DOOM: The Dark Ages Launches with 3 Million Players, id Software's Biggest Ever

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 the monumental feat of reaching over 3 million players shortly after its release last week. This milestone marks the biggest launch in id Software's storied history. On May 21, Bethesda proudly announced this achievement via a post on Twitter (X), showcasing the game's immediate impact and popularity.

The success of DOOM: The Dark Ages is particularly noteworthy when compared to its predecessor, DOOM: Eternal. Bethesda's claim that DOOM: The Dark Ages hit the 3 million player mark 7 times faster than DOOM: Eternal has sparked some discussion. Superdata's 2020 report suggested that DOOM: Eternal reached this number within 10 days of its launch, but these figures were estimates and never officially confirmed by Bethesda. It's crucial to consider the broader context: at the time of DOOM: Eternal's release, ZeniMax Media, Bethesda's parent company, had not yet been acquired by Microsoft, meaning DOOM: Eternal was not available on Xbox Game Pass from day one.

In contrast, DOOM: The Dark Ages was launched simultaneously on PC Game Pass, which significantly influenced its player base. Data from SteamDB indicates that DOOM: The Dark Ages achieved an all-time peak of 31,470 players on Steam, a figure that lags behind DOOM: Eternal's impressive launch peak of 104,891 players. According to estimates from the analyst firm Ampere, a substantial 2 million of DOOM: The Dark Ages' players came from Xbox platforms.

Despite these comparisons, the fanbase has warmly embraced DOOM: The Dark Ages, celebrating it as one of the finest entries in the iconic franchise. At Game8, we awarded DOOM: The Dark Ages a robust score of 88 out of 100. This game brings a brutal renaissance to the series, shifting from the aerial acrobatics of DOOM (2016) and Eternal to a more grounded, gritty combat experience. For a deeper dive into our review, be sure to check out our detailed article below!