DOOM: The Dark Ages Hits 3 Million Players, Breaks Record

DOOM: The Dark Ages marks id Software's most successful launch to date, attracting 3 million players. Discover how it compares to DOOM: Eternal and learn about upcoming PC-exclusive updates.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is Out Now!

Biggest Launch in id Software's History

DOOM: The Dark Ages launched last week to critical acclaim, earning high praise from reviewers. Bethesda's May 21 Twitter post revealed the game surpassed 3 million players faster than any previous id Software title.

The developer claims this milestone was achieved seven times faster than DOOM: Eternal. However, these statements conflict with 2020 Superdata reports suggesting DOOM: Eternal reached 3 million players within ten days. It's worth noting these figures were industry estimates, as Bethesda never officially confirmed them.

Context Behind the Numbers

Comparing both games requires wider context. During DOOM: Eternal's launch, parent company ZeniMax Media hadn't been acquired by Microsoft, making the game unavailable on Xbox Game Pass initially.

DOOM: The Dark Ages debuted simultaneously on PC Game Pass, impacting its Steam statistics. SteamDB data shows an all-time peak of 31,470 concurrent players, significantly lower than DOOM: Eternal's 104,891 launch figures. Analyst firm Ampere estimates approximately 2 million Dark Ages players originated from Xbox platforms.

Critical Reception

Despite platform variations, fans widely consider this among the franchise's best entries. Game8 awarded DOOM: The Dark Ages an 88/100 rating, praising its brutal reimagining of the series. The game replaces DOOM (2016) and Eternal's aerial combat with a grounded, visceral fighting system. For our complete evaluation, read our detailed review below!