"DOOM: The Dark Ages Launches with 3 Million Players, id Software's Largest Debut"

DOOM: The Dark Ages has stormed onto the scene as id Software’s most successful launch to date, captivating 3 million players. Dive in to see how it stacks up against DOOM: Eternal and discover the upcoming exclusive updates for PC.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is Out Now!

Biggest Launch in id Software’s History

Last week marked the release of DOOM: The Dark Ages, which has been met with enthusiastic acclaim and glowing reviews across the board. Bethesda announced via a Twitter (X) post on May 21 that the game has already amassed over 3 million players, setting a new record for id Software's biggest launch ever.

Remarkably, DOOM: The Dark Ages hit this impressive milestone 7 times faster than its predecessor, DOOM: Eternal. Yet, it's worth noting that Superdata reported in 2020 that DOOM: Eternal reached 3 million players within 10 days of its release. These figures, however, were estimates, and Bethesda has not officially confirmed them.

When comparing the two titles, broader context is essential. At the time of DOOM: Eternal's release, Bethesda's parent company, ZeniMax Media, had yet to be acquired by Microsoft. Consequently, DOOM: Eternal was not available on Xbox Game Pass at launch. In contrast, DOOM: The Dark Ages benefits from a day-one release on PC Game Pass, influencing its performance metrics on Steam. According to SteamDB, DOOM: The Dark Ages peaked at 31,470 concurrent players, significantly lower than DOOM: Eternal's launch peak of 104,891 players. Ampere's analysis suggests that 2 million players of DOOM: The Dark Ages are on Xbox platforms.

Despite these comparisons, fans and critics alike are heralding DOOM: The Dark Ages as a standout in the franchise. Here at Game8, we've awarded it an impressive 88 out of 100, praising its brutal return to form for the DOOM series. This installment shifts away from the aerial combat seen in DOOM (2016) and Eternal, embracing a more grounded, gritty combat experience. For a deeper dive into our review, check out the article below!