When Microsoft and Xbox held its wave of mass layoffs in July, one studio that was impacted in a major way Romero Games. Founded by the creator of Doom and founder of Id Software, John Romero, Romero Games had a publisher agreement with Xbox on a new title.
That agreement was ultimately canceled over the summer, with the future of Romero Games left up in the air. At one point there were even rumors of the studio being shut down due to the funding being pulled, but that was denied and Romero Games moved forward.
Fast-forward to December, and Romero confirmed that not only is the studio moving forward, but it’s working on a new game. But what about the game that was in development. Up until now, information has been scarce. However, Insider Gaming has learned a few details about what the game was.
As first reported on Episode 44 of Insider Gaming Weekly, the game was known at one point as “Hellslayer” and centered around the idea of a priest fighting demons. It was also set to be a first-person shooter that had inspiration from games like Hotline Miami in the sense that if you die, you would instantly restart the area. Sources say that it was a game that had been in the works for nearly a decade, but has been ended in its current state to move forward with a new project.
The upcoming game is a “completely redesigned” title that takes elements from the original game. At a panel in early December, Romero said that the new project wasn’t being started from scratch, but it will still be a “different game” than what was first planned.
Insider Gaming has learned of some of those features, but to protect the source, can’t divulge them publicly at this time. Romero said that the new game was something he never played before, but if you were a fan of the older Id Software titles, you’ll likely enjoy many of the features of the new title if and when it’s finally revealed to the world.
What do you think about Romero Studio’s old game and hope to see from the in-development title? Leave your thoughts down below and join the discussion in the official Insider Gaming Discord server.
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Skydance should pick it up