Revolutionizing the Gaming Landscape: John Romero’s Artistic Origins and the Birth of DOOM

It’s an incredible privilege to share this interview with John Romero, an award-winning game designer, level designer and programmer whose work spans over 130 games, 107 of which have been published commercially, including the iconic works Wolfenstein 3D, DOOM and Quake. In this personal interview, the Legendary Game Developer and Co-Founder of id Software John Romero shares the inspiration for his first book DOOM Guy: Life in First Person. John briefly shares the story of his humble beginnings, the challenges he had to overcome, the passion that drove his creativity and advice to anyone struggling with becoming a professional artist. A copy of the book can be purchased here: If anyone is equipped to give advice to professional artists on how to succeed – be it developing your own IP or starting your own VFX Studio – John would be THE person! John has co-founded eight successful game companies including the likes of id Software, Gazillion Entertainment and, most recently, Romero Games which celebrated its 7th anniversary in 2022. He is considered to be among the world’s top game designers, and his games have won well over 100 awards. One of the earliest indie developers, John began working in the game space in 1979 on mainframes before moving to the Apple II in 1982. He is a completely self-taught programmer, designer and artist, having drawn his inspirations from early Apple II programmers. He co-owns Romero Games. John’s autobiography DOOM Guy: Life in First Person is getting released in July 2023. Industry-redefining breakthroughs in design and tech during his 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 cofounder John Carmack. After years in the gaming spotlight, Romero is now telling his story—the whole story—shedding new light on the development of his games and his business partnerships, from the highest highs to the lowest lows, sharing insights about design, code, the industry, and his career right up to today. Sharing gratitude for a lifetime in games, Romero reveals the twists and turns that led him, ultimately, to be called DOOM Guy. “When people read this book, they’ll feel they can do the same thing that I did. There is nothing in it that’s magic,” John says in this clip. “If you want it, here is a story about how you can do it. You just have to start doing it.” Please check out this interview and John’s book! TARGETED PLAYLIST LINK: PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL: Listen to ALLAN McKAY’S PODCAST: Upload THE ULTIMATE DEMO REEL GUIDE by Allan McKay: PRODUCTIVE ARTIST GUIDEBOOK by Allan McKay: SAY HELLO ON SOCIAL MEDIA: • Instagram: • Facebook: • Twitter: • Website: YOUTUBE URL: VIDEO HASHTAGS: #allanmckay, #VFX, #BrandingforArtists