DOOM: The Dark Ages has stormed onto the scene as id Software's most successful launch to date, attracting over 3 million players. Dive in to see how it stacks up against DOOM: Eternal and discover the exciting PC-exclusive updates on the horizon.
DOOM: The Dark Ages is Out Now!
Biggest Launch in id Software’s History
Launched just last week, DOOM: The Dark Ages has been met with enthusiastic acclaim and glowing reviews across the board. Bethesda proudly announced on May 21 via a Twitter (X) post that the game has surpassed the 3 million player mark, marking it as the most significant launch in id Software’s storied history.
The milestone was achieved 7 times faster than their previous title, DOOM: Eternal. However, it's worth noting that Superdata's 2020 report claimed DOOM: Eternal hit 3 million players within 10 days of its launch. These figures were estimates, and Bethesda has not officially validated them.
When comparing the player counts of both games, it's essential to consider the broader context. At the time of DOOM: Eternal's release, Bethesda's parent company, ZeniMax Media, had not yet been acquired by Microsoft, meaning the game wasn't available on Xbox Game Pass at launch.
In contrast, DOOM: The Dark Ages was available on PC Game Pass from day one, which influenced its performance on Steam. According to SteamDB, DOOM: The Dark Ages reached a peak of 31,470 concurrent players, a figure dwarfed by DOOM: Eternal's launch peak of 104,891 players. Analyst firm Ampere estimates that 2 million of DOOM: The Dark Ages' players come from Xbox.
Despite these metrics, the fanbase widely regards DOOM: The Dark Ages as a standout entry in the franchise. Here at Game8, we awarded it a score of 88 out of 100, celebrating its return to the brutal essence of the DOOM series. It opts for a more grounded, gritty combat experience compared to the aerial dynamics of DOOM (2016) and Eternal. For a deeper dive into our review, check out our detailed article below!
