DOOM: The Dark Ages is Out Now!
Biggest Launch in id Software’s History
DOOM: The Dark Ages has stormed onto the scene, marking the biggest launch in id Software's history. Released last week, the game has been met with enthusiastic acclaim from both players and critics alike. In a recent announcement on X (formerly Twitter) by Bethesda on May 21, it was revealed that DOOM: The Dark Ages has already amassed over 3 million players.
This achievement is notable not only for its scale but also for its speed. According to Bethesda, DOOM: The Dark Ages hit the 3 million player mark seven times faster than its predecessor, DOOM: Eternal. However, it's worth noting that there are discrepancies in the data. Superdata reported in 2020 that DOOM: Eternal reached 3 million players within 10 days of its release, though these figures were estimates and never officially confirmed by Bethesda.
When comparing the player numbers of both games, it's essential to consider the broader context. At the time of DOOM: Eternal's launch, Bethesda's parent company, ZeniMax Media, had not yet been acquired by Microsoft, meaning the game was not available on Xbox Game Pass at launch. In contrast, DOOM: The Dark Ages was available on PC Game Pass from day one, which undoubtedly influenced its player statistics. Data from SteamDB shows that DOOM: The Dark Ages reached a peak of 31,470 concurrent players on Steam, significantly less than the 104,891 peak players of DOOM: Eternal at its launch. Analyst firm Ampere estimates that 2 million of DOOM: The Dark Ages' players come from Xbox platforms.
Despite these differences, fans and critics alike are celebrating DOOM: The Dark Ages as a standout title in the franchise. Here at Game8, we awarded it an impressive 88 out of 100, praising its return to the roots of the DOOM series with a gritty, boots-on-the-ground combat experience that diverges from the aerial combat of DOOM (2016) and DOOM: Eternal. For a deeper dive into our review, be sure to check out our full article below!
