Snippet: A voice actor tied to the Doom franchise suggested in a podcast that official news is imminent, sending the community into speculation mode. Here's what was actually said, what's verified, and why patience still matters.
The Quote Came From a Casual Interview, Not a Press Event
The statement originated on Episode 47 of the "Button Mash" podcast, released January 12. Voice actor Andrew Kishino—credited as the Doom Slayer's grunts and pain vocals in Doom Eternal's 2020 DLC—was discussing his career when host Mara Liu asked about returning roles.
Kishino responded: "The thing with Doom is, they're way closer than people think. I can't say much, but I know fans won't be waiting another four years."
He then pivoted to anime work. No follow-up. No clarification on whether "they" meant id Software, a specific project, or something broader.
Who Actually Spoke: Credentials vs. Access
Kishino's involvement is real but limited. His Doom Eternal DLC work was non-dialogue vocalization—death screams, breathing, impact sounds. He was not the Slayer's spoken voice (the character is mute) and did not appear in the base 2020 campaign.
| Actor | Role in Doom Franchise | Current Status |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Kishino | Vocal effects, Ancient Gods DLC (2020) | Active in VO industry; no confirmed rehire |
| Kevin Schon | VEGA AI voice (2016, Eternal) | No public comments since 2022 |
| Darin De Paul | Samuel Hayden / Seraphim | Active; no Doom-related statements |
| Jason Kelley | Deag Ranak, other demons | Unavailable for comment |
This matters. A supporting vocal artist hears fragments—recording schedules, NDAs, occasional hallway talk—not creative roadmaps.
What "Closer Than People Think" Could Actually Mean
Kishino's phrasing allows multiple readings. The community has latched onto the most exciting one. Here's the probability spread based on franchise history and Microsoft's 2023 Xbox Showcase patterns:
- Most likely: A formal announcement (trailer, title reveal) within 12-18 months, with release 6-12 months after that
- Plausible: A smaller project—DLC for Doom Eternal, a mobile spinoff, or a collection remaster—ahead of a full sequel
- Possible but unverified: Kishino was recontacted for a new project and extrapolated from his own scheduling
- Least likely: A shadow drop or release within calendar 2024
id Software's last major release was March 2020. Four years is their longest gap since the 1993-2004 wilderness period.
The Franchise Is in an Unusual Corporate Position
Microsoft laid off an unspecified number of id Software staff in January 2023. Creative director Hugo Martin remains publicly active, but the studio has said nothing official about next projects since a vague "future of Doom" tease in early 2023 that was later deleted.
The corporate chain is now: id Software → Bethesda Softworks → Xbox Game Studios → Microsoft. Each layer adds approval friction. A voice actor at the bottom of this structure learns dates, not strategy.
What the Community Got Wrong in Translation
Within 48 hours of the podcast, several claims circulated that misrepresent the source:
| Claim | Reality |
|---|---|
| "The Doom Slayer actor confirmed Doom 6" | Kishino never said "Doom 6" or any title; the Slayer has no spoken dialogue actor |
| "Microsoft is revealing it at [specific event]" | No event was mentioned; no Xbox/MS sources have corroborated |
| "Development is already finished" | "Closer than people think" ≠ complete; AAA games announce 1-2 years pre-release |
| "Mick Gordon is returning" | Composer publicly split with id in 2022; no reconciliation indicated |
The speed of this telephone game demonstrates how information gain degrades across platforms. Reddit posts citing Twitter screenshots citing Discord summaries citing the original podcast—each hop adds certainty that wasn't present.
What Would Actually Confirm This Is Real
Players should watch for these specific signals, ranked by reliability:
- Trademark filings: id Software or Bethesda registering new Doom-related titles with the USPTO or EUIPO
- Steam backend activity: AppID changes, depot additions, or partner login patterns for existing Doom titles
- Verified industry reporting: Jason Schreier (Bloomberg), Jeff Grubb (Game Mess), or Windows Central citing named sources
- Official social media: id Software's verified accounts posting teaser imagery (not fan art reposts)
- Voice actor portfolio updates: Kishino or others listing "unannounced AAA shooter" with id/Bethesda tags
As of this writing, none of these have occurred.
The Mick Gordon Situation Still Hangs Over Everything
The 2022 soundtrack controversy wasn't a standard creative disagreement. Gordon publicly accused id leadership of mishandling his work; id leadership (via Marty Stratton's Reddit post) accused Gordon of misrepresentation. Lawsuits were threatened. The OST was pulled and partially reissued.
Gordon has since worked on Warframe and Atomic Heart. id has not announced a replacement composer for any future project. This unresolved fracture affects marketing tone, fan expectations, and possibly development staffing in ways Kishino wouldn't be positioned to know.
What Players Should Actually Do With This Information
The rational response isn't excitement or dismissal—it's calibrated tracking.
- Don't: Pre-order, speculate on release dates, or treat podcast banter as binding
- Do: Note the statement in your mental model, weight it as "weakly positive signal," and wait for corroboration
- Consider: Whether your anticipation budget is better spent on confirmed 2024 releases (Metroid Prime 4, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, etc.)
The Doom community has been burned before. Doom Eternal's Battlemode updates were promised then abandoned. The Ancient Gods Part Two ended on a sequel tease that has now sat for nearly four years.
What Remains Genuinely Unknown
Even if Kishino's statement is accurate in spirit, critical questions lack any sourcing:
| Unknown | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Is this a sequel, reboot, or spinoff? | Determines narrative continuity, engine, and expected budget |
| Is id using id Tech 7, Unreal Engine 5, or something new? | Affects visual expectations, mod support, and platform performance |
| Will it be Xbox-exclusive or multiplatform? | Microsoft's 2023 strategy shifted post-Activision acquisition |
| Is Hugo Martin still directing? | His creative voice defined 2016/Eternal's specific tone |
| What happened to the "Year One Pass" content that was teased then canceled? | Indicates whether id's post-launch support model has changed |
The Smart Calendar: Events to Watch
Based on Microsoft's historical patterns and id Software's past reveals:
- June 2024: Xbox Showcase (annual; Doom 2016 and Eternal both had E3-era reveals)
- August 2024: Gamescom Opening Night Live (increasingly used for "one more thing" moments)
- October-December 2024: The Game Awards (Geoff Keighley's platform favors dormant franchises)
- March 2025: Potential 5-year anniversary timing for Eternal, historically significant for Bethesda
If no appearance by March 2025, Kishino's "closer than people think" becomes either misdirection, miscommunication, or evidence of internal delays he wasn't aware of.
How This Fits Into Broader Shooter Trends
The "boomer shooter" revival Kishino referenced in passing—Prodeus, Dusk, Ultrakill—has created both opportunity and pressure. Doom now competes with games that deliberately mimic its 1993 design language at indie budgets. A big-budget sequel must justify its existence against $20 alternatives that iterate faster.
Conversely, Modern Warfare III's reception suggests franchise fatigue hits even annualized giants. Doom's long absence may prove strategically beneficial—if the product delivers.
What We Would Need to Upgrade This to "Confirmed"
Our internal threshold for treating Kishino's statement as verified news, not speculation:
- A second source with equal or greater access corroborates the timeline
- Official channels acknowledge "next Doom project" without details
- Physical evidence appears (trademarks, Steam entries, set photos)
- Kishino clarifies his own statement given the coverage
Currently: 0/4 met.
Bottom Line: One Voice Actor's Schedule Hint Is Not a Release Date
The most accurate reading of this news is modest. A performer with limited but real franchise connection believes, based on his own professional interactions, that Doom-related activity will surface sooner than the community's pessimistic baseline assumes. This is compatible with:
- A 2025 announcement for 2026 release
- A smaller project announced in 2024
- Internal milestones Kishino witnessed that don't map to public reveals
It is not compatible with imminent shadow drops, finished development, or guaranteed 2024 releases. The gap between "closer than people think" and "here is a game you can play" remains substantial and unbridged.
Track. Wait. Verify. The Doom Slayer's actual return will arrive with considerably more noise than one podcast aside.
