Bethesda's latest entry in the iconic DOOM franchise has shattered records for the publisher, though questions remain about its commercial performance amid its Game Pass availability. The newest installment continues id Software's legacy of fast-paced, visceral first-person shooting while making notable gameplay adjustments from its predecessor.
Record-Breaking Player Count
Bethesda Softworks has announced that DOOM: The Dark Ages has reached 3 million players since its May 15 launch, making it the biggest launch in id Software's storied history. According to the publisher, the game reached this milestone seven times faster than 2020's DOOM Eternal, marking a significant achievement for the franchise that has been defining the first-person shooter genre since the early 1990s.
The Game Pass Effect
While the player count is impressive, it's worth noting that unlike DOOM Eternal, The Dark Ages launched day one on Microsoft's Game Pass subscription service for both Xbox and PC. This availability inevitably skews direct comparisons between the titles, as Bethesda has specifically highlighted player numbers rather than sales figures. Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda was completed in March 2021, well after DOOM Eternal's release, which explains the different launch strategies.
Steam Performance Questions
The Steam numbers tell an interesting story that contrasts with the overall player count announcement. DOOM: The Dark Ages peaked at approximately 31,470 concurrent players on Valve's platform, significantly lower than DOOM Eternal's peak of 104,891 five years ago. Even the 2016 DOOM reboot achieved a higher peak of 44,271 concurrent players. This disparity suggests that while The Dark Ages may be performing exceptionally well on consoles and through Game Pass, its standalone PC sales might not be matching its predecessors.
DOOM: The Dark Ages Key Facts
- Release date: May 15, 2025
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
- Price: USD$69.99
- Player count: 3 million (reached 7x faster than DOOM Eternal)
- Steam peak concurrent players: 31,470 (compared to DOOM Eternal's 104,891)
- Steam user review score: 86% positive
Critical Reception
Despite questions about sales performance, the critical reception for DOOM: The Dark Ages appears largely positive. The game currently holds an 86% positive user review score on Steam. Professional reviews have also been favorable, with some critics awarding scores as high as 9/10, praising the game's departure from DOOM Eternal's mobility-focused combat in favor of a weighty and powerful style of play.
Gameplay Evolution
The Dark Ages represents something of a course correction for the series, with many noting that it reins in some of the excesses of DOOM Eternal while bringing the gameplay closer to the 2016 reboot. The game features a substantial campaign spanning over twenty stages, offering what reviewers describe as a long, meaty experience that builds upon the franchise's established lore while delivering the visceral combat fans expect.
Technical Enhancements Coming
For PC players with high-end hardware, NVIDIA has confirmed that DOOM: The Dark Ages will receive a path tracing update in June. This update will also incorporate NVIDIA's DLSS Ray Reconstruction technology for improved denoising. According to id Software's Billy Khan, ray tracing technology was essential to realizing the developers' vision for the game, suggesting that The Dark Ages represents not just an evolution in gameplay but in technical achievement as well.
Upcoming Features
- Path tracing update coming in June 2025
- NVIDIA DLSS Ray Reconstruction technology for improved denoising
Price Consideration
At USD$69.99, DOOM: The Dark Ages carries a premium price tag that may have influenced some players' decision to access the game through Game Pass rather than purchasing it outright. This pricing strategy contrasts with games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which managed to sell 2 million copies at USD$50 despite also being available on Game Pass at launch.
Industry Trend
Bethesda's focus on player count rather than sales figures follows a pattern seen with other recent releases, including their own The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered and Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed: Shadows. This shift in reporting metrics may reflect the changing landscape of game distribution, where success is increasingly measured by engagement across multiple platforms and services rather than purely by unit sales.