Published , by Donovan Erskine
Published , by Donovan Erskine
So many of today’s FPS games were either directly or indirectly influenced by the Doom and Quake franchise. Behind these titles is id Software one of the most iconic and impactful game developers of all time. This date marks a special day for the company, as id Software is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Happy birthday!
Id Software was founded on February 1, 1991 by John Carmack, John Romero, Tom Hall, and Adrian Carmack. The studio’s first title was Commander Keen in Invasion of the Vorticons, and the company went on to release several smaller titles over its first couple of years. What really catapulted id Software’s success, and what would eventually become pillars of the gaming world, was Wolfenstein, Doom, and Quake.
Despite the fact that so many of its key members are no longer at the company, id Software remains one of the most renowned studios in gaming. The rebooted Doom franchise has seen much acclaim, with the 2016 game taking home our Game of the Year Award. id Software’s most release, Doom Eternal is one of the most graphically impressive games in recent memory, taking home a GOTY nomination at The Game Awards last year.
Of course, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention our own close attachment to id Software. After all, Shacknews was founded as a Quake website. Our first ever long read from David Craddock, Rocket Jump: Quake and the Golden Age of First-Person Shooters is all about one of the studio's most beloved titles. The long read also features exclusive interviews with original id Software developers. id Software recognized the anniversary with a social media post earlier today.
30 years later, and id Software still has so much ahead of it. The recent acquisition by Bethesda could mark a new era for the company, and we’re excited to see what they do next. Happy birthday, id Software!