Composer Bobby Prince, Doom soundtrack creator, dies at 81

Bobby Prince, the pioneering composer who created the iconic, heavy metal-inspired soundtrack for the 1993 video game Doom, died on Tuesday, June 16, at the age of 81. His family confirmed his passing, which followed an illness.

Prince's work defined the sound of a generation of early PC games. He was best known for his music and sound design for id Software's groundbreaking titles, including Doom, Doom II, Wolfenstein 3D, and episodes of the Commander Keen series. His contributions extended to other major studios, with credits on games like Duke Nukem 3D, Rise of the Triad, and Blake Stone. His final game soundtrack was for 2014's Wrack.

The cultural significance of his most famous work was formally recognized just last month, when the Library of Congress inducted the original Doom soundtrack into the National Recording Registry. The library stated that Prince composed "the perfect riff-shredding accompaniment" for the game, overcoming technical limitations of the era to create a lasting audio landmark.

Colleagues and peers from the gaming industry shared tributes highlighting his talent and character. John Romero, co-designer of Doom, wrote that Prince "left an incredible mark...