ZeniMax Media on Wednesday announced the acquisition of Id Software, the game developer behind titles like Doom, Quake, Wolfenstein and the upcoming game Rage. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
ZeniMax Media is the parent company of Bethesda Software, makers of Fallout 3, as well as The Elder Scrolls III and IV. Bethesda will publish Id Software titles going forward, beyond those that have already been promised to other publishers.
Id Software will continue to operate as a studio under the direction of John Carmack, the company’s founder and technical director. And there aren’t going to be any operational changes, according to the announcement — all the company’s principals have signed long-term employment contracts.
Id Software has supported the Mac over the years by offering Mac versions of many of its popular games, and has recently moved into the iPhone space, producing iPhone/iPod touch versions of Wolfenstein 3D and the upcoming Doom “Classic,” and has partnered with Escalation Studios to develop an original game for the iPhone and iPod touch called Doom Resurrection.