Legendary game developer John Romero’s studio has hit a major roadblock. Romero Games, based in Galway, Ireland, recently laid off most of its staff and canceled its current game project after losing crucial publisher support. Despite these dramatic changes, the studio itself has not shut down.
The company, co-founded by DOOM creator John Romero and industry veteran Brenda Romero, confirmed that while most employees have been let go, the studio continues to operate with its founders at the helm. This downsizing comes after their publisher suddenly pulled funding for an unannounced game that was reportedly a first-person shooter built in Unreal Engine 5.
“Several publishers interested in helping us bring the game across the finish line,” Romero Games stated in an official announcement. This glimmer of hope suggests the canceled project might still have a future if new funding can be secured.
Romero Games is best known for Empire of Sin, a 1920s strategy RPG published by Paradox Interactive. The studio has also worked on various remasters and DOOM WADs like SIGIL. Before things went south, the company had been expanding and actively recruiting talent for its new project.
Industry insiders say that publisher interest at this stage could range from simply headhunting the laid-off talent to genuine interest in funding the completion of the game. However, any new publishing deal would probably come with tough financial terms, given the project’s troubled history.
