DOOM: The Dark Ages is officially the biggest launch in id Software’s history, reaching three million players seven times faster than DOOM Eternal—perhaps an indicator of the impact Game Pass can have on a title. Bethesda made the announcement earlier today on social media, but didn’t clarify how many copies it actually sold. This trend will likely continue for all first-party developers under the Xbox banner, since Microsoft’s clear metric for success is total player count rather than sales because of Game Pass.
Unlike Starfield, which really disappointed me, DOOM: The Dark Ages is an excellent game. In my review, I called it the best of the three modern DOOM titles, praising its new shield and parrying mechanics. Having grown up with the series in the mid-to-late 1990s, I never thought I’d see a world where the DOOM Slayer gets a shield—and it actually works. If you’re a fan of fast-paced first-person shooters, DOOM: The Dark Ages is a must-play.
