Bobby Prince, the composer behind DOOM‘s iconic soundtrack, has passed away at 81, leaving a lasting mark on video game music.
Prince’s family confirmed that he passed away on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. While he was best known for his work on DOOM, he also worked on the soundtracks for the Duke Nukem and Wolfenstein franchises.
His obituary was shared on Legacy and touted his innovative work in the field: “Through his compositions and sound design for landmark titles including Doom, Doom II, Wolfenstein 3D, Rise of the Triad, and Duke Nukem 3D, Bobby helped establish video game music as a respected art form. In 2005, the Video Game Industry honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2026, the soundtrack to the original Doom was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress, ensuring that his groundbreaking work would remain part of America’s cultural heritage for generations to come.”
Tributes to DOOM Composer Bobby Prince
Following his passing, many in the industry paid tribute to Bobby Prince. Among those who came out to comment was Tom Hall, co-founder of id Software. Hall remembered Prince as a legendary musician and a fun-loving man.
“RIP Bobby Prince. His music legacy will live on, making inspired music for Commander Keen, Wolfenstein 3D, DOOM, countless others. A true legend. And such a nice man, great musician, wonderful, fun-loving man, nothing but happy memories of him. A loss to the world,” He wrote on Bluesky.
Also, Lee Jackson, the individual who worked with Prince on Duke Nukem 3D and Rise of the Triad, posted on Bluesky to recall those moments and praise the composer as a teacher and friend.
“We worked together so well on Duke Nukem 3D that we could anticipate what the other was going to do next. If it weren’t for him, I’d probably be stuck in a tech room somewhere still. Au revoir, Bobby. You’re definitely missed,” he wrote.
Insider Gaming sends its condolences to Prince’s family, friends, and fans. What was your favorite DOOM track? Sound off about this story and all others in our official Discord server.
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