Latest news with #JohnRomero
Digital Trends
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
Romero Games' cancelled title might not be dead yet
In the wake of Microsoft's layoffs and studio closures last week, rumors circulated that Romero Games — the studio founded by Doom creator John Romero — had also shut down after funding for its still-untitled game was pulled. Those rumors are false, and the studio is still alive and kicking, even if it isn't out of the woods yet. Romero Games shared an update on its social media accounts late yesterday afternoon that the studio 'is not closed, and [they] are doing everything in [their] power to ensure it does not come to that.' Perhaps more exciting is the possibility that the cancelled game still has a lifeline. Recommended Videos 'We've been contacted by several publishers interested in helping us bring the game across the finish line, and we're currently evaluating those opportunities,' the message reads. The original publisher pulled funding last week, and Romero Games cannot publicly state who that publisher was due to confidentiality agreements. Considering funding vanished after Microsoft announced thousands of layoffs, you can make an educated guess. John Romero added his own comment to the statement, saying 'Tl;dr – This is a team and a game worth fighting for.' While there is some small hope for the game to continue, the studio saw the loss of multiple members (as reported by various social media announcements) and now says it has to 'reassess the entire staffing of our studio.' It is unclear what that means. In its original announcement, the studio said its members were 'heartbroken that it's come to this.' Some of team had worked together for more than 20 years. Next to nothing is known about the game, but it comes from an impressive pedigree. The announcement that other studios are interested in potentially funding it is a flicker of good news — something much needed in an industry that has seen so many jobs lost and livelihoods disrupted.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Romero Games says reports of its death are greatly exaggerated
It appeared that Romero Games might have shuttered as a consequence of the sweeping job cuts at Microsoft last week, but the studio is still alive and kicking. In to a post on Bluesky, the company clarified that its latest project is currently canceled after its funding was pulled. The post doesn't name the publisher due to confidentiality agreements, but it sure seems like Microsoft was the purse behind the new game. Losing the money hasn't also meant that Romero Games is closing its doors, but the next steps will be difficult ones for the team. "We now have to reassess the entire staffing of our studio," the post reads. The canceled project was billed on Romero Games' website as a first-person shooter with a brand new, original intellectual property. It may eventually find new life with a new backer. "We've been contacted by several publishers interested in helping us bring the game across the finish line, and we're currently evaluating those opportunities," the company said. Romero Games was founded in 2014 by storied game designers John and Brenda Romero.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Xbox was funding Romero Games' new game, but layoffs have left the project in crisis
Microsoft was rocked by more than 9,000 job cuts this week. A significant number have come from its gaming division, resulting in the closure of multiple game studios and the cancellation of numerous in-development projects at Xbox and its contracted studios. We've already learned that Microsoft has closed the studio that was developing the much-anticipated Perfect Dark reboot, and Rare's Everwild has also been sunsetted. And now Romero Games — the studio headed up by Doom creator and veteran developer John Romero — is another major casualty of the sweeping cuts. The news was initially confirmed in a statement signed by Brenda Romero and posted on X. "Last night, we learned that our publisher has canceled funding for our game along with several other unannounced projects at other studios," it said. "This was a strategic decision made at a high level within the publisher, well above our visibility or control." It went on to say that the studio was powerless to change the outcome, and that the decision was not reflective of the quality of work its team has produced. Ireland-based Romero Games is not owned by Microsoft, but it appears the company's financial support was crucial to keeping the studio alive — a fact that wasn't publicly known until the shutdown occurred. IGN is now reporting that the entire Romero Games workforce has been let go, and many Romero Games employees confirm on Linkedin that they no longer have jobs. According to the company website, Romero Games was founded by John and Brenda Romero in 2014, and had more than 100 developers on its staff. Its most recent release was 2023's Sigil II, the unofficial sixth episode in the Doom series, which John Romero co-created in 1993 with id Software, the studio he also co-founded. The upcoming game was described by Romero Games as an "all-new FPS with an original, new IP working with a major publisher."
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Xbox was funding Romero Games' new game, but layoffs have left the project in crisis
Microsoft was rocked by more than 9,000 job cuts this week. A significant number have come from its gaming division, resulting in the closure of multiple game studios and the cancellation of numerous in-development projects at Xbox and its contracted studios. We've already learned that Microsoft has closed the studio that was developing the much-anticipated Perfect Dark reboot, and Rare's Everwild has also been sunsetted. And now Romero Games — the studio headed up by Doom creator and veteran developer John Romero — is another major casualty of the sweeping cuts. The news was initially confirmed in a statement signed by Brenda Romero and posted on X. "Last night, we learned that our publisher has canceled funding for our game along with several other unannounced projects at other studios," it said. "This was a strategic decision made at a high level within the publisher, well above our visibility or control." It went on to say that the studio was powerless to change the outcome, and that the decision was not reflective of the quality of work its team has produced. Ireland-based Romero Games is not owned by Microsoft, but it appears the company's financial support was crucial to keeping the studio alive — a fact that wasn't publicly known until the shutdown occurred. IGN is now reporting that the entire Romero Games workforce has been let go, and many Romero Games employees confirm on Linkedin that they no longer have jobs. According to the company website, Romero Games was founded by John and Brenda Romero in 2014, and had more than 100 developers on its staff. Its most recent release was 2023's Sigil II, the unofficial sixth episode in the Doom series, which John Romero co-created in 1993 with id Software, the studio he also co-founded. The upcoming game was described by Romero Games as an "all-new FPS with an original, new IP working with a major publisher."
Time of India
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'SHOCK WAVES' as Doom creator John Romero announces job cuts, says: Breaks my heart to say that Romero Games fell victim to Microsoft layoffs ...
Romero Games , the studio co-founded by industry legends Brenda and John Romero , has been forced to lay off staff following a sudden decision by their publisher, Microsoft, to cancel an unannounced game. The husband-and-wife duo, known for popular titles like Doom, Quake, and Empire of Sin, confirmed the layoffs but did not disclose the number of employees affected or the specific project that was shelved. The news comes amid Microsoft's announcement of 9,100 layoffs across its gaming divisions, impacting studios such as Raven Software (Call of Duty), Turn 10 (Forza), Rare's Everwild team, and King (Candy Crush). The abrupt cancellation and job cuts have sent shockwaves through the gaming community, with fans and industry peers mourning the loss of what many believed was a promising project from the storied studio. Neither Romero Games nor Microsoft has provided further details about the canceled title. Romero Games' employee 'identifies' Microsoft Microsoft also canceled Perfect Dark and shuttered its developer, The Initiative. An employee at Romero Games, speaking anonymously to GamesBeat, identified Microsoft as the publisher behind the canceled title. 'It's a very sad day,' the employee shared in a statement. 'Romero Games fell victim to the Microsoft layoffs . This was the best team I've ever worked with and my dream job, gone just like that. It was a great project, and it's heartbreaking to see it end. It's nothing less than tragic.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo John Romero took to Twitter to express his sorrow, writing, 'These people are the best I've ever worked with, and I'm sorry to say that our game and our studio were also affected.' On LinkedIn, he praised the laid-off employees, urging other studios to hire them. Brenda Romero's complete statement on Twitter 'We have some difficult news to share. Last night, we learned that our publisher has canceled funding for our game along with several other unannounced projects at other studios. This was a strategic decision made at a high level within the publisher, well above our visibility or control. We deeply wish there had been something, anything, we could have done to prevent this outcome. This absolutely isn't a reflection of our team's work, performance, or the quality of the project itself. We hit every milestone on time, every time, consistently received high praise and easily passed all our internal gates. We are incredibly proud of the work being done, and of the talented team behind it. The best we've worked with. We're currently evaluating next steps and working quickly to support our team. Many of us have worked together for more than a decade, some for over 20 years. It's an extremely difficult day, and we're heartbroken that it's come to this. If you know of any opportunities or ways you can help our incredible team, please reach out. Thank you to everyone who's offered support and kindness and encouragement during this difficult time.' AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
