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10x Ve3d.
"ZeniMax Media Inc., parent company of noted game publisher Bethesda
Softworks, today announced it has completed the acquisition of
legendary game studio, id Software, creators of world-renowned games
such as DOOM, QUAKE, Wolfenstein, and its upcoming title, RAGE. The
acquisition by ZeniMax Media joins together two of the finest, most
respected videogame developers in the world, combining the first person
shooter (FPS) expertise of id Software with acclaimed role playing game
(RPG) developer Bethesda Game Studios – creators of the 2008 Game of
the Year, Fallout 3, and the 2006 Game of the Year, The Elder Scrolls
IV: Oblivion. Bethesda Softworks will publish the titles of id Software
other than upcoming releases previously committed to other publishers.
Founded in 1991, id Software established itself as an industry
leader with some of the best-selling and most critically acclaimed
video games of all time. id Software created the original first-person
shooter, Wolfenstein 3D, and subsequently set new standards in the
genre with the blockbuster releases of its DOOM and QUAKE titles. In
addition, id Software developed cutting edge, proprietary technology
with the id Tech engine which powers many notable FPS titles, and
continues to make great advances in game technology under the direction
of John Carmack, one of the country’s technology leaders and a member
of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS) Hall of Fame.
Todd Hollenshead, CEO of id Software, commented on the
transaction: “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. 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.”
id Software will continue to operate as a studio under the
direction of its founder, John Carmack. No changes will be made in the
operations of id Software in the development of its games. All the
principals at id Software have signed long-term employment contracts,
assuring they will continue in their roles developing games at the
studio.
“This puts id Software in a wonderful position going forward,”
said John Carmack, who will continue to serve in his current role as
Technical Director. “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."
Robert Altman, the founder, Chairman & CEO of ZeniMax Media
stated, “We, along with many others, consider id Software to be among
the finest game studios in the world, with extraordinary design,
artistic and technical capabilities. They have demonstrated,
repeatedly, that rare ability to create franchise properties that are
critical and commercial successes. Our intention is to make sure id
Software will continue to do what they do best – make AAA games. Our
role will be to provide publisher support through Bethesda Softworks
and give id Software the resources it needs to grow and expand.”
ZeniMax Media Inc, which is privately held, was founded in 1999
to create quality interactive entertainment products to meet the
growing worldwide demand. The Company is headquartered in Rockville, MD
and maintains offices in Hunt Valley, MD, London and Tokyo. Among its
wholly owned subsidiaries are Bethesda Softworks, a premier publisher
of video games, Vir2L Studios which develops games for the casual
market, and ZeniMax Online Studios, a studio dedicated to massively
multi-player online games (MMOG).
Bethesda Game Studios, the development group at ZeniMax Media,
is one of the top video game studios in the world. Its most recent
release, Fallout 3, was the 2008 winner of more than 60 Game of the
Year awards, including The Associated Press, Official Xbox Magazine,
Yahoo, PC Gamer, IGN, Game Critics Awards, Game Developer Choice
Awards, and Gamespy. Bethesda also created the 2006 PC and Xbox 360
Game of the Year, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and the 2002 PC and
Xbox Game of the Year, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Bethesda Game
Studios has created 2 of the 10 best games of all time, Fallout 3 and
Oblivion, on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 platforms."
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