Doom WAD is the default format of package files for the
video game Doom and its sequel
Doom II: Hell on Earth, that contain sprites, levels, and game data. WAD stands for
Where's All the Data?. Immediately after its release in 1993,
Doom attracted a sizeable following of players who created their own
mods for WAD files—packages containing
levels,
graphics, and other game data—and played a vital part in spawning the mod-making culture which is now commonplace for
first-person shooters. Thousands of WADs have been created for
Doom, ranging from single custom levels to full original games; most of these can be freely downloaded over the
Internet. Several WADs have also been released
commercially, and for some people the WAD-making
hobby became a gateway to a
professional career as a
level designer.