Work on Doom 4 has begun. This is not a rumour, not idle speculation – it comes from the metaphorical mouth of the series' creator, id Software.

That's not all, either. The developer is now recruiting to fill a range of positions to expand the team working on the game. The job descriptions indicate that PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 are all “applicable platforms” for the new positions, so expect Doom 4 to appear on a next-gen console or PC near you... sometime in the future.

"Doom is part of the id Software DNA and demands the greatest talent and brightest minds in the industry to bring the next instalment of our flagship franchise to Earth", uttered Todd Hollenshead, CEO of id Software. "It's critical for id Software to have the best creative minds in-house to develop games that meet the standards synonymous with our titles."

A next-gen Doom title has been on the cards for a while now. All the way back in 2005 John Carmack, co-owner and technical director of id, was discussing the possibility of a PS3 upgrade of Doom III. That said, it's been four years already since we last saw a full instalment of the series that popularised the first person shooter. There's no word on when we'll get to see the next one, but keep your eyes on SPOnG for more information as it comes our way.

What? No Wii?