How id Software Turned Taiwanese Pirates Into Official Doom Distributors in the 90s
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
During a QuakeCon 2026 panel reported by Eurogamer, id Software co-founder John Romero revealed that the studio worked with Taiwanese pirates to distribute original copies of Doom in the 1990s, prioritizing wide reach and community growth over restrictive copy protection.
The history of game distribution is full of unexpected survival tactics, but few rival the story recently shared by id Software co-founder John Romero. Speaking during a QuakeCon 2026 panel, as reported by PC Gamer and detailed by Eurogamer, Romero revealed that the studio actively worked with Taiwanese software pirates to help spread the original Doom across the region during its shareware era. Rather than fighting the local underground market, id Software reached out to the biggest operators and sold them boxes at a heavily discounted rate to secure legitimate physical distribution in a market they could not easily reach otherwise.
The logic behind the move was simple, as distribution was king and the shareware model relied entirely on getting the first episode into as many hands as possible. Because the initial chunk of the game was free to copy and share, a thriving cottage industry had already formed around replicating it. Instead of spending resources on invasive copy protection or fighting a losing war against local copiers, id Software leaned into the momentum. They figured that getting players hooked on the first episode would naturally drive mail-order sales for the full game, while simultaneously building a dedicated fanbase in a key international market.
It is a fascinating contrast to the modern era of always-online drm and aggressive anti-piracy measures that often frustrate legitimate players. Romero noted that the studio understood players did not always have the budget for every game, choosing to prioritize community growth and accessibility over restrictive software locks. While today's digital economies and ownership models look entirely different, the core lesson remains relevant for developers navigating global markets and trying to get their games into the hands of players across every platform.
Tags: Doom, id Software, John Romero, PC Gaming, Gaming History
Original article: Eurogamer