News

id Software calls time on mobile development team

Wants to focus on triple-A

id Software calls time on mobile development team
As PC and console developers target smartphones in droves, so id Software has announced it has closed down its own dedicated mobile development team.

The admission was made by co-founder John Carmack during his QuakeCon 2012 keynote speech, with the firm having decided to carry key talent from its mobile division across to the team working on Doom 4.

Doom and gloom

"We did make the decision to close up our mobile development, which saddens me a lot, in that I love doing the mobile work - taking that time, spending a month, a year or something working on a mobile project," said Carmack.

"I hope we get back to mobile in various ways in the future, but the big real aim is blockbuster, triple-A titles, and for id that means Doom 4, it means that we get the whole company behind that after we get Doom 3: BFG Edition out the door, essentially everybody will be focused on Doom 4 as a project."

Interestingly, Carmack admitted that, despite the mobile team being no more, it did manage to deliver an as-of-yet unrealised iOS title before time was called.

"Unfortunately, we have a couple projects - we have an iPhone project that's sitting in the can right now with the rest of the Doom classics stuff, but we just havent been able to push it through," Carmack explained.

"We're going to hold off until some appropriate time - maybe we can do it with the Doom 3: BFG stuff on there."

With a fine eye for detail, Keith Andrew is fuelled by strong coffee, Kylie Minogue and the shapely curve of a san serif font.