Shacknews Best Trendsetter of 2024 - Things Running Doom

Doom was released in 1993. That’s over 30 years ago, if you’re counting, yet the game is as relevant today as it was in the mid- to late-90s. One reason for that, besides a thriving mod community, is the trend of getting Doom running on almost literally everything.

That trend is hardly unique to 2024. Besides traditional platforms like Linux and various consoles, Doom’s been ported to countless oddball hardware (oddball for video games) for years. Pregnancy tests, Nintendo’s Alarmo clock, gut bacteria, pianos, X/Twitter—the list goes on, and it’ll only get longer as we head into 2025.

There are two reasons Doom remains so popular to port to every hardware device imaginable. One is its inherent portability courtesy of its engine. The other is its game feel. Despite being 30+ years old, Doom’s gameplay has never gone out of style. It’s simple to pick up; there are no complex movements such as free aiming, jumping, or crouching; no inventory management.

That simplicity means you don’t need a complex control system to play it, and that’s an advantage for platforms like, oh, say, pregnancy tests and gut bacteria.

Even if you don’t play these unexpected ports, it’s fun to see what Doom is running on this week, and next week, and the week after. It’s our favorite trend of the year, and one we’ll continue to keep an eye on for years to come.

Check out the rest of the Shacknews Awards in our Year of the Games: 2024 feature.

David Craddock

Long Reads Editor

David L. Craddock writes fiction, nonfiction, and grocery lists. He is the author of the Stay Awhile and Listen series, and the Gairden Chronicles series of fantasy novels for young adults. Outside of writing, he enjoys playing Mario, Zelda, and Dark Souls games, and will be happy to discuss at length the myriad reasons why Dark Souls 2 is the best in the series. Follow him online at davidlcraddock.com and @davidlcraddock.