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When Microsoft and its Xbox gaming arm implemented a wave of layoffs last July, one of those directly affected was Romero Games, a studio founded by industry legend John Romero, co-creator of DOOM and co-founder of id Software.
At that time, the studio was working on a new game with funding and a publishing agreement with Xbox, but this agreement was canceled during the summer, which put the future of Romero Games in an uncertain situation, and rumors spread at the time about the possibility of closing the studio completely after the withdrawal of funding, but this news was later denied and the team confirmed that it would continue to work.
By December, Romero came out to officially confirm that the studio had not only survived, but was already working on a new game, but the fate of the previous project remained a mystery… until now.
The canceled project was at one point known as Hellslayer and revolved around a priest fighting demons in a first-person shooter. According to sources, the game took some of its inspiration from titles like Hotline Miami, especially the quick retry mechanic where death results in an instant replay of the same area without long loading screens.
Hellslayer was reportedly in development for nearly 10 years before being shelved in its current form in order to move forward with a new project.
According to Romero, the upcoming game is a complete redesign that utilizes some of the ideas from the old project, but it will be a different experience than what was originally planned. During a panel discussion earlier in December, Romero explained that the new project will have a familiar spirit for fans of classic id Software games, but at the same time it will offer something he has never played before.
In the end, Hellslayer represents an unfinished chapter in John Romero’s career, but at the same time, it’s a springboard for a new title that may carry on the legacy of the past with a different spirit, pending an official reveal in the future.
