Zenimax, parent company of Fallout and Elder Scrolls developer Bethesda, announced today that they have acquired id Software. id is most well known for the Doom, Quake and Wolfenstein franchises.

In an interview with Kotaku, id co-founder John Carmack, id CEO Todd Hollenshead and ZeniMax CEO Robert Altman said that the purchase will not change the core principles of either company.

John Carmack explained why id decided to sell.

"We're really getting kind of tired competing with our own publishers in terms of how our titles will be featured," Carmack said. "And we've really gotten more IPs than we've been able to take advantage of. And working with other companies hasn't been working out as spectacularly as it could. So the idea of actually becoming a publisher and merging Bethesda and ZeniMax on there [is ideal.] It would be hard to imagine a more complementary relationship. They are triple A, top-of-the-line in what they do in the RPGs. And they have no overlap with all the things we do in the FPSes."

"Hollenshead said ZeniMax's acquisition will allow id to grow its internal teams, staffing up the groups working on the next Doom — which will now be a ZeniMax game — and the Quake Live team, for starters."

"We can build the pipeline and have a regular pipeline of releases."

All in all it sounds like a good thing for everyone involved.

Carmack needs money and probably wants to focus more on his space venture and less on games. I don't blame him. He's done enough. He doesn't really need to keep doing it if it doesn't interest him. Cash out and go to the Moon. Why not?

I hope the next Doom is good. If this is what will help Doom be relevant again then I can't say I'm against it.

If the passion is gone, hand the rein over before running the teams to the ground. The Greats know when to stay and when to go. And comeback when fully refreshed...or retired happily ever after.

No surprise that they got bought out, it was only a matter of time.