Mick Gordon, the composer behind the soundtracks for 2016’s Doom and 2020’s Doom Eternal, stated at PAX Australia that he would return to id Software’s shooter series “in a heartbeat” if specific conditions are met.
The Conditions for a Return to id Software
Gordon addressed his potential involvement in future installments of the series during an appearance at PAX Australia. Despite a very public falling-out with the development team following the release of Doom Eternal, the composer indicated his involvement with the series might not be permanently finished.
“There are a lot of dominoes that would have to fall in a very specific way for that to occur,” Gordon stated. “If those dominoes ever fell in that way, I would. Of course. Within a heartbeat.”
While Gordon did not explicitly detail the exact nature of those “dominoes,” the comments point toward unresolved professional disputes from past projects. In a lengthy Medium post published in 2022, Gordon accused id Software of failing to compensate him for half of his work on the Doom Eternal soundtrack. That same statement singled out executive producer Marty Stratton as a recurringly abusive presence during the score’s production.
Despite that contentious history, the creative vision Gordon held for the franchise remains active. “I had a whole list of ideas where I wanted to go with Doom,” Gordon explained. “And I’d love to explore that one day, for sure.” These remarks suggest the door to a future collaboration is not completely shut.
Uncertainty at id Software Following Microsoft Layoffs
The operational landscape at id Software has shifted significantly. The studio was among several heavily impacted by widespread cuts across Microsoft’s Xbox business, resulting in 136 staff members affected by layoffs in July.
The scale of these workforce reductions has raised questions regarding the studio’s capacity to produce future AAA titles. Lead services programmer Chris Hays addressed the structural impact of the downsizing at the time, stating, “It’s hard to make a game that is AAA, that’s like we’ve done before, with half the people. And by hard, I mean impossible.” This assessment casts a shadow over the potential development of a new Doom entry, regardless of whether a reconciliation takes place between the studio and its former composer.
Current Projects and Upcoming Live Performances
While the prospect of a renewed partnership with id Software remains conditional, Gordon has maintained a variety of projects. He contributed the theme music for the final boss fight in Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2, scheduled for release on October 14. Additionally, he continues producing the full soundtrack for Defect, a squad-based cyberpunk shooter developed by veterans of Doom and the Call of Duty series.
Live performance plans will also bring Gordon back to the music of Doom in a performance sense. In 2027, he is set to headline the UK’s RADAR music festival, where he will perform the music he composed for Doom and Doom Eternal with a full live band for the first time.
