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  • Doom Guy

  • Life in First Person
  • By: John Romero
  • Narrated by: John Romero
  • Length: 17 hrs and 4 mins
  • 5.0 out of 5 stars (29 ratings)

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Doom Guy

By: John Romero
Narrated by: John Romero
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Publisher's Summary

The inspiring autobiography of video game designer and DOOM cocreator John Romero

Doom Guy: Life in First Person is the long-awaited autobiography of gaming’s original rock star and the cocreator of DOOM, Quake, and Wolfenstein—some of the most recognizable and important titles in video game history. Credited with the invention of the first-person shooter, a genre that continues to dominate the market today, he is gaming royalty.

Told in remarkable detail, a byproduct of his hyperthymesia, Romero recounts his storied career—from his early days submitting Apple II code to computer magazines and sneaking computers out of the back door of his day job to do programming projects at night in his garage to a high-profile falling out with his id Software cofounder John Carmack, as well as his continued role in the gaming industry today as the managing director of Romero Games Ltd.

His story is truly one of a self-made man, founding multiple companies after a childhood filled with violence and abuse drove him to video game design where he could create new worlds and places to escape to. An alcoholic father, a racist grandfather who did not approve of Romero’s parents’ mixed-race coupling, and a grandmother who once ran a brothel in Mexico combine for an illuminating story of his youth—a story that has never before been revealed.

After years in the gaming spotlight, Romero is now telling his story—the whole story—in his own words.

©2023 Alfonso Romero. Published in 2023 by Abrams Press, an imprint of ABRAMS, New York. All rights reserved. (P)2023 Blackstone Publishing

What listeners say about Doom Guy

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Great insights into one of the fathers of fps

This was an absolute delight to listen to from such a humble man. couldn't stop listing to it. Well worth it!!

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interesting, authentic, and inspiring

Provides a peek into Romeo's life, the type of person he is and how he approached some of the many situations he's encountered as a gaming enthusiast, developer, colleague, friend, and public figure. I'm looking forward to whatever may be on the horizon from Romeo, whenever that may be.

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Incredible listen for any doom quake or Keen fan

Great listen as a Doom myself fan could not bring myself to press pause (not the childhood I was expecting for John Romero) interesting to learn his game dev origin story

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I didn't expect that

I've been a long-term fan of id software games from the first commander keen game I played at a friend's house through wolfenstein 3d onto the most exciting Doom! It has been fascinating hearing all of the twists and turns of John's life and what brought him to be the developer he is today. Hearing all about the development of some of my favourite games while I was growing up has been thoroughly enjoyable and having John himself read his book to me has only added to my enjoyment. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of id software games or even has a passing interest in game development. John's drive and determination is inspiring and makes me wish I had a role model like him in my earlier years.

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Bug fixes

John's natural flair for storytelling brings a great new light to his past adventures. As a reader, I loved this. As a gamer, I loved this. As a developer, I loved this and as a former quake modder, I LOVED this. A great journey told by a really cool guy. I'll be buying a hardcopy for the bookshelf.

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Worth a listen!

Fantastic listen, it reminds me of the Social Network with the corporate intrigue of Id and Ion Storm and it was revealing to hear the circumstances John Romero was able to rise from to become the man writing this book.

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