Before Id Software had a bit of a rethink and went for a very familiar-looking Doom 4 (okay, technically it’s supposed to be called DOOM), replete with skeletons wearing miniguns on their shoulders, there was another, very different version of the game in the works at the studio.
Some screenshots of that initial project have surfaced on fansite Doomworld, and I think hardcore fans of the series might just be glad this version didn’t work out.
As you can see, it looks more like The Division than it does a game about destroying demons from hell. Lots of people hanging around dressed in fashionable post-apocalyptic clothing, and absolutely no skeletons with miniguns on their shoulders in sight. It looks pretty bland, to be honest.
Fortunately, after years of dithering, Id and publisher Bethesda decided something similar, and rebooted the entire project.
“An earlier version of Doom 4 did not exhibit the quality and excitement that Id and Bethesda intend to deliver and that Doom fans worldwide expect,” Bethesda’s VP of marketing and public relations Pete Hines told Kotaku at the time. “As a result, Id refocused its efforts on a new version of Doom 4 that promises to meet the very high expectations everyone has for this game and this franchise. When we’re ready to talk about the Doom 4 Id is making, we will let folks know.”
It seems they’re just about ready; DOOM will be demonstrated in its brand new form at E3 2015 this June 16 -18.
