Overview of the Ongoing Debate
- John Romero challenges Sandy Petersen’s assertion regarding the original backstory of Doom, attributing its authorship to Tom Hall.
- Romero clarifies that Kevin Cloud crafted the Doom manual, which incorporated Hall’s narrative.
- The discourse surrounding Doom’s developmental history remains contentious, with ongoing exchanges between Romero and Petersen on social media.
Doom, a landmark first-person shooter released in the early 1990s, has left an indelible mark on the gaming landscape. Crafted by a team including John Romero and John Carmack, the game not only revolutionized gameplay mechanics but also set the precedent for future titles in the genre. As the controversy surrounding Doom’s origin stories resurfaced, Romero sought to clarify historical inaccuracies regarding its development and narrative.
Recently, Romero took to Twitter to counter claims made by former id Software colleague Sandy Petersen regarding the authorship of Doom’s backstory. Petersen had responded to a meme critiquing the simplicity of the original lore, suggesting that he had a hand in the narrative’s creation. In a pointed yet professional manner, Romero refuted Petersen’s assertion, emphasizing that Tom Hall was the true author of the original narrative.
John Romero Challenges Petersen’s Claims About Doom’s Backstory
Hello again, Sandy. This post isn’t accurate. Kevin Cloud wrote the DOOM manual on NeXTSTEP.@ThatTomHall wrote the original story which Kevin summarized on the entirety of page 1 of the DOOM manual.https://t.co/wunyqHRgyn — John Romero 🤘🏻 (@romero) February 28, 2025
In his explanation, Romero noted that Kevin Cloud was the individual responsible for authoring the Doom manual on NeXTSTEP, which succinctly outlined the game’s backstory within its first page. This conversation is not just a debate over authorship; it reflects Romero’s dedication to preserving the integrity of video game history.
Romero further elaborated in subsequent posts, expressing his concern about the importance of accurate historical representation in gaming. He criticized Petersen’s statements as attempts to “retcon”credit that rightfully belonged to others, reinforcing the significance of recognizing the original creators.
Despite the ongoing disputes regarding its narrative and authorship, the allure of Doom continues to resonate with players. Recently, the iconic game has been updated across various platforms, enhancing gameplay with features like multiplayer and mod support. Whether John Romero and Sandy Petersen can reconcile their differences remains uncertain, but the discussions around Doom highlight its lasting impact on the gaming community.
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