DOOM developer id Software has confirmed that it’s parted ways with composer Mick Gordon, amid a very public social media spat. The fallout came to the fore when an audio engineer posted an image of the waveforms from one of the songs on DOOM Eternal’s soundtrack. It showed a heavily compressed profile, with a less dynamic sound range compared to DOOM 2016’s soundtrack.
The original poster placed the blame at Gordon’s feet, though he was quick to distance himself from the project, claiming that he’d only mixed a “small handful of tracks” and “wouldn’t have done that”. He went on to tell another fan that he doubts he’ll work with id Software again, alluding to some kind of breakdown of communications.
This, as you can expect from people with pitchforks on the Internet, led to a tidal wave of online abuse being pointed at the developer’s lead audio designer, who was responsible for mixing the remainder of the soundtrack. Such has been the ferocity of the backlash, that executive producer Marty Stratton was forced on to Reddit to comment.
“Some have suggested that we’ve been careless with or disrespectful of the game music,” he wrote as part of a lengthy statement. “Others have speculated that Mick wasn’t given the time or creative freedom to deliver something different or better. The fact is – none of that is true. What has become unacceptable to me are the direct and personal attacks on our lead audio designer.”
Stratton continued that, while Gordon’s music is “defining”, the parties have “struggled to connect on some of the more production-related realities of development" and "communication around those issues have eroded trust”. There’s a lot more meat in the post itself, but the bottom line is that there was a serious breakdown in the relationship between the developer and the composer.
This has, ultimately, resulted in id Software deciding to end its relationship with Gordon for DOOM Eternal’s DLC and any future projects. “I’m as disappointed as anyone that we’re at this point, but as we have many times before, we will adapt to changing circumstances and pursue the most unique and talented artists in the industry with whom to collaborate,” Stratton concluded.
Crikey!
[source reddit.com, via eurogamer.net]
Comments 20
Yeah, this confirms it, people have been inside for way too long.
“as you can expect from people with pitchforks on the Internet, led to a tidal wave of online abuse... ”
Why can’t people just enjoy the product people have spent years of their lives creating.
Wtf is wrong with people?
Pretty sad outcome. Mick agreed to a difficult deadline and Bethesda already put up preorders for the OST. However I think fans are more disappointed at the OST spat resulting in Mick's departure than its delay. There was no easy option at that point, it was too late to go back and hire Mick Gordon sooner. But anything would have been better than this outcome. I also wonder how it will impact the Wolfenstein series.
I’m as disappointed as anyone that we’re at this point, but as we have many times before, we will adapt to changing circumstances and pursue the most unique and talented artists in the industry with whom to collaborate,” Stratton concluded.
We all have seen how this worked out with that rap song for some ad when you changed from composer.
The whole statement’s up on NLife and it’s not a fun read. They gave him the benefit of the doubt and delayed everything by a month but he still couldn’t deliver on time. Yeah, his music is iconic but it’s not like he’s the original composer, they’ll find another. Also, it’s not like he’s the only composer working on a game like this, he’ll have a team and one of them would be able to fill his shoes.
Yeah, I read the whole letter earlier and it seems pretty cut and dry. A shame it's all gone this way, of course.
As a member of the professional pitchfork partnership I would like to formally express my objection to being stereotyped and thrown in with the unruly rabble protesters, trolls and imbeciles whose only physical medium of protest is a ticky-tacky keyboard and are so weak as to allow their ire to be raised by matters that have no bearing on their lives or future well-being.
The Pitchfork has, throughout the ages, saved many a peasant community from monstrosities far more deadly than a utterly mundane sampling of a tune.
@nathanSF I hereby agree with this fellow person
Personal attacks on anyone over the fact you're upset about the quality of a product is wholly unacceptable.
Having said that, I still understand why people would be upset at the negligence given to a titles OST, especially if you're an audiophile, or an avid listener of video game music.
If the tracks on FFVII remake had been heavily compressed and made to sound like dog turd I would probably have been upset as well, and voiced my opinion on it to square enix.
There is one thing voicing your disdain and upset about a substandard effort being made by a company, and pointing it out so that the company is aware they need to do better, and threatening employees of the company in a witch hunt manner, which is absolutely despicable. Some people just can't control their anger.
something is way off with the whole situation..i don't get mistakes mixing at 0dbfs and leave no headroom for anything..sorry this is rookie mistake nowhere near professional and paid work..
I don't know why abusing people is the normal way to react to news in social media (especially twitter) now, ND is reported having crunch? Abuse. Horizon zd ported to pc? Abuse. This doom eternal music internal spat? Of course abuse 😕
Please bring back Bobby Prince!
So basically, they messed up. If Bethesda can’t have get someone to help release the official OST, what makes you think they’ll be able to do as good of a job next time? I bet they had difficulty with the release timeframe, but everyone would have rather had the delay than the final product they released. Mick has been exceptional and I highly doubt that the next Doom game will be good enough with the soundtrack. I see their explanation, but at the end of the day, they’re results speak for themselves and we don’t know if they’re trying to shine something in a more positive light than how part of it really happened.
They screwed up Doom, and should have accommodated Mick no matter what the timeframe honestly. I honestly haven’t seen personal attacks either, just complaints that Bethesda has been incompetent and released an inferior product.
The fact that he’s trying to distract with something unrelated to the real issue is problematic to say the least. He’s turning this into a “but pitchfork personal attacks” instead of admitting the work they released isn’t good enough. The feedback hasn’t been surprisingly abusive or anything and these are grown men.
Wow this is just sad.
As a producer myself I can sympathise with people who don’t like super compressed audio/loudness war/small dynamic ranges, but when self confessed ‘audiophiles’ bang on about this stuff endlessly it’s quite nauseating and I suspect many of these people don’t really know what they are on about.
The other issue here is internet bullying regarding a perceived issue rather than fact.
The corona virus just makes people angrier and less reasonable.
Chill out!
Imagine what would happen if this was a woman... it would be an apocalypse of neck beard trolls
Last year DOOM Eternal was one of this year most anticipated and hyped games. Then it released and no one talks about it anymore, except for this public spat with the composer. So the conclusion is and lets be honest, after everything have been said and done. It was just not a really good game, and everyone just jumped to the next thing..
But in all this i find it strange that no one ever mention, that Bethesda tried to force everyone to make a Bethesda online account for the game. If you try play DOOM Eternal offline singleplayer, you will be constantly reminded you must have a Bethesda online account with a flashing sign on the screen.
When bs like this is put into singleplayer games, where is the journos to critic this bs, was it not in their review copy??..
You would almost think people with to much time.
Ohh sad...
Mick Gordon is one those geniuses who can adapt to the style of game he's handed...
From DOOM to Prey, his style switched to the point that similarity was unrecognisable...
'Everything is going to be okay' is one of my fav video game tracks...
Sad that we won't get him in the sequel...
Its kinda funny because most of the people sending crap towards gordan prob dont know what the hell theyre talking about and dont know the first thing about sound engineering etc.
I saw those wav files and in the metal world that was kind of the norm this past decade. having your signal brickwalled and limiting dynamics and pushing the volume as high up as possible, i believe metallica started it if i remember correctly. Look up "loudness wars" to learn more about this practice.
Its not necessarily bad, but many (including myself) find it to deliver pretty harsh results where the audio is just so loud and abrasive, which may have been the whole point to begin with.
Anyway this whole situation is bad. People need to just shut there mouths and keep their ignorant thoughts to themselves. Unfortunately the internet acts as a megaphone/echochamber for the dumb. Smh
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