Recently viewed images and animations from the set Doom 4 has given fans a new look at id Software's original vision for the franchise before they rebooted it in 2016. The fourth post in the original Downfall run has intrigued fans for years, as it was allegedly the entry that would take the series in a whole new, more mainstream direction before it was scrapped.
Doom 4 began production in 2007 and was announced in 2008 before being canceled in 2013 after id Software decided to restart the project entirely, eventually taking what was left and creating what would become 2016's Downfall restart. Reports on what Doom 4 could have mentioned that it was leaning towards being a grounded, military FPS like Call of Dutywhich became hugely popular at the time. The Downfall the community has even dubbed the canceled project “Call of Doom,” joking about the reported similarities between it and Activision's hit shooter. While some footage from the aborted fourth installment has surfaced previously, new, never-before-seen assets have begun to surface online.
Recently revealed images show what the aborted Doom 4 could have meant
Between July 11 and July 12, 2026, Twitter users Crispies and WadOverdose shared an extensive series of photos and videos from Doom 4 projects, including concept art, weapons, vehicles, enemies, and more. Among the shared assets, fans can find lots of nice looking 3D models that seem almost complete, such as imps, lava monsters, soul eaters, hell cancer and enemies that can fuse with other monsters to create new ones, like in Cronos: The New Dawn. Both users have previously leaked assets and art from Doom 4with Crispies apparently taking it upon themselves to archive unreleased material from the game, according to their Twitter bio. Short clips of these conceptual enemies in action are also available on Crispie's YouTube channel.
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Interestingly, it appears that a large number of scrapped assets from Doom 4 has made its way into the newer games, especially the recently released ones Doom: The Dark Ages Revelations DLC. Among the released assets, fans can spot one Doom 4 assault rifle and minigun during Doom Slayer's flashback sequences, along with similar urban environments throughout the DLC. But fans are speculating about it Doom 4 was never released, these assets may still indicate that it canonically occurred at some point in the stream Downfall the timeline. At least fans are speculating that id Software are well aware Doom 4has continued leaks over the years and has fun with the fans.
As the years go by, Doom 4 proving that a game's existence can endure long after it's discontinued, provided its community retains interest in what it could have been. While the fourth part in the original Downfall run will likely never see a release, there is still plenty of value to be found in these leaks, which provide insight into the creative process of games and how much a game can change from concept to release, given the drastic differences between Doom 4 and the 2016s Downfall. As more and more leaks appear, it becomes clear that Doom 4The cancellation was less of a setback and more of a stepping stone to what Downfall has become today.
In fact, many fans online feel that id Software made the right call regarding scrapping Doom 4 in favor of the current version of the franchise. Which more and more shooters tried to emulate Call of Duty following Activision's success with that formula in 2016 Downfall offered a welcome change of pace in the market, and ended up being a big hit, in part because it felt so true to the original winning formula. While today's Downfall taking big risks and even getting medieval with their concepts, Doom 4s repeated leaks offer glimpses of what the franchise once could have been.
- Released
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May 15, 2025
- ESRB
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M for mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence
- Publisher
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Bethesda Softworks
