Doom: The Dark Ages Marks id's Largest Launch, Sales Figures Pending

Since its release last week, Doom: The Dark Ages has attracted over 3 million players, marking it as id Software’s largest launch ever in terms of player count. This milestone was confirmed via a social media post from Bethesda, which noted that the game achieved this number seven times faster than Doom Eternal did in 2020.

While these figures are impressive, some nuances warrant deeper examination. Launched across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S on May 15, 2025, Steam remains the sole platform to publicly disclose player counts. On this platform, Doom: The Dark Ages peaked at 31,470 concurrent players and averaged 16,328 over 24 hours. In contrast, Doom Eternal hit 104,891 concurrent players on Steam five years ago, indicating a noticeable difference in reach between the two titles. For additional perspective, Doom (2016) reached 44,271 concurrent players on Steam back in 2016.

The Game Pass factor plays a significant role here. As a day-one launch title on Xbox consoles and PC Game Pass, Doom: The Dark Ages likely drew in numerous players who accessed the game through subscription services rather than purchasing it outright for $69.99 in the U.S. From Microsoft’s standpoint, this strategy aligns with their broader goal of boosting Game Pass and Ultimate subscription sales. Interestingly, titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, priced at $50 and also available on Game Pass, managed to sell 2 million copies, suggesting that pricing might influence consumer decisions.

Bethesda has yet to reveal exact sales figures for Doom: The Dark Ages. Instead, they celebrated reaching 3 million players, echoing their approach with The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, which also launched on Game Pass. Similarly, Ubisoft reported 3 million players for Assassin’s Creed: Shadows. While the full financial performance of Doom: The Dark Ages remains private, the 3 million player mark indicates strong performance on console and Game Pass, potentially offsetting weaker results on Steam.

IGN awarded Doom: The Dark Ages a 9/10 review score, praising its distinct gameplay style that prioritizes weightiness and power over mobility, offering a fresh experience within the series.