Romero Returns. Internet Humor, Webcomic Shares Up 3 1/4!

Yes, the rumors are true. John Romero has returned from his exile at some Java phone game firm and Midway. The famous/infamous designer is claiming to have a game that will rock our socks, but wasn't there another game he made that was going to rock? (May be some NWS ads). This slightly whiny, very apologetic Salon piece (Registration may be required) chronicles the fall of Ion Storm, while this very nice, but sympathetic entry from Gamespot chronicles the trials and tribulations of the Daikatana team[/a]. Say what you will about Wikipedia, but its entry is fairly netural.

As John Romero has been quoted as saying the press and us journalists are too negative, I would like to take this opportunity to be positive. The return of John Romero to the fold will usher in a golden age of humor, especially from Penny Arcade, which cultivated some of its finest strips during the Daikatana Years.

To get a little more serious, I think the problem is Romero himself. He's got the Molyneux problem of hyping his products before a line of code is even written and he's a walking self-promotional machine. That works in a lot of industries, but ours is built entirely around cynicism and venom and Wittier Than Thou, which means if you say something stupid, you're going to hear about it for years on end. There's no denying the guy has talent and if he can control his ego and IF he doesn't fall into the classic NFL trap of trying to be Coach And General Manager And Head Of Personnel, he can probably still make great stuff. However, Romero's problem is not us shrieking harpies in the press. It's Romero.