Shortly before his death from cancer, a gamer shows how important the Doom games are to him. Both fans and developers are touched.
“This is how I will die,” writes Reddit user Wanderingreader123, posting a picture of himself in the hospital with a controller in his hand and a small screen next to him showing Doom: The Dark Ages flickering on the screen.
The user writes that he has been battling cancer for several years, but his time on this planet may now come to an end in a few weeks. His hospital in Toronto, Canada, granted him a wish, which was fulfilled with a PlayStation 5 and the latest Doom game.
My days are nearing and my local hospital allowed me any request. This is how I will go out. Rip & Tear, brothers and sisters.
by
u/Wanderingreader123 in
Doom
He has been a big fan of the franchise since the 2016 Doom reboot, but has not yet been able to play The Dark Ages for financial reasons. “I may not live to see the upcoming DLC, but I’m still happy to finally be able to play the game myself,” writes Wanderingreader123.
The passionate fan also thanks the creators “for such a beautiful work of art that not only brought the FPS genre back to its roots, but also reinvented and revitalized it like no other game could. And not only that: thank you for creating such a great series for fans like me.”
Developers speak out
The comments section features not only numerous other fans who are moved by the words, but also some of the game’s developers. Game Director Hugo Martin:
“I keep telling the team that people are interested in our games and we need to put just as much care into developing them. It has been an honor to develop the last three games for fans like you. To make the Slayer in Doom feel powerful, we gave him all the characteristics of a true old-school hero: we gave him strength, courage, and heart… we made him just like you. Rip and tear, my friend. You are the true Slayer.“
The Community Manager at Bethesda even sent Wanderingreader123 a direct message: “We want to see what we can do for you,” he wrote in a public comment.
But things get particularly emotional at John Romero message, the creator of the original Doom games:
I am deeply moved and honored that you have accompanied Doom for a decade and have chosen to live in Doom as your journey comes to an end. You are the epitome of bravery and courage. You are the reason Doom exists.
When we created Doom, we wanted to create a world where you could feel powerful in the face of overwhelming adversity. Knowing that it was a companion to you, something familiar, something constant, something alive, means more to me than I can put into words.
You are not alone in this hospital room. You stand where millions of us have stood and fought. Every enemy, every level, every moment counts because you do.
Thank you for sharing this part of your life with us. Thank you for bringing Doom with you.
Rip and tear – with love and respect.
Since Bethesda’s community manager contacted Wanderingreader123 privately, with a little luck, he might still be able to experience the upcoming DLC for Doom: The Dark Ages. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time a studio has made an unfinished version of a game available to a terminally ill fan. But that’s pure speculation – it’s not even known how far along the add-on is in development or when it’s scheduled to be released.
