'The Hunting Genre Emerged due to Wal-Mart': John Romero Explains How a Texas Executive Launched a New Gaming Category
John Romero discusses the origins of the hunting video game genre, attributing its inception to market demands from a powerful Wal-Mart executive.
In a recent episode of Nightdive Studios’ podcast series, renowned FPS developer John Romero shared insights on the gaming industry, including a fascinating account about the inception of the Deer Hunter series, which helped define hunting simulation games.
Romero stated,
“Back in the ‘90s, Wal-Mart held considerable influence in the gaming sector, as most gamers purchased their physical games from them.”
To enter Wal-Mart’s stores, publishers needed to collaborate with GT Interactive, a significant player in the gaming market.
Due to GT Interactive’s favorable relationship with id Software, Romero gained insight into the conditions leading to the creation of Deer Hunter. The game’s development arose at the request of a key Wal-Mart buyer, who explicitly said,
“I just want a deer hunting game. You make one of those, and I guarantee, you’ll sell out.”
This led to the development of Deer Hunter, which not only sparked a long-running series but also established a genre, filling a niche that was overlooked previously.
Romero concluded that the hunting genre’s origins is closely linked to Wal-Mart’s market strategy, further reflecting the industry’s fluid dynamics in response to corporate influence.
