Doom creators argue over history on social media
The history of the first-person shooter game Doom is etched into gaming lore, a landmark achievement whose influence on the genre is simply untouchable. Yet, even these legendary details—the origins of its most iconic features—are sometimes subject to lively debate. Recently, this historical discussion took a fascinating turn, involving the very creators who shaped the experience: co-creators John Romero and Sandy Petersen took to social media to settle a long-standing dispute over the genesis of Doom’s groundbreaking DeathMatch PvP multiplayer mode.
The conversation began when Petersen shared his perspective, outlining the context of the design process. He recounted working on earlier projects, including a real-time strategy game in 1990, and suggested that the team, following their experience, believed that a head-to-head mode like DeathMatch was unlikely to take off among the general gaming public. He posited that while the team loved the concept, they felt it was less likely to be a massive hit.
Romero responded with a firm correction, challenging the timeline and the sentiment surrounding the feature. He insisted that the decision to include multiplayer was far from a late development choice. Romero pointed to official statements made in January 1993, eight months before Petersen joined id Software, asserting that the studio had already declared that multiplayer would be a central element, even highlighting its potential impact by noting it was “the number one cause of decreased productivity in businesses around the world.”
The exchange quickly became a spirited back-and-forth, a true clash of memory versus historical fact. Petersen countered that he had no knowledge of the decisions made prior to his involvement, while Romero firmly maintained that the team’s aspirations were confirmed from the very beginning. The debate ultimately hinged on whether the team truly believed in the massive potential of competitive multiplayer from the outset, or if the inclusion was a later triumph of execution.
Regardless of who holds the final historical record on the pre-release sentiment, the outcome was clear: DeathMatch exploded when Doom shipped in December of 1993. It became an immediate and undeniable success, setting a benchmark for multiplayer first-person shooters that continue to influence the genre today.
Doom‘s legacy extends far beyond that single mode. It remains one of the most celebrated games of all time, a testament to innovative design. Today, that legacy lives on with the new-generation team at id Software, who continue to push boundaries, evidenced by the recent release of the amazing Revelations DLC for Doom: The Dark Ages. The story of Doom, and its multiplayer evolution, is a powerful reminder of how bold ideas, even those debated behind closed doors, can ultimately change the world of gaming.
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