John Romero, co-creator of Doom and Quake, has announced that his studio's canceled first-person shooter project is back on track following a complete redesign. The unnamed game, impacted by earlier funding cuts, is now a smaller indie title incorporating elements from its original concept. Romero shared these updates at Salón del Videojuego de Madrid, hinting at innovative gameplay inspired by Elden Ring.
Romero Games' Shooter Revival
John Romero, renowned for pioneering the first-person shooter genre with classics like Doom and Quake, revealed exciting news about his latest project during a panel at Salón del Videojuego de Madrid on December 10, 2025. Earlier this year, Romero Games announced the cancellation of its upcoming FPS due to a publisher pulling funding amid Microsoft's widespread layoffs. While Microsoft was not explicitly named, the timing aligned with broader industry cutbacks that affected multiple studios.
Project Redesign and Survival
Despite the setback, Romero confirmed the project has "survived cancellation" and undergone a thorough redesign. "We're not starting at ground zero," Romero stated. "We can take pieces out of and put into a brand-new indie game. We have a lot of stuff we can put in the game. The design is completely different, but the team is very excited about the new design."
The revamped game is now positioned as a smaller-scale indie effort, allowing the core team—comprising directors from various departments—to take direct control over development. This shift has made the process "more fun," according to Romero, as it lets them focus on what they do best without external constraints.
Gameplay Tease and Inspirations
Romero remained cryptic about specifics but emphasized its novelty: "I've never played a game like it." He drew parallels to Elden Ring, noting, "The things that you do in it will be new to people, the way that going through Elden Ring was a really new experience... That's the idea behind what we are doing in this game."
The studio itself endured the layoffs, unlike some Microsoft-internal projects such as Perfect Dark and Everwild, which were fully canceled. Romero Games is now seeking or has secured a new publisher to bring this innovative shooter to life, promising fresh mechanics in the FPS space.
This development underscores Romero's enduring influence in gaming, building on his Lifetime Achievement Award from GDC 2023.
