The Legendary id Software Reunion at QuakeCon Proved Not Everything in Gaming Sucks Right Now - gaming article
Have you ever watched a piece of gaming history unfold in real time and just felt a massive wave of nostalgia hit you right in the chest? If you followed this year’s QuakeCon, you probably already know that the absolute founding fathers of the FPS genre—the legendary id Software crew—got back together in the same room for the first time since 1994. I went into this expecting some major corporate awkwardness given the old lawsuits and studio drama, but what we actually got was pure, unadulterated wholesome gamer copium of the best kind.
Why This QuakeCon Reunion Was a Massive Deal
If you’re relatively new to gaming, you might not realize that id Software basically invented the entire first-person shooter genre. We are talking about the architects behind Doom, Quake, and Wolfenstein—games that literally defined PC gaming as we know it today. For over thirty years, the core team went their separate ways, dealing with internal studio politics, high-profile departures, and legal battles that felt straight out of a corporate drama.
Seeing Adrian Carmack, John Carmack, Tom Hall, and John Romero back in the same frame wasn’t just a cool photo op; it was the ultimate endgame cinematic for anyone who grew up slamming LAN cables together in their parents’ basements. Given how rough the current industry landscape has been with endless studio layoffs and corporate restructuring, this gathering felt like a rare, glowing health pack in a dark dungeon.
The Drama We Expected vs. The Wholesome Reality We Got
Let’s be real for a second: internet sleuths love to dig up old beef. Over the decades, we’ve heard plenty of stories about creative differences, Adrian’s 2005 lawsuit over his studio removal, and the messy exits of folks like American McGee. Going into this convention, I was fully prepared for some icy handshakes and forced corporate smiles.
Instead, everyone seemed genuinely thrilled to just exist in the same space again. John Carmack took to social media to call the reunion fantastic, while Adrian Carmack admitted it was genuinely one of the best times of his life—noting he hadn’t even seen John in twenty years! When legends who haven’t shared a stage since the mid-90s are geeking out over old design docs together, you can’t help but smile.
3 Major Highlights From the Reunion That Melted Our Cold Gamer Hearts
If you missed the live streams and Twitter threads, here are the absolute best moments that you need to know about:
- The DOOM Design Notes: Tom Hall shared a clip of the founders pouring over ancient, handwritten design notes for the original Doom like a bunch of kids discovering buried treasure.
- The Return of ‘id Mom’: Donna Jackson—affectionately known as the office manager and “id mom” since 1994, and still credited on modern titles like Doom: The Dark Ages—showed up to surprise the founders.
- American McGee’s Tribute: The legendary designer shared an emotional post about how Carmack and Romero literally pulled him out of working on cars and into game development, changing his life forever.
Why You Should Care Even If You Only Play Modern Games
It’s super easy to get caught up in the current meta of live-service burnout, microtransactions, and endless performance patches. Sometimes the industry feels like a giant, soulless gacha machine designed to drain your wallet. But moments like this remind us why we fell in love with gaming in the first place.
Without these guys hacking away on ancient beige PCs in the 90s, your favorite modern tactical shooters, battle royales, and immersive sims literally wouldn’t exist. They built the foundation for every single frame-rate obsession and mechanical skill check we stress over today. Taking a second to appreciate the roots of our hobby is just good for the soul.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did the id Software founders actually hate each other?
While there were definitely internal disagreements, studio exits, and legal battles over the decades (like Adrian Carmack’s 2005 lawsuit), everyone has clearly mellowed out with age. This QuakeCon reunion proved that old beef gets squashed when you’re looking back at thirty years of changing the world.
Is John Carmack still working at id Software?
Nope! John Carmack left id Software long ago to pursue other massive tech ventures, including VR development at Oculus and his ongoing work in artificial intelligence. Seeing him back interacting with the original crew was a major surprise for long-time fans.
Will these guys ever make a game together again?
As sweet as a brand-new reunion project would be, it’s pretty unlikely they’ll ever ship a title as a unified studio again. They’ve all moved on to totally different chapters of their lives and careers—but hey, let us huff our copium in peace.
Wrapping Up
At the end of the day, gaming is at its best when it brings people together. Watching the pioneers of our entire medium kick back, smile, and reminisce about the chaotic early days of PC development was a massive W for the community. Not everything in the gaming world has to be doom and gloom, and it’s nice to be reminded of that every once in a while.
Drop a comment below with your absolute favorite id Software game of all time! Bookmark this page for more gaming history deep dives, and tag me on social media if you’re still rocking a classic Doom marine avatar.
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