Researcher ports Doom to $8,000 Hasselblad X2D camera

A researcher has successfully ported the 1993 shooter Doom to the Hasselblad X2D medium-format camera. This project transforms an $8,000 professional imaging tool into an unexpected gaming device. Photographers and tech enthusiasts can now witness retro gaming on high-end hardware they likely never intended to use for play.

Touchscreen and shutter button replace keyboard for gameplay

The Hasselblad X2D serves as the hardware platform for this unusual software experiment. It features a 100-megapixel sensor designed for high-resolution photography. The device relies on its 3.6-inch touchscreen for directional input during gameplay.

Specifications

• Sensor Resolution: 100-megapixel
• Screen Size: 3.6-inch touchscreen
• Price: $8,000

The port utilizes the camera's physical controls to replicate classic arcade mechanics. Players navigate the game environment using the touchscreen interface. The shutter button functions as the primary fire command for weapons within the game.

This effort follows a long tradition of running Doom on unconventional devices. Previous experiments have included DSLRs, cooking pots, and even satellites. The code for the Hasselblad port is available on GitHub under the repository Hasselblad-X-System-CIM-Firmware-Research-Feature-Extensions.

The project highlights the flexibility of modern camera firmware when modified by independent developers. It demonstrates that the X2D can execute code beyond its original imaging purpose. The camera remains a $8,000 professional tool, but its capabilities now extend to retro gaming.