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id Software breaks three world records in development, series, and eSports categories

Wolfenstein, QuakeCon, and id's pioneering efforts in FPS games garnered acclaim.
David Craddock
David Craddock
4

At Gamescom, Guinness World Records recognized id Software's accomplishments and awarded the 25-year-old studio with three world records: longest-running FPS developer, longest-running FPS series for Wolfenstein, and longest-running eSports tournament, that being the annual QuakeCon event.

Bethesda made the announcement on Twitter and conducted an interview with id studio director Tim Willits to get his thoughts on the one-two-three world record punch. "This is a great honor. I’m humbled by the legacy of our studio and the impact id Software has had on the videogame industry. I would also like to say that these awards would not have been possible without the continued support of our fans."

id Software was founded in 1991. The studio's first game was Commander Keen, a 2D platformer that broke ground in 2D animation and smooth-scrolling technology, areas long dominated by Nintendo and its Super Mario series of platformers. Commander Keen was published by Apogee, who published id's next game, Wolfenstein 3D. Wolf3D started out as a remake of Escape from Castle Wolfenstein, a stealth game for Apple II, but evolved into a fast-paced shooter.

From there, id branched out on its own and published Doom in 1993. Three years later, it launched Quake, the third piece of the studio's IP trifecta until 2011's Rage.

"Working on first-person shooters for 24 years has been very exciting but also challenging," Willits admitted." Our secret to success is focusing on the core components of each franchise first, ensuring they are great, and then building upon them with new and modern features and designs. Luckily for us, first-person shooters are just fun and will never go out of style. If we can continue to build upon what makes first-person shooters great, we can continue to be successful well into the future."

Three world records comprise the cherry on top of id Software's delicious 2016 sundae. Doom released back in May to nearly unanimous critical praise. At E3, the studio announced Quake Champions, a competitive shooter in the vein of Quake III: Arena and the return of the dormant Quake franchise.

What's next for id? The studio has a lot on its plate, and all of it seems exciting: a return to PC-centric FPS design in Quake Champions, an effective translation of Doom's frenetic gameplay in Doom VR, and tireless efforts to remain a household name in the games industry for another 25 years.

"It is really exciting to be recognized for these achievements. We plan on continuing to make the best games we can, and to always try to support and grow the community of fans that make everything we do possible. Looking to the future, I hope there are many more records and milestones that id Software can achieve," said Willits.

Long Reads Editor
Long Reads Editor

David L. Craddock writes fiction, nonfiction, and grocery lists. He is the author of the Stay Awhile and Listen series, and the Gairden Chronicles series of fantasy novels for young adults. Outside of writing, he enjoys playing Mario, Zelda, and Dark Souls games, and will be happy to discuss at length the myriad reasons why Dark Souls 2 is the best in the series. Follow him online at davidlcraddock.com and @davidlcraddock.

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