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Who makes it · Developer

id Software

Based in Richardson, Texas, United States Founded 1991 Part of Microsoft Gaming (Xbox)

id Software created Wolfenstein 3D, Doom and Quake and develops the modern Doom games, including Doom: The Dark Ages, and the id Tech engine. Its games are published by Bethesda and sold at full price with paid expansions.

Track record WatchWorst badge: Worth knowing
On the record 5dated events, each with a source
In the guide 1game it made or published

Track-record badges

What stands out, worst first

  • Crunch

    Crunch reports

    Doom Eternal's executive producer said in January 2020 that the studio was 'crunching pretty hard most of last year'.
  • Large layoffs

    Large layoffs

    July 2026: about 136 jobs, roughly half the studio, cut in Xbox's restructuring.
  • Keeps games playable

    Keeps old games playable

    id has released the source code of its older engines, including Doom 3's in November 2011, letting fans keep the games running on new systems.

Track record

What's on the record, newest first

  1. Labour

    About half of the studio was laid off in Xbox restructuring

    About 136 id Software employees, roughly half the studio, were laid off as part of Xbox's restructuring. The studio said it still had the staff needed to build its games and technology.

    GamesIndustry.biz
  2. Labour

    Staff voted to unionise

    The Communications Workers of America said 165 id Software workers voted to form a studio-wide union, organised under Microsoft's labour neutrality agreement with the CWA.

    Kotaku
  3. Labour

    Studio said it crunched on Doom Eternal

    Doom Eternal executive producer Marty Stratton told VG247 the team was 'crunching pretty hard most of last year' before the game was delayed, saying the studio tried to rotate extra hours between groups.

    GamesIndustry.biz
  4. Good practice

    Released Doom 3 source code

    id Software released the source code of its 2004 game Doom 3, continuing its practice of open-sourcing older engines under the GNU GPL; John Carmack rewrote part of the code to avoid a patent dispute.

    GamesIndustry.biz
  5. Other

    Acquired by ZeniMax Media

    ZeniMax Media, owner of Bethesda Softworks, acquired id Software. ZeniMax itself was bought by Microsoft in March 2021.

    GamesIndustry.biz

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Games in the guide

What id Software made or published

Each game's money rating is its own: it comes from how that game makes money, not from the company's record.

Last checked 2 November 2026. Sources: www.gamesindustry.biz, www.gamesindustry.biz, www.gamesindustry.biz, kotaku.com, www.gamesindustry.biz, www.gamesindustry.biz, kotaku.com, news.xbox.com, en.wikipedia.org. Spotted something wrong or missing? Send a correction.