Former Doom Devs Confirm Romero Games Is “Not Closed” Despite Game Cancelation

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Contrary to some speculations and news items suggesting otherwise, it’s important to clarify that Romero Games remains active. However, the team is currently undergoing a process of reevaluating their workforce within the studio.

Romero Games, led by industry veterans John and Brenda Romero, was in the midst of creating their newest game when, unexpectedly, their publisher withdrew financing last week, leading to the termination of the project and uncertainty about Romero Games’ upcoming plans. On July 7, Romero Games posted a statement on their social media platforms to address the questions arising from the cancellation and clarify their future direction.

Update (July 7, 2025)

— Romero Games Ltd. (@romerogamesltd) July 7, 2025

Last week, a brief announcement was made stating that the team’s project suffered a financial setback, leaving them in a challenging predicament. Although Romero Games can’t disclose the specific publisher who withdrew their funding, due to the circumstances surrounding the agreement, many speculate it was Microsoft, given the recent layoffs and project cancellations at various Xbox studios. The team’s post hints that some may deduce the publisher’s identity from publicly available information.

Although there’s some positive news, it’s been mentioned that parties have contacted Romero Games with the possibility of completing the game. Importantly, it’s confirmed that Romero Games remains operational, and their team was in the studio as late as July 7 to explore future options.

Since its founding in 2015, Romero Games has produced several games, including mods like Sigil and Sigil II that continue the storyline of DOOM, a pioneering first-person shooter which John Romero contributed to while at id Software. Their latest project was Empire of Sin, a strategy game based in the Prohibition era, published by Paradox Interactive. Prior to what appears to be a halt in development due to Microsoft’s actions, they were working on another first-person shooter.

Just last week, Microsoft carried out another large-scale round of job cuts, ultimately leading to the shutdown of The Initiative and the termination of projects such as Perfect Dark and a new MMO from the developers behind Elder Scrolls Online. It’s estimated that these cuts will affect around 9,000 employees across Microsoft’s various ventures, with many teams under the Xbox brand, including Forza Motorsport developer Turn 10, feeling the brunt of these layoffs.

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2025-07-08 01:09