Doom creator John Romero's canceled game is now a "much smaller game," but it "will be new to people, the way that going through Elden Ring was a really new experience"

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Doom creator John Romero's canceled game is now a "much smaller game," but it "will be new to people, the way that going through Elden Ring was a really new experience" News By Scott McCrae published 10 December 2025

"We have 50 million worth of game we can take pieces out of and put into a brand new indie game"

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Doom co-creator and id Software co-founder John Romero has confirmed that his canceled project is back in development, albeit as a new game taking on elements of the original idea.

Microsoft's sweeping layoffs had a massive impact earlier this year with the cancellations of Xbox projects like Rare's Everwild, the Perfect Dark reboot, and Zenimax Online Studios' unannounced MMO. But it wasn't just first-party projects in trouble, as Romero Games announced it had lost funding on an "all-new FPS with an original, new IP" in what former staff claimed was a Microsoft decision.

Romero previously said that even if the project wasn't revived, the studio would still have assets to use on another project, and from the sounds of things, that's where the saga has taken them.

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Salón del Videojuego de Madrid 2025 - Entrevista a John Romero por VictorDevelops - YouTube Watch On

At Salón del Videojuego de Madrid (spotted by Eurogamer), Romero confirms that the studio "survived the cancellation of a huge game." However, the new project is not going to be the same game that was canceled. Romero describes it as a game that has "been basically completely redesigned" and has "nothing" to do with the previous project. That being said, he does confirm it "incorporates a lot of the elements" from the original game.

"We have 50 million worth of game we can take pieces out of and put into a brand new indie game. We have a lot of stuff we can put in the game," Romero explains, adding, "The team is very excited about the new design." While the game is now "much smaller," Romero hypes up its originality, saying he's "never played a game like it." He describes it as something that "will be new to people, the way that going through Elden Ring was a really new experience [for Soulslike players]."

John Romero awards John Romero "the most satisfying weapon in gaming history" award for Doom's Super Shotgun, and he's right.

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Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. CATEGORIES PC Gaming Xbox Series X PS5 Platforms Xbox PlayStation Scott McCraeSocial Links NavigationContributor

Scott has been freelancing for over three years across a number of different gaming publications, first appearing on GamesRadar+ in 2024. He has also written for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, VG247, Play, TechRadar, and others. He's typically rambling about Metal Gear Solid, God Hand, or any other PS2-era titles that rarely (if ever) get sequels.

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