Doom: Dark Ages Marks id's Biggest Launch Yet

Bethesda has revealed that Doom: The Dark Ages attracted 3 million players within its first week of release, though the company hasn't disclosed specific sales figures yet.

A Record-Setting Launch

According to Bethesda's announcement, the new Doom installment has achieved the fastest player growth in id Software's history, reaching 3 million players seven times faster than Doom Eternal did in 2020.

The game launched simultaneously on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S on May 15, 2025. While Steam provides the only publicly available player data, the numbers present an interesting comparison point.

Steam Performance Analysis

Doom: The Dark Ages reached a peak of 31,470 concurrent players on Steam, with 16,328 players active in the last 24 hours. This performance pales in comparison to Doom Eternal's 104,891 peak concurrent players five years ago. For additional context, 2016's Doom reboot achieved 44,271 concurrent players at its peak nine years ago.

The Game Pass Factor

The Steam numbers don't tell the full story, as Doom: The Dark Ages launched day-one on Xbox Game Pass (for both console and PC). This subscription model likely influenced many players to access the game through Game Pass rather than paying the $69.99 retail price.

Microsoft's strategy appears focused on driving Game Pass subscriptions rather than direct game sales. This approach has proven successful with other titles - like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which sold 2 million copies despite its Game Pass availability. However, Doom's higher retail price point may have deterred some potential buyers.

The Changing Metrics of Success

Bethesda's focus on player count rather than sales figures reflects an industry trend, following similar announcements for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered and Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed: Shadows. While the true commercial performance remains known only to Bethesda and Microsoft, the 3 million player milestone suggests strong performance on consoles and Game Pass, potentially offsetting weaker Steam sales.

IGN's review awarded Doom: The Dark Ages a 9/10, praising its "weighty and powerful new combat approach that delivers fresh satisfaction while maintaining the series' signature intensity."