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

Since its release last week, Doom: The Dark Ages has attracted 3 million players, a significant milestone for the game. However, Bethesda has yet to reveal the specific sales figures for this title. A recent social media post from Bethesda highlighted that Doom: The Dark Ages achieved the largest player count at launch in id Software's history, reaching 3 million players seven times faster than Doom Eternal did back in 2020.

Delving into the specifics, Doom: The Dark Ages launched on May 15, 2025, across multiple platforms including PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S. Steam, being the only platform that publicly discloses player counts, provides some insights into the game's performance. On Steam, Doom: The Dark Ages peaked at 31,470 concurrent players, with a 24-hour peak of 16,328. In contrast, Doom Eternal saw a peak of 104,891 concurrent players, while the 2016 Doom reached 44,271 at its peak. These figures suggest that Doom: The Dark Ages may have underperformed on Steam compared to its predecessors.

However, it's crucial to consider the impact of Game Pass on these numbers. Doom: The Dark Ages was available from day one on Game Pass for both Xbox consoles and PC, which likely influenced many players to try the game through the subscription service rather than purchasing it outright at $69.99. Microsoft's strategy to boost Game Pass subscriptions might view this as a success, even if it affects traditional sales figures. For perspective, other games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 managed to sell 2 million copies despite a day-one Game Pass launch, though it was priced at a lower $50. The higher price point of Doom: The Dark Ages could have deterred some potential buyers.

Interestingly, Bethesda has chosen to highlight player counts rather than sales figures for Doom: The Dark Ages, a tactic also used for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, which reported 4 million players. Similarly, Ubisoft announced 3 million players for Assassin’s Creed: Shadows without revealing sales numbers. Only Bethesda and Microsoft have access to the internal metrics to determine if Doom: The Dark Ages met its sales targets, but the high player count indicates strong performance on consoles and through Game Pass, despite potentially weaker sales on Steam.

IGN's review of Doom: The Dark Ages awarded it a 9/10, praising its shift from the mobility-focused gameplay of Doom Eternal to a more weighty and powerful style that distinguishes it within the series while remaining highly satisfying.