The iconic first-person shooter, Doom, continues to be a topic of discussion, not just for its revolutionary gameplay, but also for its historical significance.  Recently, a debate sparked between two key figures from its development: John Romero and Sandy Petersen, regarding the authorship of the game’s original backstory.

The disagreement began with a meme criticizing the simplicity of the original Doom lore compared to its modern counterpart.  Petersen defended the original lore and claimed credit for its creation. However, Romero quickly refuted this claim on Twitter, attributing the backstory to id Software co-founder Tom Hall.

Romero further clarified that Kevin Cloud penned the Doom manual on NeXTSTEP, which included a summary of the backstory on the first page. Petersen countered, arguing he wrote the two-sentence backstory in the manual because he lacked access to the Doom Bible.  Romero, however, denies this account.

This isn't the first time Romero has addressed inaccuracies surrounding Doom’s development.  In a subsequent tweet, he stressed the critical importance of preserving video game history, especially for a landmark title like Doom. He characterized Petersen’s claims as an attempt to rewrite history and claim credit for another’s work.

The ongoing discussion underscores the importance of accurate record-keeping and attribution in the video game industry, particularly as classic titles regain popularity. While players continue to enjoy the revitalized Doom experience with updated features like multiplayer and mod support, the debate over its backstory continues.

Romero's dedication to correcting the record highlights the passion and dedication behind the creation of this groundbreaking game.  It also serves as a reminder that video game history, like any historical narrative, deserves careful preservation and accurate representation.