You Would Never Have Guessed How One of Tom Cruise’s Earliest Movies Sparked the Iconic Name of Doom: The Game That Shaped a Generation

SUMMARY

• Doom's iconic title was inspired by a memorable line of dialogue from the 1986 film The Color of Money, starring Tom Cruise.
• The game's fast-paced gameplay, 3D graphics, and multiplayer features revolutionized the first-person shooter genre and influenced countless titles that followed.
• The Doom legacy continues with the highly anticipated Doom: The Dark Ages, announced at the Xbox Games Showcase 2024.

In the annals of gaming history, few titles have had as profound an impact as Doom. The 1993 classic not only revolutionized the first-person shooter genre but also became a cultural touchstone for an entire generation of gamers. But have you ever wondered about the origin of the game’s iconic title?

The classic DOOM (1993) key art. | Image Credit: id Software

As it turns out, the story behind Doom‘s name is just as fascinating as the game itself, and it involves an unlikely connection to one of Hollywood’s biggest stars: Tom Cruise.

The Color of Money: Where Tom Cruise and Doom Collide

Battling the forces of Hell since 1993. | Image Credit: id Software

Back in the early 1990s, the team at id Software was hard at work on a groundbreaking new game that would eventually become Doom. But before they could unleash their creation upon the world, they needed a name that would capture the game’s intense, action-packed gameplay.

The answer came from an unlikely source: a scene from the 1986 Martin Scorsese-directed film The Color of Money, starring Tom Cruise and Paul Newman. In an interview with The Guardian, creative director Tom Hall revealed the surprising inspiration behind the game’s title:

We got the title from The Color of Money – the bit where Tom Cruise explains what he keeps in his pool-cue case.

In the scene, Cruise’s character, Vincent Lauria, is asked about the contents of his pool cue case. His reply? “Doom”:

The scene, though brief, perfectly encapsulates the attitude and swagger that would come to define id Software’s magnum opus. Just as Cruise’s character was ready to unleash his skills on the unsuspecting pool hall, the developers were poised to unleash their groundbreaking game on the world.

id Software’s Legacy: Pioneering FPS

The FPS that continues to thrive three decades later. | Image Credit: id Software

Of course, the impact of id Software’s work extends far beyond the memorable name of their most famous creation. When Doom launched in 1993, it pioneered a host of mechanics that have since become staples of the first-person shooter genre.

From 3D graphics and smooth gameplay to multiplayer features that allowed players to frag their friends in virtual deathmatches, the game set the standard for what a first-person shooter could be. As John Romero, one of the game’s designers, noted in the same Guardian interview:

The aim was to be cool and realistic – but also fast. We wanted to make it the most fun thing we could ever think of playing. There can’t be a more fun game in the world.

This commitment to fast-paced, adrenaline-pumping action would go on to influence countless games in the decades that followed. From Quake and Half-Life to Halo and Call of Duty, the DNA of Doom can be found in nearly every first-person shooter that has come since.

But the studio’s influence didn’t stop there. The success of their early games paved the way for a franchise that has spanned multiple sequels, spin-offs, and even a feature film adaptation. And now, nearly 32 years after the original game’s release, the Doom legacy is set to continue with the highly anticipated Doom: The Dark Ages.

Announced at the Xbox Games Showcase 2024, Doom: The Dark Ages promises to take players on a hellish journey through a medieval world overrun by demons. With its dark fantasy setting and signature fast-paced gameplay, the game has already become one of the most talked-about titles from the event, generating a level of hype that perfectly justifies the series’ legacy.

Players will be able to pilot a mech in Doom: The Dark Ages. | Image Credit: id Software

So, the next time you’re fragging demons in Doom, take a moment to thank Tom Cruise for his unwitting contribution to gaming history. And who knows? Maybe we’ll see Ethan Hunt taking on the forces of Hell in a future Mission: Impossible movie. Stranger things have happened.

What do you think about the connection between Tom Cruise and the iconic Doom name? Are you excited for the upcoming Doom: The Dark Ages? Let us know in the comments below!

Written by Soumyajit Mukherjee

Articles Published: 196

Soumyajit (ign: LockDown) is a die-hard PC gamer with a passion for competitive FPS games, having played Rainbow Six Siege at a competitive level in the past. Now, when he's not writing or dominating the lobby in Call of Duty, Valorant or even Rocket League, you can catch him in theaters watching the latest comic book films or binge-watching anime and thriller flicks!