Microsoft Azure CTO Demonstrates Doom Running Inside MS Paint

Mark Russinovich, serving as CTO of Microsoft Azure, engineered a novel implementation of the classic first-person shooter Doom that operates within Microsoft Paint. By capturing each frame to the Windows clipboard and pasting it as a regular Paint edit, the program displays gameplay at roughly 35 FPS, a respectable rate for a 1990s title. The source code and a guide for running the shareware version are available in a public GitHub repository, which also supports the original audio tracks.

This stunt adds to a tradition of porting Doom to unexpected hardware, including lawnmowers, printers, chatbots, and even bacterial cultures, though some of those runs are extremely slow. Russinovich highlighted the technical curiosity of the effort, noting Doom’s efficient design makes such experiments possible. The project has attracted attention from tech enthusiasts and demonstrates creative uses of everyday software.