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Fonzie

2025-10-26T04:29:29Z

2601:642:4F84:1590:B89F:DC8C:50F4:3819: /* Production and legacy */

{{short description|Sitcom character}}
{{Distinguish|Fonsi (disambiguation){{!}}Fonsi|Fonzi (disambiguation){{!}}Fonzi|Fonzy|Fonzie (band)|Fozzie}}
{{Redirect|Fonz}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox character
| name = Fonzie
| image = Henry Winkler Fonzie 1977.JPG
| caption = Winkler as Fonzie in 1977
| first = "[[List of Happy Days episodes|All the Way]]" (1974)
| last = “Ron Howard’s Call To Action” (2008)
| occupation = Mechanic, co-owner of Arnold's Drive-In, high school teacher
| family = {{Plainlist|
* Vito Fonzarelli (father, deceased)
* Angela Fonzarelli (mother)
* Arthur 'Artie' Fonzarelli (half-brother)
}}
| relatives = {{Plainlist|
* Grandma Nussbaum (grandmother)
* Louisa Delvecchio (aunt)
* [[Happy Days#Minor/recurring|Spike Fonzarelli]] (nephew)
* [[Chachi Arcola]] (cousin)
}}
| children = Danny Corrigan Jr. (adoptive son)
| portrayer = [[Henry Winkler]]
| alias = "Fonzie"<br />"The Fonz"
| affiliation = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| nationality = American
}}

'''Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli''', better known as "'''Fonzie'''" or "'''The Fonz'''", is a fictional character played by [[Henry Winkler]] in the American sitcom ''[[Happy Days]]'' (1974–1984). He was originally a secondary character, but was soon positioned as a lead character when he began [[List of breakout characters|surpassing the other characters in popularity]]. The Fonzie character was so popular that in the second season producers considered renaming the show to "Fonzie's Happy Days."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-10-23 |title=Ron Howard |url=https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/interviews/ron-howard |access-date=2023-06-27 |website=Television Academy Interviews |language=en}}</ref> Fonzie was seen by many as the epitome of [[Cool (aesthetic)|coolness]] and a [[sex symbol]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Waters|first=Darren|title=Remembering Happy Days|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/3542412.stm|work=BBC News|publisher=([[BBC]])|access-date=August 28, 2011|date=August 12, 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title= From failure to Fonz – actor Winkler aims to inspire|work= Reuters|date=April 27, 2007|url= http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKN2440323420070427|archive-url= https://archive.today/20120724142858/http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKN2440323420070427|url-status= dead|archive-date= July 24, 2012|access-date=August 16, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title= Is Uncool Urkel the '90s Answer to the Fonz?|work= The Los Angeles Times|date=January 4, 1991|url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-01-04-ca-7948-story.html|access-date=November 7, 2010|first=Diane|last=Haithman}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=|title=Sex Symbol Henry Winkler, aka 'The Fonz,' Admits, "I Was Insecure" Growing Up|url=https://www.closerweekly.com/posts/sex-symbol-henry-winkler-aka-the-fonz-admits-i-was-insecure-growing-up-35737/?preview_token=HyZs1dKSdyTniS1dxNXn|work=Closer Weekly|publisher=(Closer)|access-date=June 11, 2021|date=March 5, 2014}}</ref>

''Happy Days'' producer and writer [[Bob Brunner]] created both Arthur Fonzarelli's "Fonzie" nickname, and the invented put-down, "Sit on it".<ref name=variety>{{cite news |title=Bob Brunner, 'Happy Days' writer, dies |url=https://variety.com/2012/scene/news/bob-brunner-happy-days-writer-dies-1118061908/ |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=November 8, 2012 |access-date=November 27, 2012}}</ref><ref name=dspy>{{cite news |title=Bob Brunner, 'Happy Days' writer and producer, dies aged 78 |url=http://www.digitalspy.com/celebrity/news/a436565/bob-brunner-happy-days-writer-and-producer-dies-aged-78.html |work=[[Digital Spy]] |date=November 7, 2012 |access-date=November 27, 2012}}</ref><ref name=thr>{{cite news |first=Mike|last=Barnes|title='Happy Days' Writer-Producer Bob Brunner Dies at 78 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bob-brunner-happy-days-jump-the-shark-387593 |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=November 7, 2012 |access-date=November 27, 2012}}</ref> The character was a stereotypical [[greaser (subculture)|greaser]] who was frequently seen on his [[motorcycle]], wore a leather jacket, and typified the essence of [[cool (aesthetic)|cool]], in contrast to his circle of friends.

On November 8, 1980, [[Hanna-Barbera]] Productions and [[Paramount Television (original)|Paramount Television]] produced the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] [[Saturday-morning cartoon|Saturday morning]] ''[[The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang]]'' [[animated series]] during the [[Saturday-morning cartoon|Saturday morning]] schedule on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]].

Fonzie is one of only two characters (along with [[Howard Cunningham (Happy Days)|Howard Cunningham]]) to appear in all 255 episodes of the series.

== Character traits and development ==
[[File:Happy Days Fonzie Superstar 1976.JPG|right|thumb|225px|The Fonz becomes a singing superstar. Pictured are [[Cindy Williams]] as Shirley Feeney, Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham, Henry Winkler as Fonzie, and [[Penny Marshall]] as Laverne DeFazio.]]
[[File:Happy days at arnolds 1975.JPG|thumb|right|Potsie ([[Anson Williams]]), Richie (Ron Howard), Fonzie (Henry Winkler) and Ralph Malph ([[Donny Most]]) at Arnold's drive-in]]
[[File:Happy Days Fonzie and Mrs C 1977.JPG|left|thumb|225px|Marion ([[Marion Ross]]) feels life has passed her by; her children are growing up and she feels like she is not needed. Mrs. C turns to Fonzie (Henry Winkler), whose apartment is above the Cunningham's garage, for a sympathetic ear.]]
[[File:Happy Days Arnold's Wedding 1976.jpg|thumb|Arnold's wedding from ''Happy Days''. Arnold, the original owner of Arnold's drive-in ([[Pat Morita]]), asks Fonzie to be his best man at his traditional Japanese wedding ceremony.]]

Arthur Fonzarelli was born to an [[Italian-American]] family. He and his mother were abandoned by his father when Arthur was three, and Arthur holds few memories of him, but deep resentment toward him for the abandonment. In the season 6 episode "Christmas Time", a sailor delivers a Christmas present ostensibly from his father (played by [[Eddie Fontaine]]). Fonzie is resentful, but at the end of the episode he opens his father's letter explaining why he left and reads it. He also learns that the sailor was his father, who admits in the letter that he doubted he would have the courage to reveal the truth to his son. Fonzie only relents when [[Howard Cunningham (Happy Days)|Howard Cunningham]] agrees with Fonzie that his father was irresponsible and in the wrong. In a later episode, Fonzie unexpectedly meets a woman he believes is his mother in a diner. She convinces him she is not, but in the end, she looks at a picture of Fonzie she had in her possession. In the final season, Fonzie meets his half-brother 'Arte' Fonzarelli, who informs him that their father has by then died. Fonzie has mixed emotions upon hearing this, as this left so many questions about his past unanswered, but Fonzie bonded with Arte, who helped him cope.

Grandma Nussbaum appears to have been a primary caregiver to Fonzie since the age of six. When he (instead of Grandma Nussbaum) moves into the Cunninghams' [[garage apartment]]—a plot development that helped precipitate his increased presence in the series—he turns his old apartment over to his grandmother. Grandma Nussbaum (and she alone) calls Fonzie "Skippy". She is also the grandmother of Fonzie's cousin [[Chachi Arcola]] (played by [[Scott Baio]]).

Fonzie's devotion to her foreshadows his ongoing devotion to mother figures throughout the show, particularly to Marion Cunningham, whom Fonzie affectionately calls "Mrs. C." Though at first looked down on and mistrusted (a result of his past and being a high school dropout), he eventually became accepted by the Cunninghams (his friend Richie's family), even more so after he rented an attic room over their garage. Even Richie's father, Howard ("Mr. C." to Fonzie and the most resistant to him living with them), a pillar of the community, came to regard Fonzie with affection and said "Ayyyy" when Fonzie moved into the garage.

Fonzie shares a very close relationship with his younger cousin Chachi, and his nephew Spike. Fonzie was able to be the older brother figure that Chachi needed in his life. In having Chachi come to live and work with him, Fonzie grows too, becoming an overall better, more responsible and caring person. Fonzie serves as Chachi's best man when he marries Joanie. In the long shot at the end of Chachi and Joanie's wedding, Fonzie is the first person who comes to congratulate his younger cousin. He and Chachi embrace for several seconds. They share another hug at the end of Mr. C's toast. These are just a couple examples of Fonzie and Chachi's relationship. The last couple of seasons show how close Fonzie and Chachi really grew to be.

Fonzie also encourages Spike to follow his dreams, regardless of how they may be perceived by others. Spike confesses to Fonzie his ambitions to own a "flower store", but is reluctant to make it known out of fear that it will ruin his self-perceived image of cool. Using himself as an example, Fonzie tells Spike to not let others dictate his path in life, to follow his own instincts and take responsibility for his own happiness.

== Civic involvement ==
Fonzie was involved in community projects. He endorses Republican [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]]'s 1956 presidential campaign. At a rally Fonzie declares, "Ayyy, he won the war, didn't he!?" and "I like Ike! My bike likes Ike! Ayyy..." Eisenhower carried Wisconsin with 62% of the vote, easily defeating [[Adlai Stevenson II|Adlai Stevenson]] (supported by Richie Cunningham's more-researched speech). In [[1956 United States presidential election|that election]], Eisenhower got 457 electoral votes to 73 for Stevenson.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sitcomsonline.com/season2.html |title=Happy Days: Season 2 episode guide |publisher=Sitcomsonline.com |date=January 3, 1958 |access-date=March 30, 2012}}</ref>

Fonzie becomes involved with other issues. Highlighting actor [[Henry Winkler]]'s off-camera work, several episodes dealt with civil rights of people with disabilities. Concerned that students with [[epilepsy]] were denied their chance to attend public school and play sports, he intervenes to resolve the issue; he also learns [[sign language]] to communicate with a woman working at the municipal power company. And he pushes Chachi to continue working with his disability when Chachi himself just wants to quit because things will be hard.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sitcomsonline.com/season11.html|title = Happy Days: Season 11 episode guide}}</ref> Such advocacy builds on the previous season's episode where Fonzie hired wheelchair-using Don King to work in his garage, promising to provide workplace accommodation for his employee.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sitcomsonline.com/season8.html |title=Happy Days: Season 8 episode guide |publisher=Sitcomsonline.com |access-date=March 30, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sitcomsonline.com/season7.html |title=Happy Days: Season 7 episode guide |publisher=Sitcomsonline.com |access-date=March 30, 2012}}</ref>

Concerned about equal opportunity, Fonz wants Milwaukee racially integrated. Personally friends with African Americans, he becomes upset when a party in which Richie welcomes Hawaii into the Union is boycotted because it will be racially integrated. Initially wanting to force people to attend, Fonzie learns from Howard that people cannot be forced to change their minds overnight.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sitcomsonline.com/season3.html |title=Happy Days: Season 3 episode guide |publisher=Sitcomsonline.com |access-date=March 30, 2012}}</ref> In a later episode, Fonzie volunteers to go [[Southern United States|south]] with Al and a group of [[Freedom Riders]] to help integrate a segregated diner. Normally flirtatious with women, Fonzie is instead disgusted that the waitress does not serve black customers. At one point he tells her that he cannot date her because of her compliance with the diner policy.<ref name="sitcomsonline.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.sitcomsonline.com/season9.html |title=Happy Days: Season 9 episode guide |publisher=Sitcomsonline.com |access-date=March 30, 2012}}</ref> Another episode that dealt with racial issues was where Fonzie was a juror in a trial of a black biker accused of robbery. The episode dealt with circumstantial evidence and [[jury nullification]]. Mr. Cunningham, who was on the same jury, went to bat for Fonzie, saying all jurors are permitted to present arguments and he took it very seriously about taking a man's freedom away, which he refused to do without proof of guilt. The episode was based on ''[[Twelve Angry Men]]''. Fonzie was able to get the black biker acquitted, explaining that his English-made [[Triumph Motorcycles Ltd|Triumph]] Grand Mark 2 had its accelerators on the left handlebar. The robber had snatched the purse of the woman with his left hand. Therefore, there is no way that the black biker could have sped off on his bike if the purse was in his left hand.

Fonzie also becomes involved with the Big Brother (later known a Big Brothers, Big Sisters) program. After spending some time with his "Little Brother" Danny, Fonzie decides to adopt him. While Fonzie is by this time a respected and responsible pillar of the community, the adoption process hits a snag when the adoption agency denies his application due to his marital status. Devastated, Fonzie's first instincts are to take Danny and run, but then realizes that doing so would only prove the agency right. He reluctantly returns Danny to the agency. On the day of Joanie and Chachi's wedding, the agency surprises Fonzie by returning Danny to him, introducing Danny as his "son", with Danny calling the joyous Fonzie "Dad" for the first time.

== Production and legacy ==
[[File:1976 campaign button d.JPG|thumb|A campaign button for [[Gerald Ford]]'s [[1976 United States presidential election|1976 presidential campaign]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fordlibrarymuseum.tumblr.com/post/152294379072/election-collection-goes-pop-culture-today-what|title=Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum • Election Collection goes Pop Culture today! What...|website=Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum}}</ref>]]

[[Micky Dolenz]] auditioned and was in the running to portray the Fonz,<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/micky-dolenz-interview-monkees-tour-dolenz-sings-nesmith-1170752/|title=Micky Dolenz on the Monkees' Farewell Tour, New LP 'Dolenz Sings Nesmith'|first1=Andy|last1=Greene|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=May 19, 2021}}</ref> whom the show creators envisioned as blonde Hollywood idol type. The part ultimately went to [[Henry Winkler]] who pitched a different vision. In the first season Fonz usually appeared in a green [[windbreaker]] jacket rather than the black leather jacket that the writers wanted, which ABC producers saw as suggestive of criminality. The writers negotiated an exception for scenes where Fonz appeared with his motorcycle, then proceeded to feature the motorcycle in all of his scenes, even indoors, until ABC relented.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/happy-days-heres-why-the-fonz-was-almost-never-seen-without-his-motorcycle-in-the-first-season.html/|title='Happy Days': Here's Why The Fonz Was Almost Never Seen Without His Motorcycle in the First Season|first=Laura|last=Dorwart |date=January 17, 2021}}</ref>

Winkler received three [[Primetime Emmy]] nominations and two [[Golden Globe]] awards for his portrayal of Fonzie. In addition, the [[National Museum of American History]], [[Smithsonian Institution]] asked him to donate one of Fonzie's leather jackets in 1980.<ref name=donates>{{cite web
|url=https://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_sic_8645
|title=Henry Winkler Donates his Jacket, NMHT
|access-date=2021-08-31
|last=
|first=
|date=
|publisher= [[National Museum of American History]], [[Smithsonian Institution]]
}}</ref><ref name=smithmag>{{cite web
|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/happy-days-fonz-jumped-the-shark-180964399/
|title=Why 'Happy Days' — and the Fonz — Never Truly 'Jumped the Shark'
|access-date=2021-09-10
|last=MacGregor
|first=Jeff
|date=September 2017
|work=[[Smithsonian (magazine)|Smithsonian]]
}}</ref><ref name=exhibit>{{cite news
|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1980/02/14/exhibit-a-a-a-a-y-the-fonz/d23c4b03-4277-48e7-968c-f24f3931cb4c/
|title=Exhibit A-a-a-a-y: 'The Fonz'
|access-date=2021-08-31
|last=Bumiller
|first=Elizabeth
|date=1980-02-14
|newspaper= [[The Washington Post]]
}}</ref> The Smithsonian curator Eric Jentsch added the following to the jacket description: "Fonzie was a representation of cool at a time when you were learning about what cool was."<ref name=smithmag/> Years later, [[NPR]] would make a similar assessment, stating that for "kids growing up in the 1970s, there was one, absolute model of cool — not [[James Dean]] or [[Marlon Brando]], but The Fonz."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2011/11/26/142723714/actor-henry-winkler-plays-not-my-job|title=Actor Henry Winkler Plays Not My Job|website=[[NPR]] }}</ref> In 1999 ''[[TV Guide]]'' ranked Fonzie as number 4 on its 50 Greatest TV Characters of All Time list.<ref>{{cite book|title=TV Guide Guide to TV|year=2004|publisher=Barnes and Noble|isbn=0-7607-5634-1|page=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780760756348/page/651 651]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780760756348/page/651}}</ref> In a 2001 poll conducted by [[Channel 4]] in the UK, the Fonz was ranked 13th on their list of the [[100 Greatest (TV series)|100 Greatest TV Characters]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/greatest/tv_characters/results.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090531160558/http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/greatest/tv_characters/results.html |archive-date=31 May 2009 |title=100 Greatest TV Characters |access-date=26 May 2019 |publisher=[[Channel 4]]}}</ref> A few decades later, American artist Gerald P. Sawyer, unveiled the [[Bronze Fonz]] (a public artwork) on the [[Milwaukee Riverwalk]] in downtown [[Milwaukee]], [[Wisconsin]], on August 18, 2008.<ref name=jsonline>{{cite news|title=The Fonz in bronze? Group hopes that's correctamundo, wants to put statue downtown|newspaper=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]]|date=September 26, 2007|url=http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/29447164.html|access-date=December 21, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012192021/http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/29447164.html|archive-date=October 12, 2012|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> In 2021, when asked which books influenced him in childhood, American journalist [[Anderson Cooper]] (who is also dyslexic) responded that, "I also loved the Fonz and read a book when I was around 8 called ''The Fonz: The Henry Winkler Story''. I actually keep it in my office at CNN. Henry Winkler was very important to me when I was a child. Meeting him as an adult — and discovering what a kind and gracious person he is — was amazing."<ref name=wishes>{{cite web
|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/16/books/review/anderson-cooper-by-the-book-interview.html
|title=Anderson Cooper Wishes His Parents and Truman Capote Could Reconcile Over Dinner
|access-date=2021-09-17
|last=Clark
|first=Rebecca
|date=2021-09-16
|work=[[The New York Times]]
}}</ref>

Winkler feared being [[Typecasting|typecast]] as a greaser after playing Fonzie (and for his previous role as a greaser in ''[[The Lords of Flatbush]]'' before ''Happy Days''); to avoid this, he turned down the role of Danny Zuko in [[Grease (film)|''Grease'']].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/henry-winkler-interview-french-dispatch-turning-down-snl-grease-1639341|title=Henry Winkler on 'Barry,' 'The French Dispatch' and some of his missed career chances|website=[[Newsweek]]|date=October 15, 2021}}</ref> He nonetheless had difficulty finding work in the 1980s after ''Happy Days'' ended because of his association with the Fonzie role; he would work mainly behind the camera in the 1980s, most notably as the Executive Producer of the popular adventure TV series, ''[[MacGyver (1985 TV series)|MacGyver]]'', and eventually begin getting other roles in the 1990s, prompting a career rejuvenation.<ref name=ruminating>{{cite web
|url=https://oldgoats.substack.com/p/ruminating-with-henry-winkler
|title=Ruminating with Henry Winkler
|access-date=September 26, 2021
|last=Alter
|first=Jonathon
|date=June 24, 2021
|publisher=OldGoats.com
|archive-date=September 27, 2021
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927023310/https://oldgoats.substack.com/p/ruminating-with-henry-winkler
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

=== In popular culture ===
*"The Fonz Dance" ([[Happy Days season 4#Episode|''Happy Days,'' Season 4, Episode 8]]) refers to Winkler improvising a version of the [[Hora (dance)#Jewish hora|hora]] as Richie's band plays the song [[Hava Nagila]].<ref name=dance>{{cite web
|url=https://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/video/henry-winkler-kicks-off-his-tonight-show-interview-with-the-fonz-dance/3902989
|title=Tonight Show: Henry Winkler Kicks Off His Tonight Show Interview with "The Fonz" Dance
|access-date=2021-09-18
|last=
|first=
|date=2018
|publisher=NBC
}}</ref><ref name=dance2>{{cite web
|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/henry-winkler-fonzie-dance-tonight-show_n_5c5ad4b4e4b0871047596797
|title=Henry Winkler Busts Out Strenuous Fonzie Dance On 'Tonight Show
|access-date=2021-09-18
|last=Dicker
|first=Ron
|date=2019-02-06
|publisher=Huffington Post
}}</ref> Years later in 2018, Winkler performed a version of the dance as a guest on ''[[The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon]]''.<ref name=dance/><ref name=dance2/>
*In season 5 of the sitcom ''[[Friends]]'', the doctor who delivers Phoebe's triplets is a fan of Fonzie, which annoys her.
*In the 1994 film ''[[Pulp Fiction]]'' the character Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) calms would-be robber "Honey Bunny" (Amanda Plummer) by instructing her to "Be like Fonzie" ("That's right, we're all gonna be cool!")
*2019 it was reported that [[Dominic Cummings]], [[Special advisers (UK government)|special political adviser]] to [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|British Prime Minister]] [[Boris Johnson]], paraphrased Jules by telling [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] MPs to "be cool like Fonzies" as political pressure built to request an extension to the date of [[Brexit negotiations in 2019#August 2019|the UK's withdrawal from the European Union]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.indy100.com/article/dominic-cummings-pulp-fiction-cool-like-fonzies-boris-johnson-brexit-9095526|title=Dominic Cummings: Boris Johnson's adviser 'quoted Pulp Fiction' by telling aides they need to be 'cool like Fonzies'|last=Duncan|first=Conrad|date=September 8, 2019|work=[[The Independent]]|access-date=September 9, 2019}}</ref>
*In the 2015 sci-fi film [[The Martian (film)|''The Martian'']], the character Mark Watney poses as the Fonz for his first official "proof of life" picture.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Martian-5-Cool-Little-References-Movie-Works-86397.html|last=Eisenberg|first=Eric|date=October 5, 2015|title=The Martian: 5 Cool Little References The Movie Works In |work=Cinema Blend|access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref>
*[[Jon Hein]] developed the phrase "[[jumping the shark]]" in response to [[Happy Days season 5|Season Five, Episode 3, "Hollywood: Part 3"]] of the sitcom ''[[Happy Days]]'', in which Fonzie jumps over a shark while on water-skis.<ref>{{cite news |title=A Few Pixels Short of a Personality | first=Ann | last=Hornaday |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date= July 25, 2003 |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2003/07/25/AR2005033117626_pf.html |access-date=April 12, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |first1=Joanne |last1=Hollows |first2=Rachel |last2=Moseley |title=Feminism in Popular Culture |year=2006 |publisher=Berg Publishers |isbn=1845202236}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |first=Paul |last=McFedries |title=The Complete Idiot's Guide to Weird Word Origins |year=2008 |publisher=Alpha Books |isbn=978-1592577811}}</ref>
*Fonzie had the ability of hitting electrical equipment to make it work, and this became known as the ''Fonzarelli Fix'', a term that is still in use today.<ref name="touch">{{cite web |url=http://www.resourcenation.com/blog/how-to-fonzie-your-online-marketing-jukebox/32372/ |title=How To "Fonzie" Your Online Marketing Jukebox |last=Krautstrunk |first=Matt |publisher=[[Resource Nation]] |date=May 17, 2011 |access-date=August 6, 2011}}</ref>
*A [[garage apartment]] is sometimes called a Fonzie flat.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fonzie Flat|url=http://slll.cass.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/andc/WOTM%20JAN%202013.pdf|work=[[Australian Oxford Dictionary]]|access-date=February 19, 2019}}</ref>
*The 2016 single "[[Lemon (N.E.R.D. and Rihanna song)|Lemon]]" by [[N.E.R.D.]] featuring [[Rihanna]], has the line in Rihanna's verse, "Waiting for my thumb like The Fonz" as a reference to Fonzie's trademark thumbs up.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://genius.com/12969798 | title=Just waitin' for my thumb like the Fonz }}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Wikiquote}}

*''[[Bronze Fonz]]''
*[[Fonzie (band)]] – Punk rock band from Portugal
*[[Fonz (video game)|''Fonz'' (video game)]]
*[[List of breakout characters]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Henry Winkler}}
{{Happy Days}}

[[Category:Fictional characters from Milwaukee]]
[[Category:Television characters introduced in 1974]]
[[Category:Fictional mechanics]]
[[Category:Happy Days characters]]
[[Category:Fictional Republicans (United States)]]
[[Category:Fictional gang members]]
[[Category:Teenage characters in television]]
[[Category:American male characters in sitcoms]]
[[Category:Fictional American people of Italian descent]]
[[Category:Greasers (subculture)]]

John Romero

2025-10-25T16:30:25Z

2601:642:4F84:1590:B89F:DC8C:50F4:3819: /* 1990s: id Software and first-person shooters */

{{short description|American video game designer (born 1967)}}
{{for multi|the American football player|John Romero (American football)|the baseball player|Jhon Romero}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = John Romero
| image = John Romero - GDC 2022 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Romero at the [[Game Developers Conference]] in 2022
| birth_name = Alfonso John Romero
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|10|28}}
| birth_place = [[Colorado Springs, Colorado]], U.S.
| occupation = Video game designer, programmer
| spouse = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Kelly Mitchell|1987|1989|end=div}}
* {{marriage|Elizabeth Ann McCall|1990|1998|end=div}}
* {{marriage|Raluca Alexandra Pleșca|2004|2011|end=div}}
* {{marriage|[[Brenda Romero]]|October 27, 2012}}
}}
| partner = [[Stevie Case]] (1998–2003)
| children = 3
{{Listen |embed= yes |filename= John Romero on joining Id Software.ogg |title= Romero's speaking voice |type= speech |description= On joining [[Id Software]] }}
| website = {{url|https://romero.com/}}
| known_for = [[id Software]], [[Ion Storm]], [[Romero Games]]
| notable_works = {{plainlist|
* ''[[Commander Keen]]'' series
* ''[[Wolfenstein 3D]]''
* ''[[Doom (franchise)|Doom]]'' series
* ''[[Quake (video game)|Quake]]''
* ''[[Daikatana]]''
}}
}}

'''Alfonso John Romero''' (born October 28, 1967)<ref name="NYT">{{cite news|last=Kushner|first=David|title='Masters of Doom'|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/04/books/chapters/masters-of-doom.html|date=May 4, 2003|access-date=March 25, 2021|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> is an American [[video game developer]]. He co-founded [[id Software]] and designed their early games, including ''[[Wolfenstein 3D]]'' (1992), ''[[Doom (1993 video game)|Doom]]'' (1993), ''[[Doom II]]'' (1994), ''[[Hexen: Beyond Heretic|Hexen]]'' (1995) and ''[[Quake (video game)|Quake]]'' (1996). His designs and development tools, along with programming techniques developed by the id programmer [[John Carmack]], popularized the [[first-person shooter]] (FPS) genre. Romero is also credited with coining the multiplayer term "[[Deathmatch (video games)|deathmatch]]".

Following disputes with Carmack, Romero was fired from id in 1996. He co-founded a new studio, [[Ion Storm]], and directed the FPS ''[[Daikatana]]'' (2000), which was a critical and commercial failure. Romero departed Ion Storm in 2001. In July 2001, he and another former id employee, [[Tom Hall]], founded [[Monkeystone Games]] to develop games for [[mobile devices]].

In 2003, Romero joined [[Midway Games]] as the project lead on ''[[Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows]]'' (2005), and left shortly before its release. He founded another company, [[Gazillion Entertainment]], in 2005. In 2016, Romero and another former id employee, [[Adrian Carmack]], announced a new FPS, ''[[Blackroom (video game)|Blackroom]]'', but it was cancelled after failing to find a publisher.

==Early life==
Romero was born on October 28, 1967, six weeks premature,<ref name="NYT"/> in [[Colorado Springs, Colorado]]. He has said that he has Mexican, [[Yaqui]], and [[Cherokee]] grandparents.<ref>{{cite tweet |user=romero |author=John Romero |number=701530383863644161|date=February 21, 2016 |title=I'm both. Yaqui are native to southwestern Arizona; one grandparent was Yaqui, another Mexican, another Cherokee (other side)|access-date=March 25, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Creegan |first=Chris |title=Romero On 'Harmful' Stereotypes And Doom's Native American Inspiration |url=https://www.gfinityesports.com/Features/john-romero-interview-indigenous-representation/ |website=www.gfinityesports.com |access-date=August 10, 2021 |date=August 10, 2021 |archive-date=October 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022053425/https://www.gfinityesports.com/Features/john-romero-interview-indigenous-representation/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> His mother, Ginny, met Alfonso Antonio Romero when they were teenagers in [[Tucson, Arizona|Tucson]], Arizona. Alfonso, a first-generation Mexican American, was a maintenance man at an air force base, spending his days fixing air conditioners and heating systems. After Alfonso and Ginny married, they headed in a 1948 Chrysler with three hundred dollars to Colorado, hoping their interracial relationship would thrive in more tolerant surroundings.<ref name="mastersdoom">{{cite book |last=Kushner |first=David |title=Masters of Doom: How Two Guys Created An Empire And Transformed Pop Culture |title-link=Masters of Doom |publisher=[[Random House]] |year=2003 |isbn=0-375-50524-5 |at=89}}</ref>

Among Romero's early influences, the [[arcade video game]] ''[[Space Invaders]]'' (1978), with its "[[Shoot 'em up|shoot the alien]]" gameplay, introduced him to video games.<ref name="retrogamer">[http://www.retrogamer.net/profiles/developer/john-romero/ JOHN ROMERO], ''[[Retro Gamer]]'', issue 75</ref> [[Namco]]'s [[List of maze chase games|maze chase]] arcade game ''[[Pac-Man]]'' (1980) had the biggest influence on his career,<ref>{{cite web|last=Bailey|first=Kat|title=These games inspired Cliff Bleszinski, John Romero, Will Wright, and Sid Meier|url=http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/09/these-games-inspired-cliff-bleszinski-john-romero-will-wright/|publisher=Joystiq|access-date=April 2, 2012|date=March 9, 2012}}</ref> as it was the first game that got him "thinking about game design."<ref name="retrogamer"/> [[Nasir Gebelli]] ([[Sirius Software]], [[Squaresoft]]) was his favorite programmer and a major inspiration, with Gebelli's fast 3D programming work for [[Apple II]] games, such as the [[Shooter game|shooters]] ''Horizon V'' (1981) and ''Zenith'' (1982), influencing Romero's later work at id Software.<ref name="barton">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UV7OBQAAQBAJ |title=Honoring the Code: Conversations with Great Game Designers |first=Matt |last=Barton |date=April 19, 2016 |publisher=CRC Press |via=Google Books |isbn=9781466567542}}</ref> Other influences include programmer [[Bill Budge]],<ref name="barton"/> [[Shigeru Miyamoto]]'s ''[[Super Mario]]'' games, and the [[fighting game]]s ''[[Street Fighter II]]'', ''[[Fatal Fury]]'', ''[[Art of Fighting]]''<ref>{{cite book|last=Consalvo|first=Mia|year=2016|title=Atari to Zelda: Japan's Videogames in Global Contexts |pages=201–203 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tH3TCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA201|publisher=[[MIT Press]]|isbn=978-0262034395}}</ref> and ''[[Virtua Fighter]]''.<ref name=nextgen>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|issue=30|date=June 1997|pages=9–12|title=Does John Romero Still Enjoy Shooting People?|url=https://archive.org/stream/NextGeneration30Jun1997/Next_Generation_30_Jun_1997#page/n9/mode/2up}}</ref>

==Career==
===Early career===
[[File:Strong National Museum of Play (51363875005).png|thumb|The Apple II owned by John Romero on display at [[The Strong National Museum of Play]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Preserving John Romero's First Computer at ICHEG |url=https://www.museumofplay.org/blog/chegheads/2014/08/preserving-john-romero%E2%80%99s-first-computer-at-icheg |access-date=October 3, 2021 |work=www.museumofplay.org |date=August 1, 2014}}</ref>]]

John Romero started programming games on an [[Apple II]] he got in 1980.<ref name=nextgen/> The first game he wrote was an unpublished clone of the arcade game ''[[Crazy Climber]]''.<ref name="retrogamer"/> His first published game, ''Scout Search'', appeared as a [[type-in program]] in the June 1984 issue of Apple II magazine ''inCider''. At least 12 of his games published for print and disk magazines were developed under the name Capitol Ideas Software. He entered a programming contest in ''A+'' magazine during its first year of publishing with his game ''Cavern Crusader''. The first game Romero created that was eventually published was ''Jumpster'' in ''[[UpTime (disk magazine)|UpTime]]''. ''Jumpster'' was created in 1983 and published in 1987, making ''Jumpster'' his earliest created, then published, game.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://romero.smugmug.com/Video-Games/Jumpster/ |title=Jumpster game design notes & published information |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170325114753/https://romero.smugmug.com/Video-Games/Jumpster/ |archive-date=March 25, 2017}}</ref>

Romero's first industry job was at [[Origin Systems]] in 1987 after programming games for eight years.<ref>{{cite web|title=John Romero discusses his early years in the gaming industry |work=Blankman Inc |url=http://www.blankmaninc.com/john-romero-interview |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160217155756/http://www.blankmaninc.com/john-romero-interview/ |archive-date=February 17, 2016 |date=October 19, 2012}} blankmaninc.com</ref> He worked on the Apple II to [[Commodore 64]] port of ''[[2400 A.D.]]'',<ref name=nextgen/> which was eventually scrapped due to slow sales of the Apple II version. Romero then moved onto ''[[Space Rogue]]'', a game by [[Paul Neurath]]. During this time, Romero was asked if he would be interested in joining Paul's soon-to-start company Blue Sky Productions, eventually renamed [[Looking Glass Technologies]].<ref name="pcgamer aug2025">{{cite web | url = https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/id-software-co-founder-john-romero-was-apparently-one-week-removed-from-co-founding-a-completely-different-icon-of-pc-gaming-but-hed-already-made-plans/ | title = id Software co-founder John Romero was apparently one week removed from co-founding a completely different icon of PC gaming, but he'd already made plans | first = Ted | last = Litchfield | date = August 10, 2025 | accessdate = August 10, 2025 | work = [[PC Gamer]] }}</ref> Instead, Romero left Origin Systems to co-found a game company named Inside Out Software,<ref name="pcgamer aug2025"/> where he ported ''[[Might and Magic II: Gates to Another World|Might & Magic II]]'' from the Apple II to the Commodore 64. He had almost finished the Commodore 64 to Apple II port of ''[[Tower Toppler]]'', but [[Epyx]] unexpectedly cancelled all its ports industrywide due to their tremendous investment in the first round of games for the upcoming [[Atari Lynx]]. During this short time, Romero did the artwork for the [[Apple IIGS]] version of ''[[Dark Castle]]'', a port from the Macintosh. During this time, John and his friend Lane Roathe co-founded a company named [[Ideas from the Deep]] and wrote versions of a game called ''Zappa Roidz'' for the Apple II, PC and Apple IIGS. Their last collaboration was an Apple II disk operating system (InfoDOS) for Infocom's games ''[[Zork Zero]]'', ''[[Arthur: The Quest for Excalibur|Arthur]]'', ''[[James Clavell's Shōgun|Shogun]]'' and ''[[Journey (1989 video game)|Journey]]''.{{citation needed|date=July 2025}}

===1990s: id Software and first-person shooters===
Romero moved to [[Shreveport, Louisiana]], in March 1989 and joined [[Softdisk]] as a programmer in its Special Projects division.<ref name="pcgamer aug2025"/> After several months of helping the PC monthly disk magazine ''[[Big Blue Disk]]'', he officially moved into the department until he started a PC games division in July 1990 named Gamer's Edge (originally titled PCRcade). Romero hired [[John Carmack]] into the department from his freelancing in Kansas City, moved [[Adrian Carmack]] (no relation) into the division from Softdisk's art department, and persuaded [[Tom Hall]] to come in at night and help with game design. Romero and the others left Softdisk in February 1991 to form [[id Software]].<ref name="escape">[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/issue/55/3 The Escapist - John Romero: The Escapist Interview] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202142652/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/issue/55/3 |date=December 2, 2008}}. ''The Escapist''.</ref>

{{quote box|right|quote=There it was, the familiar milieu of Super Mario Brothers 3: pale blue sky, the puffy white clouds, the bushy green shrubs, the animated tiles with little question marks rolling over their sides and, strangely, his character Dangerous Dave standing ready on the bottom of the screen. Romero tapped his arrow key, moved Dave along the floor, and watched him scroll smoothly across the screen. That’s when he lost it.<ref name="mastersdoom"/>| width = 25em | source = —David Kushner, describing Romero's experience of observing the game ''Dangerous Dave'' by [[John Carmack]] and [[Tom Hall]] that introduced an innovative technique for side-scrolling on PC}}

Romero worked at id Software from its inception in 1991 until 1996. He was involved in the creation of several milestone games, including ''[[Commander Keen]]'', ''[[Wolfenstein 3D]]'', ''[[Doom (1993 video game)|Doom]]'', ''[[Doom II: Hell on Earth]]'' and ''[[Quake (video game)|Quake]]''.<ref name="escape" /> He served as executive producer (and game designer) on ''[[Heretic (video game)|Heretic]]'' and ''[[Hexen: Beyond Heretic|Hexen]]''. He designed most of the first episode of ''Doom'', a quarter of the levels in ''Quake'',<ref name=nextgen/> and half the levels in ''Commander Keen'' and ''Wolfenstein 3D: [[Spear of Destiny (video game)|Spear of Destiny]]''. He wrote many of the tools used at id Software to create their games, including DoomEd (level editor), [[QuakeEd]] (level editor), DM (for deathmatch launching), [[DWANGO]] client (to connect the game to DWANGO's servers), TED5 (level editor for the ''Commander Keen'' series, ''Wolfenstein 3D: Spear of Destiny''), IGRAB (for grabbing assets and putting them in [[WAD file]]s), the installers for all the games up to and including ''Quake'', the SETUP program used to configure the games, and several others. In his keynote speech at WeAreDevelopers Conference 2017, Romero named this period Turbo Mode, in which he emphasizes having created 28 games, in 5.5 years with a team consisting of fewer than 10 developers.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/KFziBfvAFnM Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20170622183334/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFziBfvAFnM&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFziBfvAFnM&t=669s| title = The Early Days of Id Software - John Romero @ WeAreDevelopers Conference 2017 | website=YouTube| date = May 30, 2017 }}{{cbignore}}</ref> Romero is also credited with coining the multiplayer term "[[Deathmatch (video games)|deathmatch]]".<ref name="mastersdoom" />

In level 30 of ''Doom II'', "Icon of Sin", the [[boss (video games)|boss]] is supposed to be a giant demon head with a fragment missing from its forehead. When first viewing the demon, a distorted and demonic message is played, which is actually John Romero saying "To win the game, you must kill me, John Romero!", reversed and distorted to sound like a demonic chant. One can use the "noclip" cheat to enter the boss and see Romero's severed head which is skewered on a post. The player defeats the boss (without the noclip cheat) by shooting rockets into its exposed brain after activating a lift and riding it. Romero's head functions as its hit detection point; when he "dies", the boss is killed and the game is finished. In the 2013 IGN ''Doom'' playthrough to celebrate ''Doom''{{'s}} 20th anniversary, Romero shared the backstory behind the inclusion of his head as the final boss and the reversed sound effect – they were both a result of in-joke pranking between development team members.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b86PwuzyxlY#t=3853 |title=Doom Playthrough With John Romero – 20 Yars of Doom! (by IGN) |last=rebelCoder (Юрий.Л.) |date=December 12, 2013 |via=YouTube |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150108162758/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b86PwuzyxlY |archive-date=January 8, 2015}}</ref>

During the production of ''Quake,'' Romero clashed with John Carmack over the future direction of id. Romero wanted the game to follow his demanding vision without compromise, but Carmack insisted that the project had to make steady progress toward completion and accused Romero of not working as much as the other developers. Although Romero relented on his vision and joined a months-long [[Crunch (video games)|crunch]] effort to finish the game, this did not resolve the tensions within the company, and Romero was forced to resign.<ref name="mastersdoom"/> In a 1997 interview, Romero said, "Leaving after finishing ''Quake'' was the right choice — leaving after finishing a hit game. I keep on good terms with the id guys and it was pretty easy because we've been friends for years."<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The Great Escape |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |issue=34|publisher=[[Imagine Media]] |date=October 1997|page=44}}</ref> In 2022, during a conversation with podcaster [[Lex Fridman]], Carmack stated that, in hindsight, he regrets the way he dealt with the firing of Romero, citing immaturity and lack of understanding of [[corporate structure]] as the primary causal factors. Additionally, Carmack clarified that both he and Romero were currently on good terms.<ref>{{cite web |last=Fridman |first=Lex |title=John Carmack: Doom, Quake, VR, AGI, Programming, Video Games, and Rockets {{!}} Lex Fridman Podcast #309 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I845O57ZSy4 |website=YouTube |date=August 4, 2022 |access-date=August 10, 2022}}</ref>

=== 1996–2000: Ion Storm and ''Daikatana'' ===
Romero co-founded [[Ion Storm]] in [[Dallas]], Texas with another id co-founder, [[Tom Hall]], where he designed and produced the first-person shooter ''[[Daikatana]]''.<ref name="escape" /> It was announced in 1997 with a release date for the Christmas shopping season of that year. However, this release date slipped repeatedly in the coming months, and the game began to accrue negative press. In 2010, ''Gamesauce'' featured Romero on its cover and contained an in-depth interview with Romero written by [[Brenda Brathwaite]].<ref name="gamesauce">[http://gamesauce.org/news/2010/09/04/an-interview-with-john-romero/ Gamesauce Spring 2010] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722025453/http://gamesauce.org/news/2010/09/04/an-interview-with-john-romero/ |date=July 22, 2011 }}. Spring 2010. ''Gamesauce''.</ref> In the interview, Romero publicly apologized for the infamous ''Daikatana'' advertisement. In particular, a 1997 advertisement boasting "John Romero's About To Make You His Bitch....Suck it down" caused controversy in the press and public.<ref>[http://www.gamesradar.com/us/ps3/game/features/article.jsp?articleId=2007031912215876016&releaseId=20060314115917309058&sectionId=1003&pageId=2007031912351744021 "The Top 7... PR Disasters"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927215214/http://www.gamesradar.com/us/ps3/game/features/article.jsp?articleId=2007031912215876016&releaseId=20060314115917309058&sectionId=1003&pageId=2007031912351744021 |date=September 27, 2007 }} Game Radar</ref>

The massive pre-hype for the game and the subsequent delays (it was not released until April 2000) were compounded by the poor reviews the game received when it was finally complete.<ref name="dumb">[http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/june03/dumbestmoments/index20.shtml "Romero Threatens to Make You His Bitch"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051211072329/http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/june03/dumbestmoments/index20.shtml |date=December 11, 2005 }}. Top 25 Dumbest Moments in Gaming History. June 2003. GameSpy.</ref> ''Daikatana'' was panned and appeared on numerous "top 10 worst games" listings. During this time, Romero was rumored to have been killed and a photograph of his corpse with a bullet wound was also spread through the Internet. The picture was taken for the magazine ''[[Texas Monthly]]''.<ref>Dunkin, Alan. [http://www.gamespot.com/news/1998/08/28/news_2464741.html "Romero Speaks... From the Grave?"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100218201718/http://www.gamespot.com/news/1998/08/28/news_2464741.html |date=February 18, 2010 }} GameSpot. August 28, 1998.</ref> In 2001, Romero and Hall departed after the release of Hall's ''[[Anachronox]]'' game and the subsequent closing of the Dallas Ion office.{{Cn|date=August 2023}}

===2000s===
In July 2001, Romero and Hall founded [[Monkeystone Games]] to develop and publish games for [[mobile devices]]. Monkeystone released approximately 15 games during the three-and-a-half-year lifespan of the company. Some highlights of their developments included ''[[Hyperspace Delivery Boy!]]'' (Pocket PC, Windows, Linux), ''Congo Cube'' (Pocket PC, PC, [[Qualcomm Brew|BREW]], [[Java ME]]), and a version of ''[[Red Faction]]'' for the Nokia [[N-Gage (device)|N-Gage]]. He and his girlfriend, [[Stevie Case]], broke up in 2003, and she left the company in May while ''Red Faction'' development continued until October. John then left Monkeystone Games' day-to-day operations to Lucas Davis while Romero and Hall left for Midway in San Diego.<ref>[[Retro Gamer magazine]], issue 75: In the Chain with ... John Romero (pages 78-89)</ref>

In mid-October 2003, Romero joined [[Midway Games]] as project lead on ''[[Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows]]''. While he continued to maintain his working relationship with Monkeystone, Lucas Davis took over running the office. The Monkeystone team moved to [[Austin, Texas]] to work on Midway's ''[[Area 51 (2005 video game)|Area 51]]'' title until its release. Monkeystone Games closed down in January 2005. Romero moved from project lead to creative director of internal studio during this time. At the end of June 2005, Romero left Midway Games mere months before the completion of ''Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/news130705romero |title=Romero Leaves Midway |author=Games Industry International |website=[[Eurogamer]] |date=July 13, 2005 |access-date=June 2, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017121426/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/news130705romero |archive-date=October 17, 2015 |author-link=Games Industry International }}</ref>

On August 31, 2005, Romero confirmed<ref>[http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=60965 News - John Romero's new studio] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013080247/http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=60965 |date=October 13, 2007 }}. September 21, 2005. Eurogamer.</ref> that he was working on a yet-to-be-announced [[Massively multiplayer online game|MMOG]] at his newly opened development studio, Slipgate Ironworks. It was reported that the name was temporary. "For the record," Romero wrote, "I'm co-founder of a new game company in the [[San Francisco Bay Area|Bay Area]] and am much better off in many ways than I was at Midway". He said that he would not reveal anything about the company or the game until 2007. On March 17, 2009, it was announced that Slipgate Ironworks was part of [[Gazillion Entertainment]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090320035856/http://www.gazillion.com/news/march_1.php Gazillion in agreement with Marvel Entertainment to bring iconic super heroes to massively multiplayer games audience, unveils new company and studios] March 17, 2009.</ref> Along with venture capitalist Rob Hutter and investor Bhavin Shah, Romero was a co-founder<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20140307122345/https://twitter.com/romero/status/1342987517 John Romero's Twitterstream] March 17, 2009.</ref> of Gazillion. On July 22, 2006, John Romero and former co-worker [[Tom Hall]] guest hosted episode 53 of the [[podcast]] ''The Widget''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thewidgetshow.com/archives/2006/ep-53-just-hanging-out/ |title=Ep. 53 – Just Hanging Out - The Widget – Games, Tech, Whatever |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130806001113/http://www.thewidgetshow.com/archives/2006/ep-53-just-hanging-out/ |archive-date=August 6, 2013 }}</ref> Romero departed Gazillion Entertainment in November 2010 to form a social game company called [[Loot Drop]] alongside [[Brenda Brathwaite]].<ref name="lootdrop">{{cite web |url=http://lootdrop.com/about/ |title=Loot Drop, Inc |access-date=February 8, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160129150712/http://www.lootdrop.com/about |archive-date=January 29, 2016 }} Loot Drop's About page</ref> Hall joined the company on January 1, 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2011/03/03/loot-drop-banks-on-talented-game-designers-as-it-takes-on-social-gamings-giants-exclusive/ |title=Loot Drop banks on talented game designers as it takes on social gaming's giants (exclusive) |first=Dean |last=Takahashi |work=VentureBeat |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304063545/http://venturebeat.com/2011/03/03/loot-drop-banks-on-talented-game-designers-as-it-takes-on-social-gamings-giants-exclusive/ |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |date=March 3, 2011 }}</ref>

Romero was the Chairman of the Board for the [[Cyberathlete Professional League]] (CPL) for ten years. On December 20, 2006, John Romero announced a new FPS project for the CPL titled ''[[Severity (video game)|Severity]]'' for both consoles and PC.<ref>[http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Story/200612/N06.1220.1011.26644.htm Romero Announces New CPL Specific FPS] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070215075603/http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Story/200612/N06.1220.1011.26644.htm |date=February 15, 2007 }}</ref> It was announced that Tom Mustaine (ex-Studio Director at [[Ritual Entertainment]]) would act as Director of Game Development at CPL's new studio. It was stated that ''Severity'' would be a multiplayer first person shooter, and that the game would be built on technology licensed from id Software. In October 2009, [[Angel Munoz (CPL)|Angel Munoz]], founder of the CPL stated that ''Severity'' was no longer being produced because they were not able "to convince game publishers of its value".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mylgn.com/esports/n/1/478/ |title=mylgn.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100107012433/http://mylgn.com/esports/n/1/478 |archive-date=January 7, 2010 }}</ref>

===2010–present===

Romero guest-edited the March 2010 issue of the British magazine ''[[Retro Gamer]].''{{Cn|date=September 2024}} In August 2014, Romero said he planned to make a new FPS.<ref name="Romero's new game announcement - Gamescom 2014">{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-08-11-after-14-years-john-romero-is-working-on-another-shooter |title=After 14 years John Romero is working on another shooter |website=[[Eurogamer]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222114758/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-08-11-after-14-years-john-romero-is-working-on-another-shooter |archive-date=December 22, 2015 |date=August 11, 2014 }}</ref> In April 2016, he announced a partnership with the former id artist [[Adrian Carmack]] to create the FPS [[Blackroom (video game)|''Blackroom'']],<ref name="Blackroom">{{cite web|url=http://www.blackroomgame.com/ |title=Welcome |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160428022114/http://www.blackroomgame.com/ |archive-date=April 28, 2016 }}</ref> describing their vision as a visceral, varied and violent shooter that harkens back to classic FPS play with a mixture of exploration, speed, and intense combat. They hoped to raise $700,000 (~${{Format price|{{Inflation|index=US-GDP|value=700000|start_year=2018}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US-GDP}}) via [[Kickstarter]] to see the project to completion and anticipated a launch in late 2018.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-36158610 |title=Doom creators seek cash for 'classic' shooter |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160501175604/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-36158610 |archive-date=May 1, 2016 |publisher=BBC News |date=April 28, 2016}}</ref> The Kickstarter campaign was cancelled four days after its launch.<ref>{{cite news |last=O'Connor |first=Alice |title=Romero's Blackroom Kickstarter Cancelled Until Demo Finished|url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/04/29/john-romero-kickstarter-cancelled-for-gameplay-demo/|website=[[Rock, Paper, Shotgun]]|access-date=April 29, 2016|date=April 29, 2016}}</ref> In 2023, Romero confirmed in his autobiography, ''Doom Guy: Life in First Person'', that while a demo had existed and was shown to publishers, no publishers expressed interest in funding the game after the Kickstarter cancellation, and the game was fully cancelled after that behind-closed-doors demo.{{Cn|date=September 2024}}

On 2017, Romero won the Bizkaia Award at the [[Fun & Serious Game Festival]], which takes place in the Spanish city of Bilbao.<ref name="eldiario.es">{{cite web |title=Kaplan, de escritor fracasado a estrella de los videojuegos tras jugar 272 días |url=https://www.eldiario.es/economia/Kaplan-escritor-fracasado-estrella-videojuego_0_716728694.html |website=[[elDiario.es]] |date=December 9, 2017 |language=es}}</ref> Romero and his wife Brenda Romero established [[Romero Games]] on August 11, 2015.<ref>{{cite web |title=Romero Games Limited |url=http://www.solocheck.ie/Irish-Company/Romero-Games-Limited-566333 |website=Solocheck.ie |access-date=September 5, 2017 |archive-date=November 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221112125257/https://www.solocheck.ie/Irish-Company/Romero-Games-Limited-566333 |url-status=dead }}</ref> They published ''[[Gunman Taco Truck]]'' in 2017, ''[[Sigil_(mod)|SIGIL]]'' in 2019, and ''[[Empire_of_Sin_(video_game)|Empire of Sin]]'' in 2020.{{Cn|date=August 2023}} In March 2022, in response to the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]], Romero created a new level of ''Doom II'' which was subsequently listed for sale through his personal website. Romero stated that all proceeds would be donated to the Ukrainian Red Cross and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund.<ref>{{cite web |last=Machkovech |first=Sam |date=March 4, 2022 |title=John Romero releases new Doom II map to "support the Ukrainian people" |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2022/03/john-romero-releases-new-doom-ii-map-to-support-the-ukrainian-people/ |access-date=March 7, 2022 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
[[File:BAFTA2011 GameDevs.jpg|right|thumb|Romero (center) and other game developers at a [[BAFTA]] event in Los Angeles in 2011. From left: [[Rod Humble]], [[Louis Castle]], [[David Perry (game developer)|David Perry]], [[Brenda Romero]], John Romero, [[Will Wright (game designer)|Will Wright]], [[Tim Schafer]], [[Chris Hecker]].]]

In January 2004, Romero married Raluca Alexandra Pleșca, originally from [[Bucharest]], Romania. They divorced in 2011. Romero and game developer [[Brenda Brathwaite]] became engaged on March 24, 2012, and married on October 27, 2012.<ref name="fb1">{{cite web |url=http://www.facebook.com/thebrenda |title=Facebook |website=Facebook |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160116200107/https://www.facebook.com/thebrenda |archive-date=January 16, 2016}}</ref><ref name="fb2">{{cite web|url=http://www.facebook.com/theromero |title=John Romero – Facebook |website=Facebook |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160116200107/https://www.facebook.com/theromero |archive-date=January 16, 2016}}</ref><ref name="twitter feed">{{cite tweet|user=br|last=Romero|first=Brenda|author-link=Brenda Romero|number=106541311800262656|title=Yes, I am in a relationship with game developer John Romero.|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705033922if_/https://twitter.com/br/status/106541311800262656|archive-date=July 5, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Romero Twitter Feed">{{cite tweet|user=romero|last=Romero|first=John|number=106561810148237313|title=My wonderful girlfriend, Brenda Brathwaite, tells me someone on Wikipedia is deleting the fact that we're together. Why would they do that?|date=August 25, 2011}}</ref> Together, they worked on ''[[Ravenwood Fair]]'', with Romero as Lead Designer and Brathwaite as Creative Director and Game Designer. They also founded social game development company Loot Drop in November 2010, and worked on ''Cloudforest Expedition'' and ''Ghost Recon Commander'' together.<ref name="lootdrop" /> Romero has three children from two previous marriages: Michael, born in 1988, Steven, born in 1989, and Lillia Antoinette, born in 1998.{{citation needed|date=July 2025}}

Romero's long hair has been a source of both admiration and derision for his fans. John guest-answered ''[[Planet Quake]]''{{'}}s "Dear Mynx" column, in which a female fan asked for hair care tips.<ref>[http://planetquake.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Editorials.Detail&id=101 Dear Mynx Editorial Column] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002132211/http://planetquake.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Editorials.Detail&id=101 |date=October 2, 2013}}</ref> Romero cut his hair short in 2002 and donated it to [[Locks of Love]].<ref>[http://rome.ro/archive/news/news_03_23_2002_to_01_27_2002.htm John Romero's Blog Archive] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090222152344/http://rome.ro/archive/news/news_03_23_2002_to_01_27_2002.htm |date=February 22, 2009}}</ref>

Discussion boards such as ''Doomworld'' and ''BeyondUnreal'' had threads discussing his new look at the time, although he began to grow it back to its original length in 2003. On January 11, 2022, Romero gave a statement via Twitter on the subject of his hair, to coincide with the 120th anniversary of William Arthur Jones' "Indian haircut order" of 1902.<ref>{{cite web|last=Onion|first=Rebecca|date=August 20, 2013|title=The Infamous Government Order Mandating Forced Haircuts For Native Americans|url=https://slate.com/human-interest/2013/08/haircut-order-commissioner-jones-letter-demanding-that-supervisors-force-native-americans-to-cut-their-hair.html|access-date=January 14, 2022|website=Slate Magazine}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=December 1, 2003|title=William Arthur Jones {{!}} Photograph |work=Wisconsin Historical Society|url=https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Image/IM30884|access-date=January 14, 2022}}</ref> In the statement, Romero said: "I wear my hair long as a proud Yaqui and Cherokee man, and will continue to do so until the day I die."<ref>{{cite web |last=Romero |first=John |title=Long hair: A thread |url=https://twitter.com/romero/status/1480806066078334977 |website=Twitter |access-date=January 12, 2022}}</ref>

In 2000, during the development of ''Daikatana'', Romero listed ''[[Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny]]'', ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'', ''[[Age of Empires (video game)|Age of Empires]]'', ''[[Duke Nukem 3D]]'' and ''[[Chrono Trigger]]'' as his favorite games of all time, with ''Chrono Trigger'' topping the list.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/Pv9xAgNbZA8 Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20200830062828/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv9xAgNbZA8&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv9xAgNbZA8 |title=John Romero Interview - Top 5 Games |website=YouTube |date=November 2015 |publisher=Under Play |access-date=May 26, 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In 2017, Romero listed ''[[World of Warcraft]]'' and ''[[Minecraft]]'' as his favorite games of all time.<ref>{{cite web |author=WeAreDevelopers |title=The Early Days of Id Software - John Romero @ WeAreDevelopers Conference 2017 |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=KFziBfvAFnM?t=1849 |website=YouTube |date=May 30, 2017 |access-date=March 11, 2022}}</ref>

Romero's favorite programming language as of 2017 is [[Lua (programming language)|Lua]].<ref>{{cite web |author=WeAreDevelopers |title=The Early Days of Id Software - John Romero @ WeAreDevelopers Conference 2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFziBfvAFnM&t=1908s |website=YouTube |date=May 30, 2017 |access-date=March 11, 2022}}</ref> Romero says he has [[hyperthymesia]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Takahashi |first1=Dean |url=https://venturebeat.com/games/after-20-years-doom-co-creator-john-romero-looks-back-on-the-impact-of-a-seminal-game-interview/ |title=After 20 years, Doom co-creator John Romero looks back on the impact of a seminal (And Satanic) game (Interview) |work=VentureBeat |date=December 11, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet |number=1376622608087662604 |user=romero |title=This is correct – I have hyperthymesia. https://t.co/40h0jNW6iX |first=John |last=Romero |date=March 29, 2021 |access-date=October 27, 2023}}</ref> Romero is an [[atheist]].<ref>{{cite tweet |user=romero |last=Romero |first=John |number=1332271862433402881 |date=November 27, 2020 |title=@sakari369 I am an atheist, and I worship 6502 assembly language.}}</ref> He also claimed that everyone involved at working on the original ''Doom'' was an atheist (although game designer [[Sandy Petersen]] is a [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|Mormon]]).<ref>{{cite web |title=After 20 years, Doom co-creator John Romero looks back on the impact of a seminal (And Satanic) game (Interview) |work=VentureBeat |url=https://venturebeat.com/2013/12/11/after-20-years-doom-co-creator-john-romero-looks-back-on-the-impact-of-a-seminal-game-interview/ |quote=Because, in the game, you were killing demons, and demons are really a religious thing—everyone in the company was an atheist. We didn’t believe in hell or heaven or any of that stuff. Putting demons in there was just, 'This is what people believe in.' We thought that the juxtaposition of future science—a space marine on a moon of Mars with all these experiments happening, it's very scientific and futuristic—and then all of a sudden this religious thing happens, demons coming through a portal, versus aliens— |date=December 11, 2013}}</ref> On December 19, 2023, Romero acquired Irish citizenship, after living there for about eight years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/C1CU9n3N2hp/ |access-date=2023-12-30 |website=www.instagram.com}}</ref>

Romero was referenced in the 2020 video game ''[[Doom Eternal]]'' as King Ormero.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Romero |first1=John |title=Thank you for this. A wonderful surprise and an incredible honor. I am grateful for all you have done to keep the ripping and tearing alive. |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/B-J_QEMpchs/ |website=Instagram |access-date=17 January 2025}}</ref>

==Recognition==
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Date !! class="unsortable" | Award !! class="unsortable" | Description
|-
| {{dts|2023}}
| Lifetime Achievement Award
| Awarded at GDC 2023<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gdconf.com/news/legendary-game-designers-john-romero-and-mabel-addis-honored-gdca-2023 |title=Legendary Game Designers John Romero and Mabel Addis Honored at GDCA 2023 |website=Game Developers Conference |date=February 23, 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230224150822/https://gdconf.com/news/legendary-game-designers-john-romero-and-mabel-addis-honored-gdca-2023 |archive-date=February 24, 2023 }}</ref>
|-
| {{dts|2017}}
| Bizkaia Award
| Awarded at the Fun & Serious Game Festival<ref name="eldiario.es"/>
|-
|-
| {{dts|2017}}
| Development Legend
| Awarded at Develop:Brighton<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.develop-online.net/news/brenda-and-john-romero-to-be-named-development-legends-at-develop-awards-2017/0230759 |title=Develop:Brighton Development Legend |website=MCV |date=March 17, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170325114442/http://www.develop-online.net/news/brenda-and-john-romero-to-be-named-development-legends-at-develop-awards-2017/0230759 |archive-date=March 25, 2017 }}</ref>
|-
| {{dts|2016}}
| Cacoward
| Awarded at Doomworld.com for the new DOOM 1 level E1M8b<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.doomworld.com/23years/best1.php |title=The 23rd Annual Cacowards |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170325114442/http://www.develop-online.net/news/brenda-and-john-romero-to-be-named-development-legends-at-develop-awards-2017/0230759 |archive-date=March 25, 2017 }}</ref>
|-
| {{dts|2012}}
|Tech Hall of Fame
|Included in list of technology creators.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pinterest.com/thenextweb/tech-hall-of-fame/ |title=Pinterest Tech Hall of Fame |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140710043441/http://www.pinterest.com/thenextweb/tech-hall-of-fame/ |archive-date=July 10, 2014 }}</ref>
|-
| {{dts|2012}}
|Apple II Forever Award
|Awarded at [[KansasFest]] to members of the Apple II community who had made significant contributions to the Apple II.<ref>[[KansasFest]]</ref>
|-
| {{dts|2011}}
|Most Influential Person in Facebook and Social Games
|#1 in Games.com's 2011 list.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.games.com/2011/10/26/top-10-people-facebook-games/ |title=Romero awarded #1 spot in list of Most Influential Person in Facebook and Social Games |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029074712/http://blog.games.com/2011/10/26/top-10-people-facebook-games/ |archive-date=October 29, 2014 }}</ref>
|-
| {{dts|1999}}
|MIT Technology Review TR100
|Innovators Under 35.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.technologyreview.com/tr35/profile.aspx?trid=535/ |title=Romero awarded a position in MIT's technology list. }}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=Al83tito |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
|-
| {{dts|1998}}
|Time Magazine's Cyber Elite 50
|#36, The top 50 tech elite of the year.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2005/05/the-cyber-elite-50 |title=Romero is at position #35 |newspaper=The Big Picture |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029102459/http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2005/05/the-cyber-elite-50/ |archive-date=October 29, 2014 |date=May 16, 2005 }}</ref>
|-
| {{dts|1998}}
| Top 20 Texans of the Year
|Texas Monthly's yearly list of the Top 20 Texans<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.texasmonthly.com/content/texas-twenty-1 |title=Romero listed as one of the Top 20 Texans of the year |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029084201/http://www.texasmonthly.com/content/texas-twenty-1 |archive-date=October 29, 2014 |date=September 1998 }}</ref>
|-
| {{dts|1997}}
|Time Magazine's Cyber Elite 50
|#40, The top 50 tech elite of the year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bluesnews.com/s/235678/john-romero-cyber-elite |title=John Romero Cyber-Elite |date=11 October 1998 |website=Blue's News |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241206110523/https://www.bluesnews.com/s/235678/john-romero-cyber-elite |archive-date=6 December 2024 }}</ref>
|-
| {{dts|1996}}
| The Most Influential People in Computer Gaming of All Time
|#7, GameSpot's "The Most Influential People in Computer Gaming of All Time" list.
|}

== Games ==
{| class="wikitable sortable" border="1"
|-
! scope="col" | Name
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Publisher
! scope="col" | Role(s)
|-
| ''Dodge 'Em'' || 1982 || Capitol Ideas Software || Programmer, Designer, Art, Sound
|-
| ''Scout Search'' || 1984 || [[List of publications and periodicals devoted to the Apple II|inCider Magazine]] || Programmer, Designer, Sound
|-
| ''Cavern Crusader'' || 1984 || [[List of publications and periodicals devoted to the Apple II|A+ Magazine]] || Programmer, Designer, Sound, Art
|-
| ''Bongo's Bash''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rome.ro/bongosbash|title=Bongo's Bash - 1983|website=rome.ro}}</ref> || 1985 || A+ Magazine || Programmer, Designer, Sound
|-
| ''Zippy Zombi'' || 1987 || [[UpTime (disk magazine)|Uptime Disk Monthly]] || Programmer, Designer, Sound
|-
| ''Wacky Wizard'' || 1987 || Uptime Disk Monthly || Programmer, Designer, Sound
|-
| ''Subnodule'' || 1987 || Keypunch Software, Inc. || Programmer, Designer, Sound
|-
| ''Pyramids of Egypt'' || 1987 || Uptime Disk Monthly || Programmer, Designer, Sound
|-
| ''Neptune's Nasties'' || 1987 || Uptime Disk Monthly || Programmer, Designer, Sound
|-
| ''Major Mayhem'' || 1987 || [[Nibble (magazine)|Nibble Magazine]] || Programmer, Designer, Sound
|-
| ''Lethal Labyrinth'' || 1987 || [[UpTime (disk magazine)|Uptime Disk Monthly]] || Programmer, Designer, Sound
|-
| ''Krazy Kobra'' || 1987 || [[UpTime (disk magazine)|Uptime Disk Monthly]] || Programmer, Designer, Sound
|-
| ''Jumpster'' || 1987 || [[UpTime (disk magazine)|Uptime Disk Monthly]] || Programmer, Designer, Sound
|-
| ''Evil Eye'' || 1987 || [[UpTime (disk magazine)|Uptime Disk Monthly]] || Programmer, Designer, Sound
|-
| ''[[James Clavell's Shōgun]]'' || 1988 || [[Infocom]] || Programmer
|-
| ''[[Dangerous Dave|Dangerous Dave in the Deserted Pirate's Hideout]]'' || 1988 || [[UpTime (disk magazine)|Uptime Disk Monthly]] || Programmer, Designer, Sound, Art
|-
| ''City Centurian'' || 1988 || [[Nibble (magazine)|Nibble Magazine]] || Programmer, Designer, Sound, Art
|-
| ''[[Zork Zero|Zork Zero: The Revenge of Megaboz]]'' || 1989 || [[Infocom]] || Programmer
|-
| ''Zappa Roidz'' || 1989 || [[Softdisk Publishing]] || Programmer, Designer
|-
| ''[[Big Blue Disk|Twilight Treasures]]'' || 1989 || [[Softdisk Publishing]] || Associate Editor
|-
| ''[[Space Rogue]]'' || 1989 || [[Origin Systems]] || Programmer
|-
| ''[[Might and Magic II: Gates to Another World]]'' || 1989 || [[New World Computing]] || Lead programmer
|-
| ''Magic Boxes'' || 1989 || [[Softdisk Publishing]] || Lead programmer
|-
| ''[[Journey (1989 video game)|Journey: The Quest Begins]]'' || 1989 || [[Infocom]] || Programmer
|-
| ''How to Weigh an Elephant'' || 1989 || [[Softdisk Publishing]] || Programmer
|-
| ''[[Big Blue Disk|Big Blue Disk #32]]'' || 1989 || [[Softdisk Publishing]] || Programmer
|-
| ''[[Big Blue Disk|Big Blue Disk #35]]'' || 1989 || [[Softdisk Publishing]] || Contributor
|-
| ''[[Catacomb (video game)|The Catacomb Abyss]]'' || 1989 || Softdisk || Programmer
|-
| ''[[Arthur: The Quest for Excalibur]]'' || 1989 || [[Infocom]] || Programmer
|-
| ''Sub Stalker'' || 1990 || [[Softdisk Publishing]] || Programmer, Designer, Sound, Art
|-
| ''Pixel Puzzler'' || 1990 || [[Softdisk Publishing]] || Pixel Puzzle Maker
|-
| ''[[Big Blue Disk|Dinosorcerer]]'' || 1990 || [[Softdisk Publishing]] || Programmer
|-
| ''Dark Designs II: Closing the Gate'' || 1990 || [[Softdisk Publishing]] || Level Designer
|-
| ''[[Commander Keen in Invasion of the Vorticons|Commander Keen 1: Marooned on Mars]]'' || 1990 || [[Apogee Software]] || Programmer, Level Designer
|-
| ''[[Commander Keen in Invasion of the Vorticons|Commander Keen 2: The Earth Explodes]]'' || 1990 || [[Apogee Software]] || Programmer, Level Designer
|-
| ''[[Commander Keen in Invasion of the Vorticons|Commander Keen 3: Keen Must Die!]]'' || 1990 || [[Apogee Software]] || Programmer, Level Designer
|-
| ''[[Catacomb (video game)|Catacomb]]'' || 1990 || [[Softdisk Publishing]] || Programmer
|-
| ''[[Big Blue Disk|Big Blue Disk #40]]'' || 1990 || [[Softdisk Publishing]] || Associate Editor
|-
| ''[[Big Blue Disk|Big Blue Disk #41]]'' || 1990 || [[Softdisk Publishing]] || Associate Editor
|-
| ''[[Big Blue Disk|Big Blue Disk #44]]'' || 1990 || [[Softdisk Publishing]] || Associate Editor
|-
| ''Alfredo's Stupendous Surprise'' || 1990 || Softdisk || Programmer
|-
| ''Xenopods'' || 1991 || [[Softdisk Publishing]] || Engine Tools
|-
| ''[[Slordax: The Unknown Enemy]]'' || 1991 || Softdisk || Engine Tools
|-
| ''[[Rescue Rover]]'' || 1991 || Softdisk || Programmer
|-
| ''[[Rescue Rover 2]]'' || 1991 || [[Expert Software]], Froggman, Softdisk || Programmer
|-
| ''[[Shadow Knights]]'' || 1991 || [[Softdisk Publishing]] || Programmer, Level Designer
|-
| ''Paragon'' || 1991 || Softdisk || Engine Tools
|-
| ''[[Paganitzu]]'' || 1991 || Apogee Software || Special Thanks
|-
| ''[[Hovertank 3D]]'' || 1991 || Softdisk || Programmers
|-
| ''[[Dangerous Dave in the Haunted Mansion]]'' || 1991 || Softdisk || Programmer
|-
| ''[[Keen Dreams|Commander Keen: Keen Dreams]]'' || 1991 || Softdisk || Programmer
|-
| ''[[Commander Keen in Goodbye, Galaxy|Commander Keen 4: Secret of the Oracle]]'' || 1991 || Apogee Software || Programmer, Level Designer
|-
| ''[[Commander Keen in Goodbye, Galaxy|Commander Keen 5: The Armageddon Machine]]'' || 1991 || Apogee Software || Programmer, Level Designer
|-
| ''[[Commander Keen in Aliens Ate My Babysitter|Commander Keen 6: Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter!]]'' || 1991 || [[FormGen]] || Programmer, Level Designer
|-
| ''[[Catacomb II#Sequel|The Catacomb (Catacomb II)]]'' || 1991 || Softdisk || Programmer
|-
| ''[[Catacomb 3-D]]'' || 1991 || Softdisk || Programming
|-
| ''[[Wolfenstein 3D]]'' || 1992 || Apogee Software || Programmer, Designer, Sound
|-
| ''[[Spear of Destiny (video game)|Spear of Destiny]]'' || 1992 || FormGen || Level Designer
|-
| ''Cyberchess'' || 1992 || Softdisk || Engine Tools
|-
| ''[[Terror of the Catacombs]]'' || 1993 || Froggman || Engine Tools
|-
| ''Street Ball'' || 1993 || Froggman || Engine Tools
|-
| ''[[Shadowcaster]]'' || 1993 || [[Origin Systems]] || Engine Tools
|-
| ''[[ScubaVenture: The Search for Pirate's Treasure]]'' || 1993 || Softdisk || Engine Tools
|-
| ''[[Dangerous Dave's Risky Rescue]]'' || 1993 || [[Softdisk]] || Engine Tools
|-
| ''[[Curse of the Catacombs]]'' || 1993 || Froggman || Engine Tools
|-
| ''[[Bio Menace]]'' || 1993 || [[Apogee Software]] || Engine Tools
|-
| ''[[Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold]]'' || 1993 || Apogee Software || Programmer
|-
| ''[[Doom (1993 video game)|Doom]]'' || 1993 || id Software || Programmer, Designer
|-
| ''[[Corridor 7: Alien Invasion]]'' || 1994 || [[Capstone Software]] || Engine Tools
|-
| ''[[Super 3D Noah's Ark]]'' || 1994 || [[Wisdom Tree]] || Programmer
|-
| ''[[Doom II: Hell on Earth]]'' || 1994 || GT Interactive || Programmer, Designer
|-
| ''[[Blake Stone: Planet Strike]]'' || 1994 || [[FormGen]] || Programmer
|-
| ''[[Heretic (video game)|Heretic]]'' || 1994 || id Software || Executive Producer
|-
| ''[[Doom (1993 video game)|The Ultimate Doom]]'' || 1995 || [[GT Interactive]] || Programmer, Designer
|-
| ''[[Hexen: Beyond Heretic]]'' || 1995 || id Software || Executive Producer
|-
| ''[[Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders]]'' || 1996 || id Software || Executive Producer
|-
| ''[[Final Doom]]'' || 1996 || [[id Software]]; [[Atari, Inc.]] || Programmer, Designer
|-
| ''[[Quake (video game)|Quake]]'' || 1996 || id Software || Programmer, Designer
|-
| ''[[Chex Quest]]'' || 1996 || [[Digital Café]] || Engine Programmer
|-
| ''[[Doom 64]]'' || 1997 || Midway Games || Engine Tools, Designer
|-
| ''[[Dominion: Storm Over Gift 3]]'' || 1998 || Eidos Interactive || Music Director
|-
| ''[[Daikatana]]'' || 2000 || Eidos Interactive || Designer
|-
| ''[[Red Faction (video game)|Red Faction]]'' (mobile version) || 2001 || THQ Wireless || Programmer
|-
| ''[[Anachronox]]'' || 2001 || [[Eidos Interactive]] || Level Designer
|-
| ''[[Hyperspace Delivery Boy!]]'' || 2002 || [[Monkeystone Games]] || Lead Programmer
|-
| ''Jewels and Jim'' || 2003 || THQ Wireless || Level Designer
|-
| ''Dig It!'' || 2003 || THQ Wireless || Level Designer
|-
| ''Congo Cube'' || 2003 || [[THQ Wireless]], [[RealArcade]] || Programmer
|-
| ''[[Cartoon Network: Block Party]]'' || 2004 || [[Majesco Entertainment]] || Programmer
|-
| ''[[Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows]]'' || 2005 || [[Midway Games]] || Special Thanks
|-
| ''[[Area 51 (2005 video game)|Area 51]]'' || 2005 || [[Midway Austin]] || Additional Designer
|-
| ''[[Ravenwood Fair]]'' || 2010 || [[Lolapps]] || Programmer, Designer, Sound
|-
| ''[[Marvel Super Hero Squad Online]]'' || 2011 ||Gazillion Entertainment Inc. || Special Thanks
|-
| ''[[Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon#Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Commander (2012)|Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Commander]]'' || 2012 || Ubisoft, Inc. || Designer
|-
| ''Pettington Park'' || 2012 || Zynga Game Network, Inc. || CEO, Additional Design
|-
| ''Dodger Down'' || 2013 || Howljerk Games || Testing and Feedback
|-
| ''Play Gig-it'' || 2013 || [[Gig-it Corp]]|| Special Thanks
|-
| ''Techno Dash'' || 2014 || Hammerwing Studios, Inc. || Special Thanks
|-
| ''Dangerous Dave in the Deserted Pirate's Hideout'' || 2015 || John Romero || Programmer, Designer, Sound, Art
|-
| ''Grom Skate'' || 2015 || Grom Social Inc. || Designer, Sound
|-
| ''Warpcop III'' || 2017 || indie published || Designer, Sound
|-
| ''July 4, 1976'' || 2017 || Playbarf || Programmer, Sound, Designer, Writer
|-
| ''[[Gunman Taco Truck]]'' || 2017 || [[Romero Games Ltd.]] || Programmer, Sound, Designer, Writer
|-
| ''[[Sigil_(mod)|SIGIL]]'' || 2019 || [[Romero Games Ltd.]] || Programmer, Designer
|-
| ''[[Empire of Sin (video game)|Empire of Sin]]'' || 2020 || [[Romero Games Ltd.]] || Programmer
|-
| ''[[Sigil II (mod)|SIGIL II]]'' || 2023 || [[Romero Games Ltd.]] || Programmer, Designer
|}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |last=Alexis |first=Keke |author-link=Keke Alexis (writer) |title=John Romero: The Game-changer's Odyssey |date=August 20, 2023 |isbn=979-8857967232}} 45 pages
*{{cite book |last=Kushner |first=David |author-link=David Kushner (writer) |title=Masters of Doom: How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop Culture |publisher=[[Random House]] |date=May 6, 2003 |isbn=978-0375505249}}

== External links ==
{{Commonscat}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* [http://romero.com/ Romero Games]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121214000820/http://planetromero.com/ Planet Romero]
* [https://twitter.com/romero John Romero] at Twitter
* {{moby developer|id=817|name=John Romero}}

{{Softdisk}}
{{id Software}}
{{Ion Storm}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Romero, John}}
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