id Software responds to Doom 4 concept artwork leak

We somehow managed to miss this one (I blame Nic, because it’s always Nic’s fault), but on Wednesday about 170 images alleged to be Doom 4 concept art were leaked online via environment artist and ex-id Software employee Thao Le’s online portfolio.

The images were, of course, later removed, but not before they had been copy-pasted across the information superhighway’s billboards.

Now id has responded to the leak in a vague sort of way, with Rage design director Matt Hooper posting on Twitter that “Those images have nothing to do with what you’re gonna see in Doom 4. When we officially show things, you’ll see awesome. When we officially show things, fans will be happy.”

So, id’s not denying that the images were actually from Doom 4, but they seem to be suggesting that the artwork is no longer representative of the game. Or that the artwork isn’t from Doom 4 at all. Or something.

Perhaps more significantly, however, they are confirming that Doom 4 is a happening thing. Back in October 2011, publisher Bethesda was alleged to have announced that the project had been “indefinitely postponed”, only to deny everything the next day.

Since then, nobody’s really said anything about it one way or the other.