Doom Eternal Sound Composer Responds To “False Accusations” Made By Id Software’s Studio Director

A couple of years ago, Marty Stratton made a comprehensive Reddit post tackling issues with Doom Eternal’s OST. The Reddit post claimed things like the sound composer, had “near limitless creative autonomy,” and Id Software was worried whether he could deliver the OST on time or not.

Doom Eternal’s sound composer, Mick Gordon, was eventually made the culprit for the underlying issues with the OST. Mick has responded publically to everything after an alleged attempt by Marty to silence the sound composer and Mick’s failure to resolve the situation behind the curtains.

Mick has struck back with a lengthy reply, refuting all the allegations made against him and exposing everything that ensued behind the scenes. He also discussed the horrible aftermath following the allegations.

Disclaimer: The article includes mentions of disturbing abuse and sensitive topics from here on out.

Main Takeaway

• Doom Eternal’s Sound Composer, Mick Gordon, recently penned down a lengthy response against id Software Studio Director Marty Stratton’s “DOOM Eternal OST Open Letter,” exposing the “false accusations” made against him.
• Mick revealed that he was offered a six-figure sum to bury the event for good, but he chose otherwise.
• The sound composer also clarified the terrible aftermath that ensued from the false allegations.
• Mick tackles everything in detail, including his experience with Id Software and how he remained underpaid.

Mick claims that Id Software’s studio director lied and used disinformation to blame him for all the failures. He has made a very lengthy and descriptive response, clarifying how he was accused of everything that went wrong. 

He came forward with a public response after the situation could not be resolved privately. Moreover, he was evidently offered a huge sum of money, a six-figure settlement to bury the situation. Doom Eternal’s sound composer was allegedly required to keep the situation under wraps, but he denied the proposal.

In Marty’s “DOOM Eternal OST Open Letter”, posted on Reddit on May 5, 2020, he made allegations against me that directly contradicted the actual events, contractual terms, public announcements and contents of emails and calls.

— Mick Gordon (@Mick_Gordon) November 9, 2022

Mick knew from the start that the time was too short to produce a quality soundtrack. He mentioned, “it was clear the schedule wasn’t going to work.” Moreover, he also experienced hurdles from Id Software failing to provide him with resources. He had to apparently work on the soundtrack during the early stages of the game.

It was a masterpiece in Excel but a disaster in reality. The requirement to write, perform, record, produce, mix, master and implement two levels of music — with feedback rounds — every 30 days, when the levels themselves were bare-bone, now looked ridiculous.“

Gordon states he “proposed an alternative plan that reflected the reality of development” whereas Stratton “rejected my belief that the current schedule was flawed and suggested my act of trying to do something about it was a sign of incompetence. Refusing to accept the reality of the situation, he threw the proposal back in my face and proceeded to tear me down for having the audacity to raise the issue in the first place.”

Mick also elaborated on the issues he experienced with Id Software, with him not being paid enough. Mick explains, “used nearly all the music I produced throughout development — almost five hours worth – while only paying for half of it.”

“Even worse, id Software still refuses to pay for it, despite the fact their contract guarantees payment for any additional minute requested beyond the original budget.” All this was eventually going to lead to a downfall for the soundtrack. Rendering Mick to be the scapegoat caused him to experience a very worrisome time.

The Reddit post affected Mick severely, with the aftermath leading to a hurl of abuse and death threats, threats to kill his family, shooting up events he attends, and the like. Mick’s professional life was deeply affected, with his other clients being harassed for working with him. Regrettably, the abuse only spun out of control with time.

Mick mentions, “Marty’s Reddit post severely impacted both my professional and personal reputation. In releasing this statement, I’m exercising my right to defend myself. It is a defence, not an unprovoked attack, issued with extreme reluctance only after all other attempts to resolve the matter have failed.”

We suggest reading the open letter to get complete insight since it is very long and detailed. What are your thoughts regarding Mick Gordon’s response clarifying everything he experienced after the alleged lies made against him? Do let us know your opinions in the comments below.

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