Softdisk
Softdisk was an American software company based in Shreveport, Louisiana.
It is best remembered as the workplace where the founding members of id Software first met and began secretly developing the technology and ideas that would later shape the future of PC gaming.
The company played a crucial role in early digital distribution and the formation of the id team’s creative partnership.
Early History
Softdisk was founded in 1981 by Al Vekovius and Jim Mangham.
The company’s main business was publishing monthly disk magazines for various computer platforms, including Apple II, Commodore 64, and IBM PC.
Each disk contained utilities, articles, and small games, making Softdisk one of the first companies to distribute digital content directly to subscribers.
The Shreveport Team
By the late 1980s, Softdisk had built a small internal game development team.
This group included John Romero, John Carmack, Tom Hall, and Adrian Carmack.
They worked on subscription-based titles for the company’s “Gamer’s Edge” division, producing simple PC games under tight deadlines.
Despite the limited technology and short production cycles, the group’s talent quickly became obvious.
Their shared passion for fast gameplay and technical innovation would soon outgrow the company’s publishing model.
The Birth of id Software
While still employed at Softdisk, John Carmack developed a new EGA scrolling technique that allowed console-style movement on PC hardware.
Together with John Romero and Tom Hall, the team secretly built a demo called Dangerous Dave in Copyright Infringement after hours.
The project caught the attention of Scott Miller from Apogee Software, who offered to publish their work.
Softdisk eventually learned of the team’s side projects but allowed them to continue under contract, as long as they created additional games for the company.
This compromise gave birth to the first formal iteration of id Software in 1991, while the developers were still finishing their obligations at Softdisk.
The Gamer’s Edge Line
During their final months at Softdisk, the id founders produced several titles for the company’s Gamer’s Edge series, including:
Rescue Rover
Shadow Knights
Catacomb 3-D is especially notable, as it served as the direct prototype for Wolfenstein 3D, showcasing early first-person shooter mechanics and John Carmack’s 3D rendering experiments.
Transition and Departure
In 1991, id Software officially separated from Softdisk.
They continued to deliver contracted games to fulfill their agreement but moved their operations to Madison, Wisconsin.
This allowed them to work independently with Apogee Software and begin development on Commander Keen, which became their first major commercial hit.
Legacy
Softdisk remains a foundational part of PC gaming history.
Although the company itself faded by the early 2000s, its role in bringing together the id founders is undeniable.
The culture of rapid development, technical curiosity, and creative risk that defined Softdisk became the DNA of id Software and its groundbreaking titles.
Softdisk’s story represents the bridge between hobbyist programming and the professional game industry that followed.