IndustryGamers - Informing the Games Industry

IndustryGamers' Top 20 Stories of 2009

Posted December 21, 2009 by David Radd

#18 Bethsoft Gets id

Mergers and acquisitions happen every year in the gaming industry but few were more unexpected than the one announced on June 24, 2009. In an announcement that surprised nearly everyone, Bethesda Softworks owner ZeniMax Media revealed that it acquired id Software. Speaking with IndustryGamers, John Carmack confirmed that other parties (probably Activision and EA) had made buyout offers in the past, but this deal would allow them to grow at the pace that they wanted. Former member of id Software John Romero reacted to the news by calling it “disgusting” though he later recanted. Though the total dollar amount of the purchase was unannounced and remains a public mystery, ZeniMax raised over $105 million in credit to help finalize the deal. Now that id Software is part of a larger publishing company, it was able to negotiate its way out of a publishing agreement with EA in favor of a a deal with Bethsoft for the upcoming Rage. Carmack wasn't the only industry luminary to make a big move....

#17 Will Wright Leaves EA

For the past two decades, Will Wright and the company he founded (Maxis) helped redefine simulation titles with games like Sim City. After his company was purchased by Electronic Arts in 1997, he revolutionized gaming again with The Sims, and helped make the publisher serious bank with expansions, sequels and content packs. His next big idea was Spore, which launched in 2008... but at the time no one would have imagined that would be his swan song as a full-timer at EA, founding his own little think tank called Stupid Fun Club. IndustryGamers had the privilege to speak to him about this move and his career in general earlier this year. 

David Radd has worked as a gaming journalist since 2004 at sites such as GamerFeed, Gigex and GameDaily Biz.