John Romero, gaming’s original rock star, is the co-creator of DOOM, Quake, and Wolfenstein 3-D, some of the biggest video games of all time. Considered the godfather of the first-person shooter, a genre that continues to dominate the market today, he holds a unique place in gaming history.
Industry-redefining breakthroughs in design and tech during Romero’s 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 co-founder John Carmack.
Now, Romero has shared his story in his new book, DOOM Guy: Life in First Person, where he chronicles, for the first time, his difficult childhood and storied career, beginning with his early days submitting Apple II game code to computer magazines and sneaking computers out the back door of his day job to write code at night. John was generous to discuss his life and the book with Forces of Geek.
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FOG!: As the co-creator of some of the biggest video games of all time including DOOM, Quake, and Wolfenstein 3-D, you’ve now written your autobiography, DOOM Guy. What was the genesis of writing this now in your life
John Romero: I was at a conference a couple years ago and instead of talking about one of my games, they wanted me to talk about my life and how I came to be the person who made Wolf3D, DOOM, Quake, etc. So, I created that talk and gave it at the conference. The audience was shocked and surprised at the content — after the talk some people told me they never knew that information and that I should put it in a book. It felt that it was the right time to write that book, so I started on it.
You have hyperthymesia, which gives you essentially an autobiographical memory. This allowed you to retain a significant amount of code, but also, provide a pretty thorough recall when writing this book. Describe what it feels like being able to go back in time and remember every aspect of your experiences from long ago. Are your memories linked to emotions, or does it present itself as just data?
My memories are usually as plain as day, and easily recalled. Some of them are woven into music and code, too. It’s great to be able to remember so many moments in time and recall them for people who were there but don’t remember anymore. It’s also helpful for game design purposes because I will remember specific things about lots of past games that might be applicable in a different way to something I’m making. I find it very useful.
You’ve worked in the video game industry for over thirty years and have been interested in them since the late Seventies. Since then, games have become multi-billion dollar franchises and have permeated the mass audience. Was this a future you saw at a certain point, or do you think that we’re still early in its evolution as a form of entertainment?
The game industry is younger than the film industry, but it’s evolving faster and becoming more powerful and pervasive. Games are everywhere now. I never thought about the future of the game industry in monetary terms—I just felt that it was going to be something that never went away, and I wanted to be part of it.
When discussing your background, the book is brutally raw. Thank you for being so honest. Was writing this book cathartic?
It was work finding the right words to describe the things that happened when I was young, but I believed it was important to share my story so kids in a similar situation could see themselves and that there is always a path out of that situation. Even if they follow my example, they will be better off.
As an iconic creator of first person shooters, do you think that they have been unfairly blamed as a cause or a trigger for real life violence?
Sure, there was some early finger-pointing at games, but over the past 30 years many studies have proved there is no link between violent video games and real-life violence. In fact, some studies have shown that older consoles sold into poor neighborhoods has decreased the crime rate in those neighborhoods because the consoles kept those people off the street and in the living room.
I know you’re currently working on a new game and are living in Galway, Ireland. What motivated your move overseas and looking back, what is your favorite thing about the game industry?
In 2014 my wife Brenda won a Fulbright Scholar award to study the Irish game industry and ecosystem in order to write a report for the Irish government with recommendations on how to improve the sector. We spent three months driving all over the country, talking to so many different people. After we were done we decided we wanted to move to this amazing country, so we did.
With the success of HBO’s adaptation of ‘The Last of Us’, and the care they put into keeping the game true to the videogame source material, what game series do you think would benefit from a movie or TV adaptation that is as respectful to the source material? Are any of your games that you’d like to see adapted?
DOOM, for sure. Then Wolfenstein 3D would be great — both have rich backstories and worlds.
Do you still play games at all for enjoyment? What are your five favorite games of all time?
Of all time: World of Warcraft, Ghost Recon series, Minecraft, Age of Empires II, and Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
DOOM Guy: Life in First Person is available now bookstores and via e-tailers.
