Bethesda is initiating legal action against a memecoin and browser game project known as $DOOM and Doomsol, which utilizes assets and themes from the iconic Doom franchise. The publisher stated its primary concerns are preventing consumer confusion regarding official products and addressing the unauthorized commercial use of Doom intellectual property.
The controversy began in early August when Sandy Petersen, a designer noted for his work on Doom and Quake, began promoting the $DOOM memecoin and its associated browser-based Doom game, Doomsol, on social media. Petersen, who also claimed to be designing levels for Doomsol and earning fees for it, suggested that the project was legally sound due to Doom's open license. However, this interpretation was challenged by the freedoom project, which clarified that while the open license allows for creative uses like building new games or porting Doom to different platforms, it does not permit the redistribution of Doom or the reuse of its assets for commercial gain.
Compounding the issues, a video posted by Petersen allegedly showcasing Doomsol was identified as the fan project Freedoom, leading the official Freedoom account to distance itself and warn against cryptocurrency scams. Shortly thereafter, the value of the $DOOM coin plummeted as its creator reportedly "pulled the rug," a term used to describe a situation where the creators of a cryptocurrency suddenly abandon the project and sell their tokens, causing the price to crash.
Despite a brief attempt to revive the project and coin by individuals claiming to be involved with Doomsol after the original creator's apparent exit, the value did not recover significantly. Both Sandy Petersen and his son, Arthur Petersen, who was also involved, largely ceased promoting the venture.
Bethesda confirmed to Kotaku that it is taking steps to address the situation, likely through a cease and desist letter. A spokesperson emphasized the company's commitment to ensuring fans can clearly distinguish between official Doom experiences and unaffiliated projects. While Bethesda supports creative and academic uses of the Doom engine, it draws a line at the commercial exploitation of its assets to promote ventures like memecoins. The publisher aims to "preserve clarity" when there is a risk of confusion about affiliation or endorsement.