Romero Games

Romero Games is an independent video game development studio based in Galway, Ireland. Founded on 11 August 2015 by John Romero and Brenda Romero, it develops games for PC and consoles, with work spanning first-person shooters, action games, tactical role-playing games and management strategy. Its capabilities include full-cycle game design and development, level design, creative direction and development consulting.

The founders established the studio in Galway with an emphasis on independent game creation and participation in the game development community along Ireland’s western coast. Its portfolio brings together new projects and work connected to John Romero’s earlier game designs, ranging from compact action releases to a larger strategy production.

Games and development

The studio’s early releases included Dangerous Dave in the Deserted Pirate’s Hideout HD in 2015 and the post-apocalyptic action rogue-lite Gunman Taco Truck in 2017. Its work also includes SIGIL, released in 2019 as a new episode for the original DOOM, and the follow-up SIGIL II in 2023.

Released on 1 December 2020, Empire of Sin combines character-driven tactical combat with management strategy in Prohibition-era Chicago. Published by Paradox Interactive, it became the studio’s largest shipped production to that point, reaching PC, macOS and multiple console platforms.

Continuing shooter development

Between 2022 and early 2025, Romero Games expanded to develop an unannounced AAA first-person shooter. Microsoft’s withdrawal of publisher funding in July 2025 led to substantial downsizing, but studio leadership publicly confirmed that the company remained open while seeking alternative publishing arrangements.

In late October 2026, John Romero announced that a new publisher had signed the project. The shooter was being redesigned around a smaller indie/AA scope with a reassembled core team. This restructuring continued the studio’s focus on original game development while adapting the project’s scale and production approach.