If it exists, there’s a good chance it can run Doom. The legendary first-person shooter from id Software has been seen running on everything from calculators and Tesla vehicles to classic ipods and retro-infused consoles like Playdate.
There’s even a huge subreddit dedicated to showcasing the classic title running on a weird and wonderful array of devices including a ticket validator, treadmill, microwave, and digital camera.
Now, one developer claims to have gotten Doom running at 60fps inside of Windows Notepad, the stalwart text editor that was first released in 1983 and has been included in every version of Windows ever since.
In a video uploaded to YouTube and shared on social media, creator Samperson showcased just under one minute of footage that feels like a flickering, greyscale fever dream.
Although they didn’t break down their process, Samperson explained the footage isn’t sped up and that they didn’t modify the code of Notepad.exe at all. “This is fully playable, interactive, live, [and uses] zero fakery,” added the developer. “This is exactly what it looks like. This is your fault.”
The project even caught the attention of Doom co-creator John Romero, who described the notepad iteration as “incredible.”
Some folks on the It Runs Doom subreddit also caught wind of the project, and suggest that Doom isn’t actually running inside Notepad but is rather using the software as a display.
Still, it’s a pretty neat addition to the “will it run Doom?” oeuvre that once again spotlights an enduring fascination with one of the game industry’s most iconic titles.