Doom Turns 32; Drops of Games Interviewed Its Creator

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Celebrating 32 Years of Doom: An Interview with John Romero on Influences and Legacy

On December 10th, 2025, the classic first-person shooter game Doom turned 32. In recognition of the game’s enduring influence, its creator, John Romero, acknowledged the anniversary on social media. In anticipation of this milestone, PlayersForLife of Games interviewed Romero on December 27th, 2022, covering his career, influences, and current projects. Romero, a 55-year-old game designer and programmer, has been developing games since 1980 and publishing them since 1982, starting on the Apple II. He cites Capcom classics like Street Fighter and Shigeru Miyamoto’s work on The Legend of Zelda and Mario franchises as key influences. After more than a decade of creating smaller games at Softdisk, he co-founded id Software with John Carmack. Doom, inspired by Wolfenstein 3D (1992, published by Apogee Software, later 3D Realms, which also released Duke Nukem and Prey), was released on December 10th, 1993.

John Romero’s Game Legacy and Current Endeavors

Romero’s other notable works include Doom II: Hell on Earth (1994), Final Doom (1996), Quake (1996), Doom 64 (1997), Daikatana (2000), and Empire of Sin (2020). He has expressed gratitude to the Doom community for their creations and mods. His team, Romero Games, is currently developing a new first-person shooter. Romero’s extensive catalog includes hundreds of games, both large and small, and he continues to work in the industry with his wife, Brenda Romero, whom he married in 2012. The original Doom was his 90th game. Although he did not work on Doom 3 (2003), this became a popular meme. The Doom franchise sold over 10 million copies worldwide within two years of its release. The franchise has been developed by id Software, Ion Storm, and now Romero Games. John Carmack, Romero’s co-creator on Doom, moved to Oculus VR and is now involved with virtual reality. David Kushner, a journalist for Wired, The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Spin, IEEE Spectrum, and Salon, chronicled the history of Romero and Carmack in Masters of Doom: How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop Culture (2003). Kushner’s book details stories from the game’s development.

John Romero’s Autobiography Expands Past Doom Guy, Shares Details on New Project and Elden Ring-Inspired Reboot of Daikatana

To delve deeper into these stories, Romero plans to release his autobiography next year. Doom Guy: Life in First Person, originally scheduled for release on January 10th, 2023, has been postponed to July 18th. Pre-orders are currently available. Here are some excerpts from the PlayersForLife of Games interview, where Romero discusses his autobiography and other projects: PlayersForLife of Games: You will be releasing your autobiography in 2023. Besides Doom Guy, can we expect stories about older projects like Daikatana and others? John Romero: Yes, certainly you can expect such stories. Romero’s canceled game is back in development, reimagined with a design inspired by Elden Ring. While smaller in scope than some of his past titles, this latest project empowers team members from various departments to design and code their own sections, resulting in a uniquely collaborative experience unlike any Romero has played before. Directors from different departments are contributing to the game’s design and code, blending elements from the original concept to create an entirely new experience.

John Romero’s Autobiography Covers Indie Games and World of Warcraft Return

During the interview, Romero did not share specific details about the new game. He confirmed that his autobiography extensively covers Daikatana and Ion Storm, explaining, “It is an autobiography, so it covers everything in my life, from birth to the present.” PlayersForLife of Games: You are a fan of World of Warcraft and Activision Blizzard titles, as well as RPGs. What do you think about World of Warcraft: Dragonflight and other classic returns in Warcraft? John Romero: I haven’t played Dragonflight yet, but I love that the game is still strong 18 years after its release. The return of the classic mode was legal. PlayersForLife of Games: What do you think about independent games, the indies? What do you think about indie games and games like Scorn? John Romero: Independent Games Are the Lifeblood of the Industry. I Fully Support All Indie Games. Even if Scorn is extreme, it’s great that someone actually made this game.

John Romero’s New FPS in Development Using Unreal Engine 5 – Story and Mechanics Details Awaited

Drops of Games: You Told The Brazilian Newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo that Nobody Should Have Guns, Yet You’re the Creator of the Biggest Shooting Game in History. Are you satisfied with the political defeat of figures like Donald Trump or other far-right politicians? John Romero: It’s Clear. PlayersForLife of Games: You’re Working on a New FPS Title Using Unreal Engine 5. What can we expect about the story and mechanics of this title? Will it be an action game, an RPG-FPS hybrid, featuring aliens or monsters? John Romero: At this moment, I cannot disclose more information about the game. Sorry. (Read the Original Interview Here.) [Note: The preceding text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Portal Uai.] With both a new game and an autobiography on the way, John Romero remains an active and influential figure in the gaming world.

In Case You Missed It

Midway through discussing the evolution of game engines, we were delighted to discover Sophie Laurent’s recent findings in “Eldoom Ring? John Romero Developing His Own Soulslike” (published December 11th, 2025). Despite industry challenges, Romero Games is thriving with new investment, allowing them to pivot towards a soulslike genre and maintain their entire team. Fans eagerly await this unannounced title, already dubbed “Eldoom Ring,” inspired by Elden Ring’s success Eldoom Ring? John Romero Developing His Own Soulslike. If you’re excited about John Romero’s latest shooter project, don’t miss Bruno Pferd’s latest article, “John Romero’s New Shooter Project Survived After Initial Cancellation” (published on December 11th, 2025). It reveals how Romero Games revived the game after its initial cancellation due to layoffs and secured a new partner for the project, promising an improved creation experience John Romero’s New Shooter Project Survived After Initial Cancellation. Meanwhile, we paused our exploration of gaming’s early days to pay tribute to another pioneer, Rebecca Heineman. Bruno Pferd’s heartfelt piece, “John Romero, Creator of Doom, Speaks About Trans Developer Rebecca Heineman Who Recently Passed Away” (published on November 22nd, 2025), offers a touching look back at her incredible career and impact on the industry John Romero, Creator of Doom, Speaks About Trans Developer Rebecca Heineman Who Recently Passed Away.

(/doom-co-creator-john-romero-says-hell-yes-to-female-doomslayer)::https://www.thegamer.com/john-romero-cancelled-game-saved/|SEP|’I Have Never Played a Game Like This Before’: DOOM Creator John Romero Compares Next Game to Elden Ring::https://wccftech.com/i-have-never-played-a-game-like-this-before-doom-creator-john-romero-compares-next-game-to-elden-ring/”]