DOOM: The Dark Ages Becomes id Software’s Biggest Launch Ever With 3 Million Players in 5 Days

DOOM: The Dark Ages has officially become the fastest-growing title in id Software’s 34-year history, reaching 3 million players just five days after launch.

Bethesda announced this milestone via social media, confirming that DOOM: The Dark Ages reached the 3-million-player mark seven times faster than its 2020 predecessor, DOOM Eternal.

The new first-person shooter launched on May 15 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC—and was also available Day One on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, a move that undoubtedly helped drive the explosive player growth.

“Thank you for making DOOM: The Dark Ages the biggest launch in id’s history,” the official Bethesda post read.

While the 3 million figure is impressive, it does not reflect unit sales. According to SteamDB data, The Dark Ages reached a peak player count of 31,470. This falls short compared to DOOM (2016), which hit 44,271 players, and DOOM: Eternal, which achieved an impressive 104,891 players at its height. This shows that the game is being played more on a subscription service rather than an actual purchase.

Exact sales figures are still unknown and may be revealed in the future through Circana reports or Microsoft’s quarterly earnings.

Interestingly, DOOM: The Dark Ages also launched on Battle.net, making it one of the first Xbox first-party titles to release on Blizzard’s PC platform. This move is part of Microsoft’s expanding Xbox Play Anywhere strategy, allowing players to buy the game once and play it across Xbox consoles, Windows (via Xbox app), and Battle.net at no additional cost.

What's Next: Path Tracing and Campaign DLC

Players on PC can expect a Path Tracing update in June, promising cutting-edge visuals for those with high-end hardware. Additionally, campaign DLC is in development, though Bethesda hasn’t shared a release window yet. For context, DOOM Eternal followed a similar roadmap, with its two-part DLC (The Ancient Gods) launching within the first year after release.