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John Romero says id Software enlisted Taiwanese pirates to spread Doom

John Romero, co-founder of id Software and creator of Doom and Quake, has recounted that the company worked with Taiwanese pirates to distribute Doom. He frames the use of unauthorized distributors as a deliberate channel to spread the game. The revelation shows piracy played a role in Doom’s early international reach and illustrates an unconventional distribution approach by a major developer.

• John Romero is a co-founder of id Software and credited with creating both Doom and Quake.
• Romero recounted that id Software worked with Taiwanese pirates to help distribute Doom.
• The cooperation involved using unauthorized copying as a deliberate distribution channel to expand the game’s reach in Taiwan.
• The anecdote indicates piracy contributed to Doom’s early international spread and reflects unconventional early business practices by id Software.