In a rather unexpected move, ZeniMax Media, parent company of development studio and publisher Bethesda Softworks, announced today that it is purchasing the longstanding independent developer behind Doom and Quake. The acquisition joins together two of the most acclaimed game studios of all time, combining the first person shooter expertise of id Software with Bethesda's proven track record in making great role playing titles like Fallout 3 the Elder Scrolls series.
In an interview with Kotaku, id co-founder John Carmack said no significant changes are being made to either company. The studio will continue to be run under the direction of Carmack and the company's principal employees are all sticking around. Bethesda will publish all of id's games going forward, except for those already signed with third-parties, including the Activision-backed Wolfenstein and the EA Partners-planned Rage.
Carmack hopes the matchup will make business dealings easier for id Software. No financial details were revealed regarding the acquisition, but it is likely to be bigger than Bethesda's recent deals.