‘I Have Never Played a Game Like This Before’: DOOM Creator John Romero Says His Next Shooter Aims for Elden Ring Level Innovation
The future of Romero Games is looking far brighter than it did earlier this year. After a turbulent period marked by widespread layoffs across Xbox’s first party studios which impacted projects such as Perfect Dark, ZeniMax Online’s unannounced MMORPG, and several others the next game from DOOM creator John Romero was believed to be another casualty. However, Romero has now confirmed that the project has been saved, albeit in a redesigned form, and he claims it will deliver an experience unlike anything he has ever played.
Speaking at the Salón del Videojuego de Madrid 2025, Romero revealed during an interview captured by Andrés De Pedro Álvarez that although the original version of the project was cancelled, the studio continued development and reshaped the game into something new while retaining key ideas from the earlier concept. He emphasized that even with its smaller scope, the game remains deeply innovative and incorporates systems and gameplay elements that he believes players have never seen in a shooter.
Romero went as far as comparing the sense of discovery and novelty to FromSoftware’s acclaimed Elden Ring. “The things that you do in it will be new to people, the way that going through Elden Ring was a really new experience,” he said. Coming from one of the original architects of the first person shooter genre responsible for Wolfenstein 3D, DOOM, and Quake such a comparison carries significant weight.
A second community uploaded clip shows Romero reinforcing his excitement for the project’s new direction. While he avoided sharing concrete details, the tone of his comments suggests that Romero Games is pushing toward an experimental approach that blends shooter fundamentals with fresh interactive mechanics.
The revival of the project is encouraging but not entirely unexpected. After news of the original cancellation surfaced, Romero Games publicly confirmed that the studio remained operational and was exploring deals with new publishing partners. With the redesigned project now officially moving forward, anticipation is building for the first reveal of what could be one of the most creatively ambitious shooters in years.
What do you think John Romero’s new shooter could introduce that feels as groundbreaking as Elden Ring? Share your theories.
