If this game flops, what does that mean for Id and Doom?

[doom_is_great]

I am not trying to be negative about the game or trying to jinx it. I am actually just discussing a hypothetical here. If this game doesn't deliver critically and financially, what does that mean for Id and Doom? Are they done for?

This is what I think. Judging by what happened after Rage, there could be some consequences if this game doesn't deliver. If worst comes to worst, I think that Id will finally be completely disbanded or just reduced to a tech studio. However, I don't think that Id's IPs will be shelved and left to rot for the rest of eternity. DOOM, Quake, and Wolfenstein are just too big of names to sit on and do nothing with. Zenimax or Bethesda will probably assign other studios to develop games for those IPs and we will still get DOOM, Quake, and Wolfenstein sequels. How they will be or by whom they would be made is anyone's guess.

One thing is for certain. No matter what the future DOOM games will be like, hard core DOOM fans will hate them because they aren't exactly like the originals.

Anyway, any other thoughts on this?

[SavageCorona]

They'll probably get other devs to make their games like they already did with Wolfenstein and slap their name on it since they own the IP.

[Kaskaum]

It's the end of id. I hope at least it gets Doom 3 level of sales. But based of some forums, the players had mixed feelings. The hardcore Doom fans are disappointed because it is not a copy and paste of Doom 1-2 in a new skin. New players have called it generic on other forums and there was the third part of the players that liked it, although didn't like the designs that look like aliens that came from Gears of War instead of demons.

[LANEGRACABRA]

I've seen more positive reactions than negative.

[Deleted_Account]

If this fails, than it's the end of the Doom series and id software will fade away into obscurity. And Doomworld will crumble, along with all the WADS and PWADS and whatnot. The rise of COD will take over and the whiny, impossible to please Doom community will be gone like tears in the rain.

[geo]

Well that Russian Doom flopped so hard it wasn't released and iD still gets to be iD.

The maps will keep it alive in the same way Fallout and Skyrim are kept alive.

[gamul312]

Probably means they'll fold up shop and have to go back to working at Softdisk again.

[Cupboard]

I've joked before that it will be id's epitaph, but since they are owned by zenimax, they are going to be kept around. They are going to swap out certain developers from time to time. id Software doesn't just die, they are always going to be around in some form or another. Too much brand recognition and their franchises are too awesome, they can keep releasing anniversary editions for years to come.

edit

[CyberDemonEmpress]

I think zenimax may shut them down. I hope that's not the case even if Doom 4 doesn't meet expectations. But it's been happening a lot lately.

[qdash]

End for id, nothing for Doom as IP. IMHO.

[printz]

Kaskaum said:

New players have called it generic on other forums

Well, Doom is pretty generic, or rather basic already, except for the demons/hell theme. Everyone should accept that Doom (including 3) is a plain shooter which doesn't fuss about much else.

[geo]

Yeah I kinda felt like the first level was generic in a way. The only real spice was molten metal. Generic as in perfect without flaws, the kind of perfect that comes with big money projects. Everything is new.

Maybe if they had rooms that looked lived in it would be less generic. Some guy's 1950s calendar. Newspaper clippings all over walls. A pizza box... but they wouldn't have any of that in a laboratory would they?

Red, blue and green lines to guide you to different sectors, signs that told you what department you're in. Maybe have the guard rails melted away, if not the floor melted away like the stairs are. It also looked very flat, but a facility like that would be flat.

Its the environment type that makes it look sterile and untouched. That's probably why Xenomorphs make resin to make a perfect area look different and alien to give the areas character.

There are all sorts of nuances with the first level.

[DoomUK]

Yeah I think this could be the final nail in Id's coffin if it flops... But it won't. I'm completely confident that Doom 4 is going to be popular, regardless of the most negative reaction on Doomworld.

[geo]

DoomUK said:

Yeah I think this could be the final nail in Id's coffin if it flops... But it won't. I'm completely confident that Doom 4 is going to be popular, regardless of the most negative reaction on Doomworld.

It seems like Doomworld is the only negative reaction I've found. I like it at least now at this point. Maybe the next corporate leaked video will look less desirable, but every video for Rage looked awesome and meaty. Then it was released...

[Kaskaum]

The remake that caused the biggest upheaval among gamers was the announcement of Final Fantasy VII for PS4. If has gotten more views than Uncharted 4 and the champion in neogaf when it comes to number of posts. And yet not a single second of gameplay was shown:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kznek1uNVsg

It was a 100% hit among gaf users especially when gamers have been masturbating and dreaming about a FFVII remake since PS2 era, while Doom reboot had mixed feelings over there, but people are still optimistic.

[Fulgrim]

If Doom 4 does flop, I don't see Id developing another game in-house for a while at the least. This is the first Id developed game since Rage and expectations are pretty high. So, of Doom does flop, it will definitely do some damage.

[ChickenOrBeef]

I was hoping that the full reveal would generate a lot of hype for the game, but it seems the hype levels have stayed about the same. It doesn't look like Doom 4 has enough interest to be a smash hit out of the gate. It will do well of course, but the game will only reach smash hit numbers over time through word of mouth, sort of like Wolfenstein: The New Order but more so.

[Ed]

Id doesn't have very strong IPs. The Quake series is almost entirely culturally irrelevant with anyone under the age of 27. Wolfenstein might be able to squeak by on one more title before it gets shelved for another 15 years, and no-one is screaming for a Rage sequel. Doom is really all they have in this day and age, and only just so, but I have a good feeling the new installment is going to rejuvenate the franchise.

[doom_is_great]

Ed said:

I have a good feeling the new installment is going to rejuvenate the franchise.

I hope you're right. Nothing would suck worse than this game flopping, resulting in Id shuttering its doors for good. Then we would be "doomed" to years of endless COD clones. It would probably be years before anyone would touch any of Id's IPs.

[Unholypimpin]

It would probably be pretty devastating for ID but as for doom the classics will always go down in gaming history. Doom 3 and Doom 4 will still never be able to change what the classic Doom did to the world.

[Jaxxoon R]

Everything would be ruined and bad and Doom 4 will be this generation's Powerslave.

[Kaskaum]

Can somebody do a mashup video from some youtubers reactions over E3 Doom? It could be a good way to measure the hype.

LMAO, this reaction compilation for FFVII remake on E3 made my day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMZVIqbYq_I

[gamul312]

Kaskaum said:

Can somebody do a mashup video from some youtubers reactions over E3 Doom? It could be a good way to measure the hype.

LMAO, this reaction compilation for FFVII remake on E3 made my day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMZVIqbYq_I

LOL that's hilarious!

[Technician]

Implying id still exists.

[Ixnatifual]

They'll make Doom the Strategic Online Card game and DOomTA.

[Pencil of Doom]

Then the final nail shall be put into Id's coffin, as for Doom it'll be saved by a generous company.

[ReFracture]

I just hope that if Doom 4 doesn't perform it's because of the game being mediocre, not because nobody cares about Doom anymore. Zenimax putting the entire IP out to pasture would be a greater tragedy than Id itself disappearing.. considering basically nobody involved with the classics is even there anymore.

[NightFright]

If the community gets the full power to create custom content for this game, I think Doom 4 will be a success, even if the campaign shouldn't fully convince (which I don't believe). There are many really talented people out there who are able to create stuff that can even beat (or at least compete with) original game content.

From all I can see, they are on a good way with this game. I am a bit disappointed though that the original concept of a Doom II remake was dropped in favor of yet another retelling of the original story. Sure, it would have looked different with lots of outdoor environments and maybe too similar to other recent shooters, but Doom fans might have had a new experience.

Then again, there is still Quake which hasn't seen a sequel for over ten years now. Even in the (rather unlikely) scenario that Doom goes down the drain, there is still another brand they can rely on. And I would love to go back to the world of the first game with its medieval/ancient/mystic setting.

My hopes for Doom 4 are just that it will
- have a savegame system (no checkpoints please)
- be less linear and offer more ways to finish a level
- not be just another Doom 3 with better graphics (should rely on action, not horror)

At least the third "requirement" should be met already. ^^

[FireFish]

The termination of Doom, DoomWorld, your loved ones, and ID software.
D-DAY.

[Lycaon]

I don't care, there's already old doom, i'm happy with it.