DOOM: The Dark Ages is Out Now!
Biggest Launch in id Software’s History
DOOM: The Dark Ages has stormed onto the gaming scene, achieving a remarkable feat by reaching over 3 million players shortly after its release last week. This milestone marks the biggest launch in id Software's history, as announced by Bethesda in a Twitter (X) post on May 21. The game has been met with enthusiastic reviews, cementing its place as a standout title in the DOOM franchise.
The speed at which DOOM: The Dark Ages hit this player count is impressive, reportedly 7 times faster than its predecessor, DOOM: Eternal. However, it's worth noting that Superdata's 2020 estimates claimed DOOM: Eternal reached 3 million players within 10 days of its launch. These figures are based on estimates, and Bethesda has not officially confirmed these numbers for DOOM: Eternal.
When comparing the two titles, it's essential to consider broader market contexts. At the time of DOOM: Eternal's release, Bethesda's parent company, ZeniMax Media, had not yet been acquired by Microsoft, meaning DOOM: Eternal was not available on Xbox Game Pass at launch. In contrast, DOOM: The Dark Ages was made available on PC Game Pass from day one, which likely influenced its player numbers and performance on platforms like Steam.
SteamDB data shows that DOOM: The Dark Ages reached an all-time peak of 31,470 players on Steam, significantly lower than DOOM: Eternal's peak of 104,891 players at its launch. Analyst firm Ampere estimates that 2 million of DOOM: The Dark Ages' players came from Xbox.
Despite these comparisons, fans and critics alike are celebrating DOOM: The Dark Ages as one of the finest entries in the franchise. Here at Game8, we've awarded it an impressive score of 88 out of 100. The game brings a brutal renaissance to the series, shifting from the aerial combat style of DOOM (2016) and Eternal to a more grounded, gritty combat experience. For a deeper dive into our review, check out our detailed article below!
