In a bold fusion of nostalgia, creativity, and tech-savvy marketing, Xbox has launched a tongue-in-cheek campaign that turns the iconic shooter DOOM into a playable experience within Microsoft Office applications. Timed with the release of DOOM: The Dark Ages on May 15th, the initiative, titled Officially Doomed, gives gamers what they’ve long joked about — a legitimate way to play DOOM at work.
For decades, gamers have found ways to install and run the classic DOOM on just about anything with a screen and a processor — from scientific calculators and ATMs to digital cameras and smart refrigerators. This organic "play anywhere" culture has been a beloved quirk of the gaming community. Now, Xbox is embracing and legitimizing that spirit by embedding playable versions of DOOM directly into Microsoft Office tools like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
The campaign, developed by students from Colombian ad school Bendita Carpeta, is more than a novelty. It positions Xbox as a brand that genuinely understands and celebrates gaming subculture. By turning the world’s most widely used productivity suite into an unlikely gaming hub, Officially Doomed blurs the lines between work and play in a way that’s both rebellious and endearing.
This 360° content and experiential campaign aims to amplify Xbox’s broader "Play Anywhere" ethos, demonstrating that gaming doesn’t need to be confined to consoles or high-powered PCs. The project also hints at a future where casual gaming moments can happen within the tools we already use daily.
While currently limited to DOOM, the campaign teases future possibilities of expanding the in-app gaming experience to other classic titles. Whether it’s nostalgia or clever disruption, Officially Doomed speaks directly to gamers’ inner hackers — the ones who’ve long asked, “But can it run DOOM?” and finally got an official "Yes."
With DOOM: The Dark Ages reinvigorating the franchise and this campaign turning heads in the creative and tech industries alike, Xbox continues to reinforce its identity not just as a gaming platform, but as a cultural force that champions community, accessibility, and imagination.
