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

DOOM: The Dark Ages Marks id Software’s Largest Launch with Over 3 Million Players

id Software has set a new record with the release of DOOM: The Dark Ages, which has already attracted over 3 million players since its debut. This marks the studio’s biggest launch yet, surpassing expectations and generating significant buzz across gaming communities.

A Record-Breaking Achievement

In a recent announcement on Twitter, Bethesda confirmed that DOOM: The Dark Ages reached its milestone of 3 million players 7 times faster than DOOM: Eternal, its predecessor. While this achievement is impressive, it is worth noting that the numbers reported for DOOM: Eternal were initially estimated by Superdata in 2020, which claimed the title achieved 3 million players within 10 days of its launch. However, Bethesda has not publicly verified these figures.

The difference in launch performance between the two games can be attributed to several factors. At the time of DOOM: Eternal’s release, Bethesda was still independent and not part of Microsoft. This meant the game wasn’t available on Xbox Game Pass at launch, limiting its reach. Conversely, DOOM: The Dark Ages launched simultaneously on PC Game Pass, significantly boosting its player base.

SteamDB data reveals that DOOM: The Dark Ages peaked at 31,470 concurrent players on Steam, while DOOM: Eternal managed to reach 104,891 players at launch. According to Ampere Analysis, approximately 2 million players for DOOM: The Dark Ages are from Xbox Game Pass.

Despite these differences, fans and critics alike are hailing DOOM: The Dark Ages as one of the best entries in the DOOM franchise. At Game8, we awarded the game an 88/100, praising its gritty, close-quarters combat loop that sets it apart from its predecessors. For a deeper dive into our review, head over to the full article linked below.