Rumor: Beloved Nintendo 64 Exclusive Coming to Modern Consoles

Doom 64 could be coming to current-gen consoles soon, according to an updated ESRB rating. Id Software's demon-slaying FPS series has had no shortage of modern releases, but some players still yearn for the classics. Scratching that itch may get a little easier this year, as signs are pointing to a new port of 1997's Doom 64 in the pipeline.

The aptly named Doom 64 was originally a Nintendo 64 exclusive, so not everyone got the chance to play it back in the 90s. However, Doom 64 got a port for PS4 and Xbox One in 2020 with a handful of technical upgrades and a new chapter. Now, those consoles may be aging, but recent rumors suggest that Bethesda isn't letting the N64 classic die with them.

While neither Bethesda nor id Software have announced anything just yet, the ESRB has updated its Doom 64 rating to list it as a PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S title. Ratings are a good sign that a game is nearing release, as studios typically don't submit their titles to the board until they're almost ready to ship. This keeps the ESRB label is as accurate to the game's actual content as possible. The board has also posted ratings before games' official announcements in the past. In 2023, the ESRB revealed Felix the Cat's re-release before Konami said anything about it, and that leak turned out to be true.

ESRB Ratings Suggest Doom 64 Will Come to PS5 and Xbox Series X Soon

In the past, ESRB ratings have come out just a few months before a game's release, so players may not need to wait long to relive the N64 glory days on modern consoles. The revamped rating doesn't mention PC, but the 2020 port included a Steam release, and players can turn classic Doom titles into Doom 64 through a mod, too. Fans should keep their eyes out for the release, too, considering Bethesda has stealth-launched old Doom ports in the past, and they may do the same for Doom 64 since it already has a rating despite the company not announcing it yet.

Beyond Doom 64, fans of the franchise have a lot to look forward to in 2025. Rumors suggest that Doom: The Dark Ages could get an official release date in January, and the game will likely launch sometime in 2025. By releasing modern versions of its beloved classics, Bethesda could give players a great way to gear up for the next installment in its long-running franchise.