id Software

id Software is one of those studios whose shadow is longer than most of the industry combined. Founded in 1991 by John Carmack, John Romero, Tom Hall, and Adrian Carmack, id rewired what videogames could be. Their early breakthrough was Wolfenstein 3D (1992). It wasn’t the very first FPS, but it was the one that made the genre explode. Fast, brutal, and technically impressive for its time, it set the stage for what came next.

Then came Doom (1993), and game changer feels like an understatement. Doom popularized networked multiplayer deathmatches, modding communities, and shareware distribution. It also ran on almost anything with a processor, thanks to John Carmack’s wizard-level engine work. The term "Doom clone" became shorthand for FPS games for years. In 1996, id pushed things even further with Quake. This was fully 3D, online-focused, and a technical monster. It helped define e-sports culture before anyone used that word, and its engine became a licensing goldmine. 

After internal clashes and the departure of Romero, id became more technically focused and less rock-star chaotic. They continued with Quake II, Quake III Arena (a multiplayer classic), and later reinvented Doom with Doom 3 in 2004, leaning into atmosphere and lighting over speed.

In 2009, id Software was acquired by ZeniMax (and later Microsoft). Under Bethesda, they staged a stunning comeback with DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal (2020): fast, aggressive, old-school philosophy fused with modern polish.