DOOM: The Dark Ages has officially launched and is already making waves as id Software’s biggest launch ever, with over 3 million players joining the fray. Discover how it stacks up against DOOM: Eternal, and what exclusive updates are coming to PC.
DOOM: The Dark Ages – A Record-Breaking Debut
Released just last week, DOOM: The Dark Ages has been met with critical acclaim and a strong player turnout. On May 21, Bethesda shared via Twitter (X) that the game had surpassed 3 million players, marking the largest launch in id Software’s history.
What’s more impressive is that this milestone was achieved 7 times faster than the studio’s previous title, DOOM: Eternal. That said, this figure contrasts with Superdata’s 2020 report that DOOM: Eternal reached 3 million players within just 10 days of release. It’s worth noting that these figures are estimates, and Bethesda has never officially confirmed player counts for DOOM: Eternal.
There’s also important context to consider when comparing the two titles. At the time of DOOM: Eternal’s launch, Bethesda was still under ZeniMax Media, which had not yet been acquired by Microsoft. This meant DOOM: Eternal did not launch on Xbox Game Pass—unlike its successor.
In contrast, DOOM: The Dark Ages was available day one on PC Game Pass, significantly influencing its reach. According to SteamDB, the game peaked at 31,470 concurrent players on Steam—a number that falls short of DOOM: Eternal’s 104,891 Steam peak at launch. However, analyst firm Ampere estimates that around 2 million players came from Xbox platforms.
Regardless of platform differences, DOOM: The Dark Ages is being celebrated as one of the strongest entries in the franchise. Here at Game8, we awarded it an impressive 88 out of 100, praising its return to a more grounded, intense style of combat. While DOOM (2016) and Eternal emphasized fast-paced, acrobatic action, The Dark Ages opts for a darker, grittier approach to demon-slaying.
For a deeper dive into our thoughts on the game, check out our full review below!
