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Doom: The Game That Won't Die, Plays on Anything!
30 Jun
Summary
- Doom has been ported to numerous devices, from consoles to smart appliances.
- Its longevity is largely due to its 1997 open-source code release by id Software.
- Unofficial ports have turned Doom into a meme, running it on calculators and even bacteria.
The first-person shooter Doom, launched in 1993, has demonstrated extraordinary endurance in tech culture, becoming playable on an astonishing variety of devices.
Its initial release on MS-DOS was followed by numerous official ports to consoles and operating systems, ensuring its accessibility across generations. This trend continues today, with the game available on current-generation hardware.
The phenomenon of Doom running on unexpected items, such as graphing calculators and even a pregnancy test by replacing its internal hardware, began with early unofficial ports like the Super Nintendo version. This demonstrated a community sentiment that if a device has a screen and a microchip, Doom can likely be made to run on it.
This widespread adaptability is largely attributed to id Software releasing Doom's source code for non-profit use in 1997. This allowed developers worldwide to port the game to virtually any platform. Even modern devices with significantly less processing power than today's smartphones are capable of running this 1990s classic.
While Doom is the most famous example, other influential games like Wolfenstein 3D, Quake, and Minecraft have also seen open-source efforts leading to various homebrewed ports, though Doom remains the preferred choice for unusual gaming adaptations.
