Mobile Doom Dev Reemerges As An Independent Studio

Two years ago, Microsoft abruptly shuttered several studios, including Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks, and Alpha Dog Games, the creators of the mobile Doom title Mighty Doom. While Tango Gameworks has since secured a new partnership with PUBG publisher Krafton, Alpha Dog appears to have resurfaced as an independent outfit.

This development was uncovered through the LinkedIn profile of studio founder Shawn Woods, as reported by The Verge. Woods’ tenure at Alpha Dog is now listed as running from May 2025 to the present, with a succinct note that the studio is “Independently owned, again.”

Alpha Dog originally operated out of Halifax, focusing on mobile titles such as Wraithborne and Ninja Golf. The studio was acquired by Zenimax Media in 2019, and later became part of Microsoft’s portfolio when Zenimax was bought in 2021. Alpha Dog released the roguelike shooter Mighty Doom for Android and iOS in March 2023 after a two‑year soft launch, but the game was discontinued in 2024 following the studio’s closure.

It remains unclear what form this renewed independence will take or which former Alpha Dog employees will be involved. Kotaku has reached out to Woods for further insight.

After a deluge of announcements detailing Xbox’s recent workforce reductions, this latest update offers a brief respite. The company has already dismissed 1,600 employees, with another 1,600 slated for termination over the coming year. Several studios have been severed from the Xbox umbrella—Double Fine and Compulsion are charting independent paths, while Ninja Theory and Undead Labs have secured new ownership. Arkane Lyon remains in a state of “consultation” in France, its future still uncertain. Amid the turbulence that has defined the industry over the past few years, it is a welcome sign that at least one studio previously crushed by Xbox’s aggressive consolidation is regaining momentum.