Bobby Prince, the composer perhaps most well-known for his work on the original DOOM, has sadly passed away at the age of 81. In the grand scheme of video game scores, DOOM arguably has one of the most recognizable soundtracks in history. And while this focus on music in the DOOM series is something that has continued for over 30 years, it was Prince who first put his mark on the franchise.
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News of Prince’s death first appeared online earlier this week, as he was confirmed to have passed on June 16th. Prince’s cause of death wasn’t shared, but he’s survived by his wife and two sons.
To the public, Prince was most well-known as the composer of a number of first-person shooters that were released throughout the 1990s. In addition to scoring the music for the original DOOM, Prince returned for its sequel, DOOM II, and also wrote the scores for Duke Nukem 3D and Wolfenstein 3D. Prince was honored for his musical work in 2006 when he received a lifetime achievement award from the Game Audio Network Guild.
“His innovative work helped define an era of gaming and influenced generations of players around the world,” reads Prince’s obituary. “Through his compositions and sound design for landmark titles including DOOM, DOOM II, Wolfenstein 3D, Rise of the Triad, and Duke Nukem 3D, Bobby helped establish video game music as a respected art form. […] While many throughout the world will remember Bobby for the music and soundscapes that helped define a generation of gaming, those who knew and loved him personally will remember something even greater: a man of talent, integrity, humility, faith, laughter, and love whose greatest joy was sharing his wit and wisdom with family and friends.”
In the wake of Prince’s death, many who knew the composer have shared nothing but positive memories about him. John Romero, the famed designer behind DOOM, said that Prince left an “incredible mark” on his own life in addition to the games that they worked on.
Composer Andrew Hulshult, who most notably worked on the soundtrack for DOOM Eternal, also celebrated Prince for continuing to be so supportive of his own work over the years.
“Bobby was all about spreading love and positivity,” Hulshult wrote on social media. “He wanted everyone to get along. He was incredibly supportive of my work. I am truly honored to have been given the privilege of covering his work.”
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