In a recent episode of Nightdive Studios’ Deep Dive podcast, John Romero shared insights on how id Software revolutionized PC gaming back in the ’90s. He remarked that the development of Wolfenstein 3D represented an evolution in their approach. “Wolfenstein was the first time we allowed ourselves to take as long as necessary to perfect a game,” he explained. In the past, the team had typically worked within two-month timeframes.

Romero elaborated that during the four-month development of Wolfenstein, they could explore innovative ideas, ensuring speed and smoothness for players. He highlighted, “We boiled down the essence of the game to player speed and movement. The results spoke for themselves.”

This luxury of time was significant for a four-person team compared to the multi-year cycles prevalent today. The complexity of game development has significantly increased since then, making such quick, innovative processes in gaming history remarkable.