John Romero behind new Facebook game
Doom co-creator emerges from wilderness.
John Romero, the co-creator of seminal shooters Doom, Quake and Wolfenstein, has emerged from the videogame wilderness with a Facebook app.
It's called Ravenwood Fair, and it's a bit like FrontierVille. It's published by the wonderfully-named LOLapps, according to VentureBeat. Screens are below. Isn't it cute?
Romero acted as a consultant on the game. It is the first game Romero has worked on that has been released in years.
Romero co-founded id Software with John Carmack, Adrian Carmack and Tom Hall, and designed some of the most influential games of all time.
Romero left to start Ion Storm and created the controversial Daikatana. In 1997 Romero appeared on an advert for the game, which said: "John Romero's About To Make You His Bitch....Suck it down." That didn't go down well, and some 10 years later Romero apologised to fans for it.
He then went on to found mobile game developer Monkeystone Games. After leaving that company, he joined Midway Games in 2003. He left two years later.
In 2005 Romero co-founded Slipgate Ironworks – now part of Gazillion Entertainment - and began work on an unnamed massively multiplayer online game. We haven't heard anything about it since.
According to Gazillion's website, Slipgate Ironworks is "currently developing an MMO based on an original IP for a worldwide audience".
Slipgate's website divulges a bit more info. It reads: "The game details are not currently being disclosed, but the project is major in scope and is being designed for a worldwide audience.
"Slipgate's senior team is comprised of alums from Blizzard, Electronic Arts, id Software, Cryptic, Crystal Dynamics, Rockstar, Sony Online Entertainment, SCEA and others. The company is developing a number of gameplay innovations and is seeking to expand its roster of high quality staff across all disciplines. To learn more, qualified candidates are encouraged to apply."