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 stormed onto the gaming scene, achieving a monumental milestone as id Software's biggest launch ever. Released just last week, the game has quickly amassed a staggering 3 million players. This impressive feat was highlighted in a recent Twitter (X) post by Bethesda on May 21, underscoring the game's overwhelming success.

The journey to this milestone was notably faster than that of its predecessor, DOOM: Eternal. Bethesda claims DOOM: The Dark Ages reached 3 million players seven times quicker than DOOM: Eternal. However, it's worth noting that these figures are contested. Superdata reported in 2020 that DOOM: Eternal hit the 3 million player mark within just 10 days of its release, though these numbers were estimates, and Bethesda has never officially confirmed them.

To fully understand these numbers, it's essential to consider broader market dynamics. When DOOM: Eternal launched, ZeniMax Media, Bethesda's parent company, had not yet been acquired by Microsoft. Consequently, DOOM: Eternal was not available on Xbox Game Pass at its debut.

In contrast, DOOM: The Dark Ages is accessible from day one on PC Game Pass, which has influenced its performance on Steam. SteamDB reports that DOOM: The Dark Ages reached a peak of 31,470 concurrent players, a figure dwarfed by DOOM: Eternal's launch peak of 104,891 players. According to analyst firm Ampere, an estimated 2 million players of DOOM: The Dark Ages are from Xbox.

Despite these comparisons, the fanbase has embraced DOOM: The Dark Ages as a stellar addition to the franchise. At Game8, we awarded it an impressive score of 88 out of 100, praising its return to a more visceral, ground-level combat experience. This marks a departure from the aerial combat of DOOM (2016) and DOOM: Eternal, embracing a grittier, more immersive approach. To dive deeper into our review, check out our detailed article below!