announced. We're not joking.

[Stryfeno2]

This was on Major Nelson Twitter this morning...Good News.

[iDystopia]

Thats so crazy, a huge deal for Bethesda. They now own Doom, Quake, Woldenstein and Rage.

[DeforMAKulizer]

Isn't Wolfenstien owned by ActiBlizz now?
I mean they are releasing the new one...
But i agree this is huge!
EDIT: My bad i now read that it is being co-developed by Raven Software, id and a bunch of other studios...

[iDystopia]

Yea the are developing and Activision is just the publisher.

[Sony Rep]

Bethesda doesn't own id. They're just under the same branch and share the same developmental space. ZeniMax owns id and Bethesda.

Bethesda can't buy out id.

[PISSIO]

omgf, WTF? CRAP.

[barom]

wow never saw that one coming. Sounds like id Software itself hasn't changed much though.

[Omegasyde]

Gaming has just taken 8 steps backwards.

An open-world doom filled with glitches, can't wait.

[ShabzS]

.........

Edit:... ok this doesnt sound too bad .. id is going to work under bathesda with carmack leading the team ... they've all signed long term contracts and are still set to release rage ... this is good...

hopefully someone will help id get their straight up 1 dimensional shooting gameplay sorted... they need to venture out and try new things in the fps genre... and rage definitely seems like one of those new thing ... i'm glad that rage is still on

[Mo0eY]

id Software is crap nowadays. Money badly spent in my opinion. They should've bought one of those amazing smaller independent gaming studios.

[solar]

didnt see this one coming.

[Fishy Fingers]

"id Software is crap nowadays."

Based upon what? Rage looks amazing, no doubt the new Doom will to. Even if your not a fan of their games, their technical know how is second to none.

[Beast_Master]

I think they are trying to become publishers. So now it looks like they are going to put out Rage, Doom 4, Wet, Fallout: New Vegas. This is good because I think we need more publishers since Atari and Midway are going out of business.

[FantasyStar]

Yeah, like a couple years ago when the id Engine in Quake 4 was bar-none at the time. Now their time has lapsed and for what?

[meepmoopmeep]

i thought Microsoft owned iD

[Beast_Master]

"id Software is crap nowadays. Money badly spent in my opinion. They should've bought one of those amazing smaller independent gaming studios."

I got 3 words for you: JOHN F**KING CARMACK! Please enlighten us with your genius take on ID being a crap? Last I checked there is a convention still called Quakecon for Quake, they own thier own engine called Rage, they are putting out 2 games next year, not to mention the royalty they will receive for Wolfenstein. Please drop some knowledge and let us all understand the money pit that is Id software.

Edit: not to mention the money they are making by releasing the original doom on XBLA, Iphone etc. Doom 2 coming soon to XBLA.

[TrenchaunT]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooo oo!!!!!

It's Fallout all over again! :o(

[JsonHenry]

Huh. I have enjoyed Bethesda since Daggerfall back in 1997. But I am a little nervous about what they will do to the DOOM series. But on the bright side - maybe they will bring Hexen and Heretic back?

[Bnet343]

Interesting move.

[Ju]

id hasn't released anything lately, except that crap of Enemy Territory (Quake Wars). Rage is a myth, and nowhere close to a real product. Looks like they ran out of money if you ask me (who would, though?). Kind of interesting, if that EA-Rage deal was so great, why sell the company to Bethesda? That's a rescue plan, nothing else.

[orange-skittle]

You guys are idiots. Nothing has changed. Bethesda saw the biggest opportunity in the world and took it before EA and Activision could sink their teeth into it. Bethesda doesn't want to change a thing and signed all of them to long term contracts as well as kept the same core together. ID now has the capitol to finish what they started and Bethesda and id will soak up the profits. Bethesda is still making RPG's and id is still making FPS's. This is SUPER NEWS when two great developers merge. That's like hearing UbiSoft and Capcom are joining forces or Naughty Dog and BioWare making a game. That means RAGE, DOOM 4, and DUKE NUKEM FOREVER is still gonna happen

[IdleLeeSiuLung]

Greatest opportunity in the world is among other things dependent on how much Bethesda paid for id....

[gambare]

I expect to see a Fallout-like Doom.

Can you imagine exploring a Futuristic Hell on earth like we did in Fallout?

[pixelsword]

You obviously never been to New York.

:D

[MEsoJD]

Long as I get another Doom.

[The Lazy One]

that is all...

[Beast_Master]

Do you people know the difference between a publisher and a developer? Id isn't going to make Fallout: Doom! You dumb twats. Bethesda is going to just take the PS3, 360 and PC versions of what ever games Id makes and annouce a release date. Then they will get the code approved by the ESRB and through Sony and Microsoft. Then they will buy commercials to PROMOTE the game. Then they will release the game on fancy copies of discs which we will spend 50-90 bucks on. Then Bethesda will pop the champaine and start whiping there butts with 100 dolla bills! And maybe give John Carmack a Bently.

[Viper7]

This title is slightly missleading, ZeniMax Media bought ID not Bethesda (slight difference). For those waiting for open world doom or another Fallout3 (which I personaly think as a great game (loved oblivion, loved fallout so double love for TES: Fallout3))

ID is still the developer for Doom, rage and their other titles. So theyll be as "ID" as they can be. Although openworld doom even with glitches sounds a lot better than badly made half life clone with flashlight tag and no balls what so ever aka Doom3.

[AAACE5]

Hopefully this makes their games better!

To me games made by iD are the ultimate in nerdism. They have good concepts, but lack character! Their games have never been appealing to me.

[osmarduban]

this sucks for ps3 owners

[PirateThom]

How do you figure?

[osmarduban]

because bethesda doesnt always support the ps3 as they do the 360 and pc like the oblivion dlc and almost the fallout dlc

[Grown Folks Talk]

?

[Fishy Fingers]

Ha, I guess someone didnt read the article. Bethesda wont be absorbing id or anything, essentially they're still separate, just under the same parent company.

Sucks to be illiterate.

[OmarJA]

Well it's just happen that Oblivion was better on the PS3 & we also got the two expansions, same about Fallout 3 DLCs...

You fail.

[rucky]

"this sucks for ps3 owners"

If Doom or Quake was to be announce to consoles it would more likely be for 360 only. In the hands of Bethesda those titles have a better chance of going multi-console so as far as i'm concern i'm actually gaining something for my PS3.

[TheColbertinator]

You are a moron.bethesda is owned by ZeniMax media AKA Take 2

[Christopher]

Actually, Bethesda made sure that the exclusives on the 360 were timed exclusives only. PS3 owners got an extremely well-done port of Oblivion and all of its DLC and will be getting all of the Fallout 3 DLC this Holiday season.

I don't like timed exclusives, but I prefer that to just exclusive titles.

[solidt12]

The PS3's Success doesn't depend on this third parties games so why would it suck for PS3 owners?

[Grown Folks Talk]

because of the PS3's launch date. It was intended to be released at the same time. The majority of companies will release multiplat. Costs are too high for many to do otherwise.

[saint_john_paul_ii]

"If Doom or Quake was to be announce to consoles it would more likely be for 360 only."

Not really. http://www.tomsguide.com/us...

Despite his comments on how complicated the PS3 is, he loves the fact that Sony came prepared by getting that BD drive on the machine. Now if the 360 had a next-gen disc drive(whether HD-DVD or Blu-Ray) then your comment would stand.

[bjornbear]

Now we'll be getting more content at better quality and on time....our wallets are going to implode =( /jk

On a serious note - this doesn't surprise me...Bathesda (ZeniMax) have grown substantialy in the past few years and by taking id under their wind, id will probably gain more momentum (haven't felt them like i used to back in the day)

Good news =) if john is happy, i r happy ^-^

[All-3]

Where do you get this info from?

Post a credible link....

As far as I've found - Take Two has no official affiliation with ZeniMax Media.

[kevnb]

so if ps3 owners want to hate, hate on take two. Also, bethesda and id games are pc games, the console versions are just functional ports. You may as well be playing doom on nintendo 64 or something.

[Pandamobile]

How the hell did Bethesda buy the father of FPS gaming?

[solar]

"Bethesda Softworks parent company ZeniMax Media has just announced its acquisition of well-known video game developer id Software (DoomM, Quake, Wolfenstein 3D)."

the title is completely false.

http://www.shacknews.com/on...

[Disccordia]

It surprises me slightly because this time last year Take2 was close to being purchased by EA.. and now it seems they are doing well enough to buy out devs themselves. They must have made a nice profit from GTA4 ;)

[DeforMAKulizer]

WOW!!!! Sudden and unexpected!!!!
Can't wait to see what they do to id titles from now on...
I like the photo Kotaku posted of a mash-up between Doom and Fallout... Hehe....
Again this is sudden!!!!

[StanLee]

Agreed. This wasn't even rumored or speculated. It just happened.

[LukaX23]

holy ****.

[SpoonyRedMage]

Wowa! That's a big surprise! Go Bethesda I guess!

[LukaX23]

i'm in shock. this was so unexpected :(

[SickNote]

Shouldn't it be the other way around?

[Fishy Fingers]

WTF??

Hope they still let id run their own show.

Edit: "In an interview with Kotaku, id co-founder John Carmack, id CEO Todd Hollenshead and ZeniMax CEO Robert Altman said the purchase will change none of the principles or principals of id and Bethesda but will allow id to grow like it never has before."

phew....

[CSM-101e]

made with RAGE?

[TheIneffableBob]

Rockstar's engine is called Rage. Rage is the title of id's new game. id's game Rage is being built with id Tech 5.

[ShabzS]

lol ... nice

[CSM-101e]

"CSM will not be held responsible for smoking too much and not thinking about what he is saying."

[Eiffel]

NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

WHY GOD WHY!!!?!?!

[Fishy Fingers]

Ha, just what I thought upon seeing the headline. Although if you read the quotes/article it's shaping up to be a big plus for id fans.

[glennc]

this isn't so bad. id's biggest problem was they stayed relatively small while the rest of the developers grew to massive 200 man teams working on a single game. that same 'problem' is also why they are probably still around. as attractive as a small team is for creativity etc. games just take too much man power these days to develop for.

maybe this is the best outcome given the alternatives right now.

[Fanboy referee]

WOW

[BWS1982]

about 2000 more colleagues, have you seen some of the comments on this site? You'll need an army. You're late to the party and outnumbered, bro. :)

[Orange Juice]

Awesome news, it sounds like the fine people at bethesda are enjoying their money by expanding....a lot. This is nothing but good news for ps3 owners because I can promise you that the bethesda people have a better grip on the system than ID.

plus rage can now have the budget that something so ambitious deserves.

[saint_john_paul_ii]

wow, thats big.

[DARK WITNESS]

correct me if i am wrong, but i heard it was zenimax that bought ID, i think there is a big difference between that and Bethesda owning ID.

Its like saying bungie bought turn10, instead of MS bought T10 ( just an example ) I thought Zenimax owned Bethesda ? correct me if i am wrong...

[TheColbertinator]

Well bungie is separated from MS now.

[Karum]

This is from the article.

"ZeniMax, the parent company of Bethesda, has confirmed it's completed the acquisition of the veteran Doom and Quake developer, as well as its upcoming FPS, RAGE."

So yeah you're right about ZeniMax :)

[DARK WITNESS]

@Steven Colbert

yes i know that, as i stated it was just an example.

ok, let me update it then... its like Lionhead buying Turn10, anyway you know what i am trying to say.

and thanks to the other guy for confirming what i thought. Its not such a shock to the system when you look at it properly.

[fossilfern]

WTF ! i never knew this was going on ! FALLOUT DOOM ! :D

[MetalGearBear]

whoa!!!!! unexpected.
it real???

[no_more_heroes]

my mind is boggled.

[TheIneffableBob]

I don't think I like this.

[TheColbertinator]

Wow that is huge!

[OmarJA]

Good news...

Can't wait for DOOM 4 on my PS3.

[TheColbertinator]

I'll get it for PC.

Doom on consoles? Ugh!

[Eiffel]

Yeah ID stated it would be superior on the PC. Just like how Doom 3 was.

[Stryfeno2]

Doom on PS3? Good luck with that. As much I like the 360, there is no way I would get the console version.

[OmarJA]

I've played the series on the PC & i still prefer it on the PC...

But i'll buy it on the PS3 for the trophies & i can't buy a new GPU card every now & then.

[-MD-]

Sucks for you I guess.

[Xi]

I did find it odd because betheseda never used anything but gamebryo for their games prior.

The most pressing issue, is what will happen to Id's support of open source and their opensource engines.

[Roper316]

as long as it turns out better then the Squaresoft / Enix fiasco that basically killed both companies.

[Socomer 1979]

Bethesda are too stuck up to work with anybody else.

[TheColbertinator]

bethesda is part of Zenimax Media which also owns Take 2.And they are not stuck up.They can't help it if DLC sells better on 360 and PC

[BWS1982]

if you delay its arrival on 1 out of 3 platforms, simple logic. Kind of obvious why it sells less when you can't get it until long after the competitors (especially considering it's future arrival is also secretive for so many months), don't you think?

[GEESE]

Using Rage engine.

[Xi]

Is rockstars inhouse engine.

I think you mean id tech 5.

[GEESE]

I think maybe their game is called RAGE or some sh1t?
...anyway, what he said^^^^

[JonnyBigBoss]

Wow that's pretty nuts. Dang..

[meetajhu]

Best developers being acquired by a stupid company! I think its for there technology! Its Zenimax who bought the company not the Beathseda stupid works. Anyways here after Idsoftware is on for a pure ownage. They have John Carmack in there hand now they could make Fallout a best experience with the Rage Engine. And Doom 4 = OMG!

[Mo0eY]

What games have id produced that were considered good in the past five years? If the new Wolfenstein doesn't impress, no more id games for me.

[saint_john_paul_ii]

Elder Scrolls V with ID Tech 4, Im calling it first.

[Solotov]

Elder Scrolls V with ID Tech 5, Im calling it first.

[xionpunk]

What the hell!? Didn't see that coming.

[The-Director]

Now that's how you keep a secret, no rumors, no speculations, no maybes, just BOOM.

[ExLivingGhost]

id Software was acquired by Zenimax the publisher and parent company of Bethesda Softworks, CVG is badly informed.

[LinuxGuru]

What?

[SuperStrokey1123]

umm wow, i would have never seen this coming in a million years.

[Rob0g0rilla]

Crazy, didn't see this coming.

[Sir Ken_Kutaragi]

DOOM the RPG!!! ;-D Full of BUGS!!! and FREEZES every 5 minutes!!! ;-D

[Stryfeno2]

That is why you should buy on the PC or 360...You dont want the same fiasco happening with this on the PS3.

[silverchode]

lol 360 version

[OtherWhiteMeat]

Great , now our wallets will be raped by Doom 4 DLC.

[TheTruth89]

can't wait for the superior PS3 version (already confirmed due to BLU RAY) of RAGE *__* due to the MEGATEXTURE tecnology

[ZEEBO4LIFESTFU]

your rediculous

[GiantEnemyCrab]

If you would understand this "megatexture" technology you would then know why Blu-ray isn't needed for it. You love the PS3 we get it.

[Figboy]

*shrugs*

just make good games, patch the broken ones, and that's all.

[siyrobbo]

quake rpg! do it

[GiantEnemyCrab]

Whoa! Not sure if this is good or bad. It looks like Bethesda has it's eyes on being a publisher.

Just as long as they don't adopt Bethesdas poor open world engine because that thing is one ugly buggy pile. Maybe ID can help with that.

[pumpkinpunker]

ID hopefully will improve bethesda's graphics engine.

Fallout 3 was arguably the most over-hyped crappy game of 2008 not named Littlebigplanet. Bought it, played it, got to level 10 and now it collects dust awaiting a trade in. bad graphcs, bad facial animations, a radio that plays like 3 songs, a crappy confusing Hud...repetitive "collect this, go here" quests..an open world so ugly and redundant you don't even care to explore it.

I used to trust game critics but not so much after last year. They've gotten so political and too pressured to give 5 stars to ever supposed, big budget AAA game. GTA 4, LBP, and Fallout 3 all sucked a$$. Fable 2 was over-rated, too short and easy too. A real snoozer.

What about Resistance 2? How come no one plays R2 anymore? Cuz it blows. So tired of listening to critics and wasting my money.

Best games I played that came out last year were Left 4 Dead and Gears of War 2. everything else just let me down somewhat.

[Fade_Walker]

I didn't see that coming. I guess we have our publishers for Rage then!

[MysticStrummer]

Bethesda didn't buy id, ZeniMax Media did. There's a big difference.

[TheDeadMetalhead]

everybody angry over this? Bethesda is a good game company and Id is a good game company. What's the worst that could happen from the two coming together?

[cappakrako]

...

[Cajun Chicken]

I'm personally shocked and not sure if this is good.

[Darkseider]

R.I.P. ID Software. Bethesda will destroy whatever franchises and IP you have.

[Rhezin]

this is very suprising though I would not have expected this move by an RPG-lovin group.

[Hey Its Me Again]

Now imagine id Software games with Bethesda's retarded DLC plans. $10 charge for small new quests. Basically, they learned these tactics from Microsoft. Please Bethesda, keep your dirty hands away from true PC developers. Worst news of this year! :(

[thereapersson]

So much for the DooM remake that's supposed to bring the series back to its roots. Bethesda will f*ck it up, just like they f*cked up the Fallout franchise despite whatever casuals or the media says.

Oh, and as for id's stance on PS3 development and Blu-Ray? Well you can kiss that goodbye because we all know how much Bethesda favors any other system *but* the PS3 this gen.

[thedarkvault]

fallout 4 using rage engine?

[PS360PCROCKS]

whoa. lol all I gotta say

[Erdrick]

this sucks, bethesda needs to gtfo

[kesvalk]

elder scrolls forever?

[YoungKingDoran]

doom with vats? NOOO!

[mirroredderorrim]

I'm digging FO3 and Rage looks to be something I am going to want to pick up... this is a win for ME.

>=)