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Doom Eternal Composer Mick Gordon may be done with id & Bethesda

Issues with final mixing of the Doom Eternal soundtrack may have caused a split between composer Mick Gordon and Bethesda and id Software.
TJ Denzer
TJ Denzer
3

An undeniable part of Doom 2016’s appeal outside of the excellent gameplay was arguably the intensely good soundtrack of composer Mick Gordon, and the same could be said for Doom Eternal. However, more than a few issues between the composer and the studio have reared some ugly heads recently, and it could mean Mick Gordon isn’t coming back for further id Software or Bethesda projects.

It was on April 18, 2020 that audio enthusiast thatACDCguy on Twitter noticed that there was a rather odd discrepancy between the BFG Division from Doom 2016 and the Doom Eternal version. He goes on to point out that the way in which the wavelength of music looks and sounds means less dynamic range was probably used, resulting in a mashed up competition of instruments rather than the dynamic blend of subtle and boisterous music Gordon is known for. When Mick’s effort in Doom Eternal was called into question, he stepped up to answer why Doom Eternal’s music sounds that way: He only mixed a handful of the game’s tracks himself.

That, in of itself, could have explained a lot. Despite the fact that Mick Gordon’s Doom Eternal soundtrack is quite good, it certainly doesn’t feature the same stylings of mixing that were obviously poured into his previous Doom work. The story doesn’t end there. Whatever happened in the production of Doom Eternal between id Software and Bethesda that allowed someone else to take over mixing duties for Gordon was allegedly enough to get him to walk away from further projects with Bethesda.

In a reddit thread on the Doom Subreddit, user Medical Milk reached out to Mick to ask about further work on future id Software projects. Mick Gordon seemingly left the picture bleak in a posting of conversation, allegedly claiming he doubted he’d work together with id again.

I commented about it yesterday. I turned I'd break the news here. This is a dark day for our beloved franchise from r/Doom

It’s a dang shame if true. Mick Gordon’s music and the new era of Doom have been nearly synonymous and Doom Eternal looked to continue that pedigree, kicking us in the teeth with everything from its first 2020 trailer to the final and well-reviewed release of the game. That said, an artist like Gordon is likely good enough to go beyond Doom, id Software, and Bethesda. He had notable work in games like Killer Instinct, Project CARS, Need for Speed, and more before Doom. Despite the fact that it will suck to see Gordon and id part ways on further projects, we doubt that it’s the last we’ll hear of one of modern gaming’s most impressive composers and look forward to seeing where Gordon's musical talent takes him next.

Senior News Editor
Senior News Editor

TJ Denzer is a player and writer with a passion for games that has dominated a lifetime. He found his way to the Shacknews roster in late 2019 and has worked his way to Senior News Editor since. Between news coverage, he also aides notably in livestream projects like the indie game-focused Indie-licious, the Shacknews Stimulus Games, and the Shacknews Dump. You can reach him at tj.denzer@shacknews.com and also find him on Twitter @JohnnyChugs.

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