In 1996, id Software shipped Quake and licensed its engine to anyone who'd pay. Pick a franchise below and watch its family tree trace all the way back.
130+
games & mods
29
years of lineage
8
id Tech generations
6+
studios & companies
Trace a Family Line
CLICK A FRANCHISE
Select a franchise above
The id Tech Generations
1996 → TODAY
WHY SO MANY?
id Software didn't just make games — they sold their engine to other studios and let players peek at the code. That licensing model funded Half-Life, Call of Duty, and dozens more, while modders (regular players tinkering for fun) turned Half-Life into Counter-Strike and Team Fortress. One engine plus an open community turned into an entire industry.