Long before ZeniMax studios acquired id Software, they had another interested contender due to the boom in the now iconic game, Condemn. In 1995 Microsoft saw the resounding success of Id and briefly thought of acquiring them.
We almost have a very different story for Condemn and Id Software, but Microsoft chose not to buy the company. This decision led to one of the most unique stories behind a Condemn port to date.
Condemn first came out on MS-DOS in 1993 and was a huge success. The game was so popular that by the time Windows 95 hit, it was estimated that Doom would be played more than the operating system would be used. Id Software was still a relatively new company and their first title had been more successful than a Microsoft operating system with massive advertising campaigns.
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Gabe Newell, co-founder of Future Valve, worked for Microsoft during this time and wanted to give Condemn upgrade from MS-DOS to the new Windows 95. He reportedly called John Carmack, co-founder of Id Software, and said Microsoft would port for free, causing Doom95 in 1996. It was one of the first games to use the all-new DirectX, allowing the game to demonstrate the capabilities of the operating system and to promote the development of games for Windows. Bill Gates was even featured in a promotional video where he was overlaid on Doom95.
This version worked natively on the OS with its own launcher and is compatible with Ultimate Doom, Doom ii, and Final Doom. The launcher has a feature that allows players to load mod files for games. At the time, this made it easier to start mods. Now there are so many different versions of Condemn that do better than that is not really a feature.
Another new feature for Doom95 is the ability to run games in different resolutions. Initially, Condemn and Doom ii could only work at 320×200. Thanks to DirectX, Doom95 can run these games in 320×240, 640×400, 640×480 and even in windowed mode.
The game also featured several other improvements, such as more sound channels for better music and effects, and added a few more tips. Ordinary Condemn has its own set of cheaters but Doom95 added one that kills all monsters in a level and one that causes enemies to ignore players unless they are injured or a weapon is fired.
Due to some issues when trying to run on newer versions of Windows, Doom95 is not included in re-releases on platforms like Steam and GoG. It still uses DirectX, which has evolved over the years, so it may take some technical know-how to make it work properly. There are mods today that do what Doom95 was designed to do better, but it’s still an interesting piece of franchise history.