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Episode 412 — John Romero – Legendary Game Designer / Creator of DOOM and Co-Founder of id Software
John Romero is an award-winning game designer, level designer and programmer whose work spans over 130 games, 107 of which have been published commercially, including the iconic works Wolfenstein 3D, DOOM and Quake. He has worked in the mobile, hardcore, mid-core, casual and MMO space.
John has co-founded eight successful game companies including the likes of id Software, Gazillion Entertainment and, most recently, Romero Games which celebrated its 7th anniversary in 2022. He is considered to be among the world’s top game designers, and his games have won well over 100 awards.
One of the earliest indie developers, John began working in the game space in 1979 on mainframes before moving to the Apple II in 1982. He is a completely self-taught programmer, designer and artist, having drawn his inspirations from early Apple II programmers. He co-owns Romero Games.
John’s autobiography DOOM Guy: Life in First Person is getting released in July 2023. Industry-redefining breakthroughs in design and tech during his time at id Software made DOOM and Quake cultural phenomena, and this thrilling story recounts every step of the process, from collaborative, heavy metal–fueled days spent crafting the industry’s most revolutionary and cutting-edge games to a high-profile falling-out with id cofounder John Carmack. After years in the gaming spotlight, Romero is now telling his story—the whole story—shedding new light on the development of his games and his business partnerships, from the highest highs to the lowest lows, sharing insights about design, code, the industry, and his career right up to today. Sharing gratitude for a lifetime in games, Romero reveals the twists and turns that led him, ultimately, to be called DOOM Guy. A copy of the book can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.com/Doom-Guy-Life-First-Person/dp/141975811X.
In this Podcast, Allan McKay interviews John Romero, the legendary Creator of DOOM and Co-Creator of id Software, about his start as a programmer, overcoming life struggles, getting his start as a programmer, launching id Software and the success of Commander Keen, the cultural impact of DOOM, transitioning to 3D – and the release of his first autobiography DOOM Guy: Life in First Person.
John Romero’s Website: https://romero.com/bios
Romero Games Website: https://romerogames.com
DOOM Guy: Life in First Person on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Doom-Guy-Life-First-Person/dp/141975811X
John Romero on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0739450/
John Romero on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Romero666
John Romero on Twitter: @romero
John Romero on IG: @theromero
EPISODE 412 — LEGENDARY GAME DESIGNER / CREATOR OF DOOM & CO-FOUNDER OF ID SOFTWARE
Hello, everyone! This is Allan McKay.
Welcome to Episode 412! I’m really excited to be sitting down with John Romero, one of the original Creators of the game DOOM in 1993. His company id Software revolutionized the game industry with its first shooter games like DOOM, Quake and Wolfenstein. John Romero is a very iconic name in our industry. He has a book coming out called DOOM Guy: Life in First Person.
This interview is meant to honor John and the contribution he’s made to the game industry, as well as pushing the limits of technology. John and I talk about:
- Starting Out in Comic Books;
- Getting into Games as a Programmer;
- Why Ignorance is Bliss;
- The Death of the Arcade Games;
- Launching id Software and the Success of Commander Keen;
- Genre-Changing Video Games of Wolfenstein 3D;
- The History of DOOM Creation – and Its Reception;
- The Cultural Impact of DOOM;
- Transitioning from 2D to 3D in Quake;
- The Mod Community and the Creativity Inspired by Quake;
- Collaborating with John Carmack;
- Inspiration for DOOM Guy: Life in First Person;
- Overcoming Life’s Struggles, Including Self-Doubt;
- And so much more!
Please take a moment to share this Episode with others.
I’m excited to get into this Episode, so –
Let’s dive in!
FIRST THINGS FIRST:
[01:23] Have you ever sent in your reel and wondered why you didn’t get the callback or what the reason was you didn’t get the job? Over the past 20 years of working for studios like ILM, Blur Studio, Ubisoft, I’ve built hundreds of teams and hired hundreds of artists — and reviewed thousands of reels! That’s why I decided to write The Ultimate Demo Reel Guide from the perspective of someone who actually does the hiring. You can get this book for free right now at www.allanmckay.com/myreel!
[55:54] One of the biggest problems we face as artists is figuring out how much we’re worth. I’ve put together a website. Check it out: www.VFXRates.com! This is a chance for you to put in your level of experience, your discipline, your location — and it will give you an accurate idea what you and everyone else in your discipline should be charging. Check it out: www.VFXRates.com!
Okay, what did you think? I’d like to thank John Romero for joining the Podcast. It was an absolute honor.
If you’d like to support this Podcast, please take a second to share this Episode.
Next week, I’m interviewing Barnstorm Co-Founder and CEO Cory Jamieson and Co-Founder and COO Lawson Deming. I always find that studio Founders have a very specific outlook on the industry.
Until then –
Rock on!
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