Since its release last week, Doom: The Dark Ages has attracted an impressive 3 million players, marking the largest launch in id Software's history by player count. This milestone was achieved seven times faster than the 2020 release, Doom Eternal. Bethesda, however, has not disclosed specific sales figures for the game, opting instead to focus on player numbers.
Doom: The Dark Ages launched on May 15, 2025, across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S. While Steam offers public player data, it shows a peak concurrent player count of 31,470 for Doom: The Dark Ages, with a 24-hour peak of 16,328. In contrast, Doom Eternal reached a peak of 104,891 concurrent players on Steam five years ago. The original 2016 Doom, for additional context, hit a peak of 44,271 concurrent players on Steam nine years ago. These numbers suggest that Doom: The Dark Ages might have struggled relatively on Valve's platform.
However, it's crucial to consider the impact of Game Pass. Doom: The Dark Ages was available on Game Pass from day one for both Xbox consoles and PC, which likely influenced player numbers. Many players might have opted to try the game through Game Pass rather than purchasing it outright at the $69.99 price point in the U.S. From Microsoft's perspective, this could be seen as a success, as it drives Game Pass subscriptions.
Other games, like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, have shown that it's possible to achieve strong sales while also being available on Game Pass. Clair Obscur sold 2 million copies despite its day-one launch on Game Pass. The higher price of Doom: The Dark Ages might have deterred some potential buyers, though.
Bethesda's decision to announce player counts rather than sales figures is not unique to Doom: The Dark Ages. The same approach was taken with The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, which boasted 4 million players, and Ubisoft's Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, which also announced 3 million players without specific sales data.
Ultimately, only Bethesda and Microsoft have insight into whether Doom: The Dark Ages has met its internal targets. The 3 million player count, however, indicates strong performance on consoles and Game Pass, despite a potentially weaker showing on Steam.
IGN's review of Doom: The Dark Ages awarded it a 9/10, praising its shift away from the mobility-focused gameplay of Doom Eternal to a more weighty and powerful style that remains deeply satisfying and unique within the series.
