HIGHLIGHTS
- Mick Gordon, a beloved composer of Doom’s initial prequels, is not involved in the Doom: The Dark Ages soundtrack.
- As per Gordon’s statement, he never quit Doom; he quit a toxic client due to a dispute with ID Software, which stemmed from the Doom Eternal soundtrack release.
- While Doom: The Dark Ages will not feature Gordon’s signature heavy metal style, players must adopt Finishing Move’s medieval-inspired metal soundscape.
Doom: The Dark Ages is the third installment in the modern Doom series, with Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal (2020) being the first two.
This new installment features many exciting additions compared to its prequel, making the game more interesting and challenging.
Despite the game having every gameplay element, players miss Mike Gordon’s heavy metal style in this third installment.
Mike Gordon In Doom: The Dark Ages?
The possibility of Mike Gordon coming to Doom: The Dark Ages seems quite low, or it is not even possible.
Mike Gordon was the most loved composer for his heavy metal style in Doom’s initial sequels, but many still miss his sounds in the Dark Ages.
Currently, Doom: The Dark Ages is taking a new direction with Finishing Move’s medieval-inspired metal soundscape.
It’s not that the Finishing Move soundtracks are that bad, but many players have missed the original Doom tracks, which have their own level of intriguing sound with an intense combination of haunting metallic tones.
I’m gonna be real, I got no interest in playing DOOM: Dark Ages purely because Mick Gordon didn’t work on it.
Mick Gordon is a genius, and half of the DOOM experience is the music. The new music is… there, I guess.
Mick got done dirty, and we got robbed. https://t.co/Y1XT1VF5BT
— Malphier | on my Vtuber Arc (@malphier) May 11, 2025
The soundtracks of Doom: The Dark Ages have got mixed reviews, while some players say it’s not so good without Mike, while some appreciate Brian Trifon’s medieval-inspired metal soundscape.
Why Did Mike Gordon Leave Doom
Mick Gordon left Doom due to a dispute with id Software over the Doom Eternal soundtrack.
The controversy began when Gordon agreed to compose the Doom: Eternal OST, but tight deadlines and studio restrictions made it difficult for him to complete the project on time.
Later, the game’s Collector’s Edition OST was released with many tracks mixed using compressed in-game audio, rather than Gordon’s original work.
Marty Stratton, @idSoftware Studio Director, lied about @DOOM Eternal’s OST events in a Reddit post that used disinformation to blame me entirely for its failure
Later, he offered me a six-figure sum to never speak about it
The truth is more important.https://t.co/zSNo2QG1mI
— Mick Gordon (@Mick_Gordon) November 9, 2022
While ID Software executive producer Marty Stratton revealed that Mike mixed the audio, Mick said he did not have any hand in it.
Following the argument between id Software and Mike, in November 2022, Gordon published a public statement, claiming that Stratton lied about the circumstances, refused payment for some of his work, and created a toxic work environment.
Within the same statement, Gordon also revealed that he had cut ties with id Software, stating, “I never quit Doom. I quit a toxic client.”
