John Romero Signs New Publisher For FPS After Microsoft Cut Funding
John Romero told Video Games Chronicle at gamescom asia x Thailand Game Show 2026 that his Ireland-based Romero Games has signed a new publishing deal for its in-development FPS.
1 source 1h ago
Reporting from 1 source: 4Gamer.net.
Why it matters
A studio that lost its publisher and most of its staff is still building, and Romero is now doing design work in Unreal Editor himself rather than running a large team.
Key Facts
- John Romero discussed the new publishing deal in an interview with Video Games Chronicle at gamescom asia x Thailand Game Show 2026.
- Romero Games announced a new-IP FPS using Unreal Engine 5 in 2022.
- Microsoft terminated its publishing agreement with Romero Games in 2025.
- The development team fell from around 110 people to 5, and now stands at 15 to 16 after rehiring 10 former department leads.
- The new publisher reportedly gives the team creative freedom and makes no content demands.
The studio announced the Unreal Engine 5 new-IP shooter in 2022, then lost its Microsoft publishing agreement in 2025. The team fell from around 110 people to 5, and now stands at 15 to 16 after rehiring 10 former department leads. Title, release timing, platforms, and the publisher's name remain undisclosed.
The project that survives is not the one announced in 2022. Romero Games keeps the rights to the old project's IP, art, and code, but is not finishing that game as planned. It is being redesigned as a smaller FPS suited to the current team, reusing characters and weapons from the earlier work.
The new publisher reportedly sets no content demands and leaves creative decisions to the developers. Romero says the current status is going very smoothly. Where the game lands, and when, is still unstated.
Written with AI by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited. See our editorial policy.
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