Jay Wilbur from id Software and Where He Is Now
By Tuin
Sep 23, 2025
Jay Wilbur is not a household name like John Carmack or John Romero, but his role at id Software was just as vital during the studio’s formative years. As business manager and co owner, Wilbur gave the team the structure it needed to ship the classics that defined PC gaming in the nineties. Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, Doom II, Final Doom, and Quake all reached players with his hand guiding the business side.
His journey into games started even earlier. In the mid eighties he worked as editor of UpTime magazine, where he published some of John Romero’s Apple II games. That connection eventually brought Romero to Softdisk and helped spark the team that would evolve into id Software.
At id, Wilbur took on the role of project director and business manager. He wasn’t writing code but he was keeping the wheels turning. Negotiating publishing deals, overseeing budgets, and managing schedules freed up the developers to push boundaries with engines, level design, and multiplayer.
When he left id Software in the mid nineties, Wilbur’s career did not slow down. He joined Epic Games in 1996 and has been there ever since. Today he is Vice President of Business Development, based out of the Raleigh Durham area. His work focuses on partnerships, licensing, and growth, supporting both Unreal Engine and Epic’s publishing efforts.
While Wilbur remains mostly behind the scenes, he occasionally shares insights. In December 2022 he appeared on Streamline Studios’ “Special Features” podcast, reflecting on his career, the lessons learned from id’s early days, and the balance between business and creativity.
There are few recent public updates about his projects at Epic, but his long tenure shows how important his role has been in keeping two of the most influential game companies running strong. From shaping the business of id Software to guiding Epic’s partnerships, Jay Wilbur’s legacy is one of making sure the visionaries around him had the foundation to change gaming forever.
His journey into games started even earlier. In the mid eighties he worked as editor of UpTime magazine, where he published some of John Romero’s Apple II games. That connection eventually brought Romero to Softdisk and helped spark the team that would evolve into id Software.
At id, Wilbur took on the role of project director and business manager. He wasn’t writing code but he was keeping the wheels turning. Negotiating publishing deals, overseeing budgets, and managing schedules freed up the developers to push boundaries with engines, level design, and multiplayer.
When he left id Software in the mid nineties, Wilbur’s career did not slow down. He joined Epic Games in 1996 and has been there ever since. Today he is Vice President of Business Development, based out of the Raleigh Durham area. His work focuses on partnerships, licensing, and growth, supporting both Unreal Engine and Epic’s publishing efforts.
While Wilbur remains mostly behind the scenes, he occasionally shares insights. In December 2022 he appeared on Streamline Studios’ “Special Features” podcast, reflecting on his career, the lessons learned from id’s early days, and the balance between business and creativity.
There are few recent public updates about his projects at Epic, but his long tenure shows how important his role has been in keeping two of the most influential game companies running strong. From shaping the business of id Software to guiding Epic’s partnerships, Jay Wilbur’s legacy is one of making sure the visionaries around him had the foundation to change gaming forever.