Thirty-five years is a long time in video games, especially for a studio that helped define what the medium could be. When id Software was officially founded in February 1991 by John Carmack, John Romero, Tom Hall, and Adrian Carmack, few could have predicted that their experiments with shareware distribution and fast-paced action would reshape the industry. Yet here we are in 2026, celebrating a developer whose fingerprints are all over modern gaming.

The anniversary feels less like a corporate milestone and more like a reunion with old friends. Fans tuned in to a livestream earlier this month, where studio leaders Marty Stratton and Hugo Martin reminisced about the journey from floppy disks to cutting-edge engines like idTech 8. They teased more surprises to come throughout the year, but the tone was clear: this was about honoring a legacy as much as looking forward.

That legacy is staggering. Commander Keen in 1990 was the quirky proof of concept. Wolfenstein 3D in 1992 blew the doors open on first-person shooters, giving players a taste of speed and intensity that felt revolutionary. DOOM in 1993 didn’t just popularize the genre—it became a cultural phenomenon, spawning multiplayer deathmatches, mods, and a legion of imitators. Quake in 1996 pushed into true 3D, laying the groundwork for esports and LAN parties, with QuakeCon becoming a fixture of gaming culture.

The studio’s history is also a story of technical ambition. Each iteration of the idTech engine raised the bar for rendering, lighting, and performance. DOOM 3 in 2004 was a showcase of atmosphere and technology. DOOM (2016) reignited the franchise with blistering combat and modern design, while DOOM Eternal in 2020 proved the Slayer still had plenty of fight left. Most recently, DOOM: The Dark Ages in 2025 took the series into medieval-inspired chaos, complete with shield saws, cybernetic dragons, and hulking mechs.

It’s not just about the games, though. id Software has been recognized with Emmy awards for its pioneering work in 3D engines, and its titles DOOM and Quake have been inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame. The Guinness World Record for longest-running developer of FPS games is another feather in its cap. These accolades underline what players have always known: id isn’t just making games, it’s shaping the language of interactive entertainment.

The 35th anniversary celebrations include sales across platforms, with discounts cheekily set at 66.6% off DOOM: The Dark Ages—a nod to the studio’s demonic sense of humor. QuakeCon, itself turning 30 this year, will no doubt serve as another stage for fans to gather, reminisce, and look ahead.

What makes id Software’s story compelling is how it has endured. The original founders moved on decades ago, but the studio kept evolving, balancing nostalgia with reinvention. Its games remain fast, uncompromising, and unapologetically fun. In an industry where trends shift quickly, id’s consistency is remarkable. It’s not just about demons and shotguns—it’s about a philosophy of play that has stayed true for three and a half decades.

So, as id Software blows out 35 candles, the celebration isn’t just theirs. It belongs to every player who remembers their first DOOM deathmatch, every LAN party fueled by Quake, every late-night session where the sound of a rocket launcher meant both chaos and joy. The studio has given us worlds to explore, monsters to slay, and a reminder that sometimes, the purest fun comes from running fast and shooting straight. And after 35 years, that’s still a hell of a legacy.