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

DOOM: The Dark Ages is Out Now!

Biggest Launch in id Software’s History

DOOM: The Dark Ages has taken the gaming world by storm, launching to a resounding success with over 3 million players. Released last week, the game has garnered high acclaim from various review platforms. Bethesda announced this remarkable achievement via a Twitter (X) post on May 21, celebrating the fastest launch in id Software’s history.

The milestone was reached 7 times faster than their previous title, DOOM: Eternal. However, it's worth noting that Superdata reported in 2020 that DOOM: Eternal hit the 3 million player mark within just 10 days of its release. These figures from Superdata were estimates, and Bethesda has not officially confirmed these numbers.

When comparing the two games, context is crucial. At the time of DOOM: Eternal's launch, Bethesda's parent company, ZeniMax Media, had not yet been acquired by Microsoft. This meant that DOOM: Eternal was not available on Xbox Game Pass at launch, unlike DOOM: The Dark Ages, which was accessible on PC Game Pass from day one.

The availability on Game Pass has significantly influenced the player numbers on Steam. According to SteamDB, DOOM: The Dark Ages reached an all-time peak of 31,470 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 came from Xbox.

Despite these comparisons, fans and critics alike are hailing DOOM: The Dark Ages as a standout in the franchise. Here at Game8, we awarded it an impressive score of 88 out of 100, praising its brutal renaissance of the DOOM series. The game shifts away from the aerial dynamics of DOOM (2016) and Eternal, embracing a grittier, more grounded combat experience. To delve deeper into our review, be sure to check out the full article below!