In what has to be the software developer surprise of the year, fiercely independent, award-winning developer id Software has been acquired by ZeniMax Media, which is the parent group of Bethesda Softworks. The deal brings together some of the most popular and powerful franchises, including DOOM, Fallout, The Elder Scrools, Quake, Wolfenstein and the upcoming title RAGE.

The early spin on the deal has id Software moving all their catalog titles over under the Bethesda label, other than those upcoming titles that have already been committed to another publisher. It is thought that the id Software branding will stay in place, as well as the studio itself; id Software CEO Todd Hollenshead was careful to point out that no changes are being made. id Software will still be led under the direction of John Carmack, who will continue as Technical Director. The deal is all about growing the company and putting id Software in the right position to be bigger and stronger in the future, according to various sources.

The deal is about providing id Software with the resources it needs to expand, according to ZeniMax Media CEO Robert Altman. ZeniMax Media is a private held company who, in addition to Bethesda Softworks, also owns ZeniMax Online Studios, which is dedicated to MMO tiles.

While it sounds like this might be what id Software needed to grow for the future, it is already starting to be widely criticized by fans of id Software who say that the company has sold out the principles of the company that have made it so popular with fans over the years. Of course, only time will tell what this deal will bring; but we are doubtful that id Software would agree to any deal that would really change the principles of what id Software has always been about. Stay tuned, as we bet that this will be the one deal that people are going to be talking about for some time to come.