The DOOM franchise has had an amazing comeback over the past decade, with each entry taking players on cathartic and chaotic adventures, ripping and tearing demons apart.

Out of all DOOM's modern games, the lightning-fast, absurd, and brutally challenging DOOM: Eternal remains my absolute favorite, and its PC version is now on sale for $9.49 at Loaded (formerly CDKeys).

Why is DOOM: Eternal still one of the craziest FPS games of all time?

When it comes to modern DOOM games, people swear fealty to DOOM (2016), DOOM: Eternal, or DOOM: The Dark Ages.

Each of these games is amazing in its own way, but I personally love DOOM: Eternal the most for its over-the-top story glorifying the DOOM Slayer, its insanely detailed and artistically intense locales that look like a heavy metal album cover come to life, and its absurdly fast-paced combat that will put you in the dirt the moment you let your guard down.

I mean it when I say this game is tough, even on the default difficulty level, as you will be constantly assaulted by armies of demons that are utterly relentless.

What's more is that this game has a large variety of demonic foes, each of which has its own unique set of attacks and gimmicks you need to outsmart if you want to stay alive.

Fortunately, DOOM: Eternal has some of the coolest and deadliest weapons in the entire franchise for you to use and new mobility tools to help you avoid certain death in combat and traverse each level's insane platforming segments to uncover secret collectibles.

To sum up, I love this game and I will always recommend it to first-person shooter fanatics looking for extremely fast-paced gameplay, satisfyingly explosive weapons, and so much blood-drenched gore it would make Mortal Kombat look tame by comparison.

So, if you haven't played this modern gem yet and are up for some ripping and tearing of demon guts this Halloween weekend, then head on over to Loaded (formerly CDKeys) to take advantage of this sweet 87% discount that has reduced DOOM: Eternal's price from $70.69 to $9.49.

FAQ

What you need to know

• DOOM Eternal first launched back in March 2020 on Xbox One, Windows PC, and PlayStation 4, with developer id Software providing an upgraded version for the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5.
• DOOM Eternal is getting official mod support, as id Software is publishing the same toolkit used in the game's development, allowing players to more easily create and publish their own mods. 
• Mod support is currently opt-in with a Steam beta branch, and is also coming to the Microsoft Store via the Xbox Insider Program. 

One of the biggest games of 2020 is about to get even bigger through community efforts.

During the QuakeCon 2024 kick-off livestream, id Software announced that DOOM Eternal is getting official mod support. The developer is publishing a toolkit, the same one used in the game's creation, that will allow players to craft and publish their own mods with ease. 

The mod system is in preview right now as the team continues to gather feedback, but players can choose to opt in and test it out right now. In order to join the DOOM Eternal mod preview, players will need to own DOOM Eternal on Steam or the Microsoft Store, or be a subscriber to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass. 

To join the DOOM Eternal mod preview on Steam, you'll need to select DOOM Eternal. Click Properties, then the Betas tab. Choose pc-mod-preview from the menu, then close the window. 

Alternatively, in order to join the preview on the Microsoft Store, you'll need to launch the Xbox Insider Hub. From there, go to Previews, then DOOM Eternal, and then PC Mod Preview.

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Analysis: DOOM continues to grow

It's honestly impressive to see this happening so long after the game's launch, and it speaks to the longevity of DOOM games as a whole. Combined with the enhanced bundle of DOOM and DOOM II, there's a lot of love for DOOM and the series clearly isn't slowing down. 

That's not going to change next year either, with DOOM: The Dark Ages on the way. I'm envious of the QuakeCon 2024 attendees who got to see a new gameplay segment, and what I'm hearing sounds incredible. Hopefully we'll be learning more soon, because I can't stop thinking about that reveal trailer.

Update: November 16, 2022

Recently, Mick Gordon of Killer Instinct and DOOM soundtrack fame posted an extensive account on Medium, detailing the breakdown of his professional relationship with id Software and by extension, Bethesda. Bethesda is now part of Microsoft, although still largely operates independently. As such, the firm just posted a response to Gordon's Medium post, pointing the finger back at Mick Gordon. 

Bethesda claims that Mick Gordon "mischaracterized" events, and that they have "documented evidence" to back up claims, in an "appropriate venue." The appropriate venue could be hinting at potential legal proceedings between the parties, as the relationship further sours. 

Bethesda also noted that individuals targeted in Gordon's account of the situation had been subjected to harassment and threats. It's worth mentioning that Mick Gordon himself urged fans not to undertake such actions, emphasizing that the DOOM games still deserved celebration. 

It remains to be seen how, or if, Gordon will respond further. 

Original Article

What you need to know

• Back in May 2020, Doom Eternal executive producer Marty Stratton posted on Reddit, explaining why the soundtrack for the game had been delayed from being included in the collector's edition of the game. 
• Stratton stated that Doom Eternal composer Mick Gordon had missed multiple deadlines and misguided fans with his online posts. 
• Gordon has published an extensive Medium post, alleging that Stratton engaged in misleading behavior and used "disinformation and innuendo" to place the blame for the collector's edition soundtrack situation on Gordon.

Over two years ago, fans of Doom Eternal were puzzled as the soundtrack for the game — promised as one of the items included with the collector's edition — was delayed. When the soundtrack did arrive, the quality of the various tracks considered sub-par and poorly received.

Following this, executive producer Marty Stratton took to Reddit, saying that the company would not be working with composer Mick Gordon again and that the soundtrack for the game was repeatedly delayed due to Gordon missing deadlines. 

On Nov. 9, 2022, Gordon published an extended Medium post, detailing the situation starting with how the development of the soundtrack ran into issues years before the game's launch. The post also includes images of emails and audio files (with necessary details blacked out) to corroborate Gordon's explanations.

Gordon's post states that the development of the soundtrack for Doom Eternal followed a very tight deadline, requiring finalized music months before the combat it would play alongside (and match) was also finished. 

Gordon went on to state that he pushed back against this timetable frequently but was met with resistance as id Software leadership believed finishing the music earlier on would save time. Gordon also says that due to frequent rejections of music he delivered, he went without pay for 11 months starting in January 2019. 

Tensions apparently exploded at E3 2019, where Bethesda shared that the collector's edition of Doom Eternal would include "Mick Gordon’s original DOOM Eternal soundtrack," despite Gordon alleging that he was never approached about producing a standalone soundtrack.

Gordon says that when he reached out to id Software about quickly getting a contract together for the soundtrack, he was denied, being told by Stratton that he didn't want a "distraction," even though a product in the collector's edition not actually being in production could cause consumer protection law issues to arise. 

After months of crunching to finish the contracted music for the game, Gordon says that he was paid at the end of November 2019, shortly after Doom Eternal was delayed to March 2020. Gordon's post then jumps ahead in the timeline, saying that after Doom Eternal launched, he learned that id Software used over twice the amount of music that was paid for, including tracks that were rejected by the audio team.

In January 2020, Gordon says he went around id Software, reaching out to Bethesda directly. The company apparently responded quickly with enthusiasm for a contract allowing Gordon to produce the soundtrack for the collector's edition, while also offering to bundle in payment for a prior soundtrack dispute. Gordon does not name the game for which this dispute came up, but notes that it was scored in 2015.

Gordon states that he initially proposed a soundtrack with 30 tracks, and a runtime of over two hours. This was allegedly "shot down," and the eventual agreement was for 12 finalized songs, with id Software having final approval on each of the songs and requiring Gordon to hand over all source files involved with the soundtrack. The contract eventually agreed upon had a soft deadline of April 16, 2020, which could be extended but included a bonus for Gordon if it was delivered by that date.

After Gordon began work on the 12 pieces for the soundtrack, he alleges that he received an email from Stratton, now insisting that all 12 pieces had to be delivered by April 16 due to consumer protection laws in some countries. Gordon indicates that Stratton mentioned consumers being entitled to refunds if the deadline wasn't met, which Gordon interpreted as a threat.

At this point, Stratton allegedly informed Gordon that lead audio designer Chad Mossholder had been instructed to put together an alternative soundtrack using pieces of music from the in-game soundtrack. While Stratton's open letter on Reddit indicates this was a last-minute decision over concerns about Gordon hitting the deadline, Gordon states that the metadata in the audio source files indicates that Mossholder was working on this alternative soundtrack since August 2019.

Gordon hoped to use Mossholder's work to supplement the soundtrack, but found it was poorly mixed and not up to the standard of prior music in the Doom games. After apparently completing ten songs and crunching, working 20-hour days through Easter weekend, Gordon claims he ran into a technical issue and asked for a small extension, which was granted by Bethesda. 

Gordon claims Stratton then insisted on wanting different songs. Choosing not to argue, Gordon says he handed over his songs and notes that he was paid for his work, including the bonus.

On April 18, 2020, id Software shared the release of the soundtrack with a Tweet. Mossholder was co-credited on the soundtrack, something that Gordon says felt like a "cruel insult." The soundtrack's quality was not received well, and Gordon says that Stratton organized a Skype call to discuss what should be done. 

While Gordon says Stratton did not want to take any responsibility for the situation, the two eventually came to an agreement to co-publish a statement showing unity to fans, which could be used as a first step in fixing the soundtrack release. Gordon says that Stratton requested there be no public commentary until this statement, and told Gordon to expect a draft.

Gordon claims he never received a draft, and instead was surprised to see Stratton's open letter posted on Reddit a few days later, which Gordon says made him feel "sick to my stomach."

At this point, Gordon invoked legal counsel, stating that Stratton's actions had damaged Gordon's reputation and that he was owed compensation for the extra music id Software had used for the in-game music of Doom Eternal. Gordon states that id Software and ZeniMax were originally interested in an amicable settlement, but that when Gordon asked for Stratton's Reddit post to be removed, the tone changed. 

Gordon goes on to say that he was asked to accept a "six-figure sum" in exchange for never criticizing a ZeniMax product, allowing the Reddit post to stay up unchallenged, and never discussing anything around Doom Eternal. Months of legal back-and-forth ensued, and then Gordon says he reached out directly to a moderator of the Doom subreddit to try and get Stratton's open letter taken down. While he was briefly successful, the decision was reversed 12 hours later.

Gordon concludes that all of these events are the reason for his post on Medium. He also says repeatedly that this post is being made in defense, and that he does not wish for any hate campaigns, adding that his experience with most people under ZeniMax that he worked with was "overwhelmingly positive" and that "The games I worked on, and the people behind them, remain dear to my heart."

We've reached out to Bethesda for comment and will update this post accordingly.

What you need to know

• This is the first look at Doom Eternal's upcoming horde mode.
• Will release on Oct. 26, 2021 for all platforms and PC.
• The mode will offer a whole new level challenge for players looking to truly master the game.

Doom Eternal is the sequel for the crtitically acclaimed Doom reboot released in 2016, and it got a lot of DLC that helped make the game one of the most memorable entries in the series for a long time.

On Thursday, we got our first look at yet another edition — horde mode — and it shows us a true taste of hell. The game itself was already a challenge on the harder difficulties, and The Ancient Gods DLC offered players a lot of closure with regards to the legendary Doom slayer's story line.

Horde mode is set to be a true test of a player's grit and skill in the game. The mode was announced earlier this year, while id Software announced it was shifting focus from Invasion mode to horde mode instead.

Players will have to take on swarms of enemies while successfully chaining multiple kills together simultaneously to keep the streak going. The more you kill in rapid succession, the more you score, but keep in mind that the enemies hit harder and are harder to kill as well.

The 2016 reboot of Doom offered a faux horde mode where players can make spawn wave maps in SnapMap,and play it cooperatively with friends, but an official horde mode is something that fans of the series saw as a good fit for the game. It also goes without saying that it'll have a very competitve leaderboard once it does release.

The feature is set for release with patch 6.66 and is slated for a Oct 26, 2021 release date across the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

Correction: The wrong release date was in the previous version of this post. It's Oct. 26, not Dec. 26. We regret the error.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

What you need to know

• id Software has scrapped a planned Invasion Mode for Doom Eternal due to prohibitive development issues. We're getting a horde mode instead.
• Invasion Mode was originally announced in 2018. It would have allowed users to invade each other's games as demons and hunt down the slayers.
• The replacement horde mode is a single-player mode in which players will be able to take on progressively more challenging demons.

id Software today announced an important update for the development of Doom Eternal. Thanks to the upset of the pandemic, the developers are scrapping the planned Invasion Mode in favor of a single-player horde mode. Essentially, we may not be allowed to take over demons in each other's games, but we will get to take on waves of challenging demons.

Doom Eternal recently received Update 6, which, among other things, upgraded the year-old game (one of the best for the Xbox) for next-gen consoles and adds ray-tracing support. According to id Software, the next update in the works was the planned Invasion Mode. However, the pandemic and remote working put a crimp in the development of this update, and id has apparently decided to change focus.

Invasion Mode was originally announced at QuakeCon 2018 -- essentially, it would have been a mode that allows users to take control of demons to hunt down another player. It was planned to be a post-launch update for the game. Now, instead, it's going to be replaced by a single-player horde mode.

The game's executive producer, Marty Stratton, detailed the shift in a news post: "With these factors in mind, we have decided to redirect our focus from Invasion Mode to creating a totally new single-player horde mode. We're confident this horde mode will offer you more of the diversity and challenge you're looking for in the game."

Stratton's announcement also reads: "In addition, the team continues to work on a refresh of BATTLEMODE that includes a more competitive, rank-based structure, a number of gameplay and balance updates and another new map. We expect to share more information at QuakeCon in August."

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

Update, June 29, 2021 (1:15 p.m. CT): DOOM Eternal also supports ray tracing on PC, thanks to NVIDIA RTX

What you need to know

• DOOM Eternal is already one of the most impressive first-person shooter experiences in modern gaming.
• Thanks to the free Update 6 release, DOOM Eternal is now Xbox Series X|S Optimized and includes next-gen improvements.
• On Xbox Series X|S, DOOM Eternal now supports up to 120 FPS, and can even run ray tracing on Xbox Series X.
• DOOM Eternal's Xbox Series X|S upgrade is now available, alongside some new content for players to enjoy.

DOOM Eternal continues the revival of the classic first-person shooter franchise with newfound glory and gore, and already runs incredibly smooth on any modern gaming platform it's available on (sometimes unbelievably so). Now, DOOM Eternal is even more impressive with its Xbox Series X|S update releasing today. DOOM Eternal is officially Optimized for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, and offers a wide range of performance modes for every kind of player.

DOOM Eternal's free Update 6 includes more than just Xbox Series X|S Optimizations, so here's what you need to know:

• Xbox Series X performance modes. Xbox Series X will include three different performance modes for players to choose from, ranging from maximum visuals with realistic lighting to maximum performance with silky-smooth framerates.
  • Performance — 120 FPS at 1800p
  • Balanced — 60 FPS at 2160p (4K)
  • Quality — 60 FPS at 1800p with ray tracing enabled
• Xbox Series S performance modes. The Xbox Series S seemingly drops ray tracing support for DOOM Eternal, but is no less impressive with its remaining two performance modes, which also either prioritize visuals and resolution or performance.
  • Performance — 120 FPS at 1080p
  • Balanced — 60 FPS at 1440p
• Other next-gen enhancements. The Xbox Series X|S update for DOOM Eternal includes improved visuals and performance across the board, and should make load times even shorter. DOOM Eternal also now supports dynamic resolution scaling, so you never lose frames even in the heat of combat.
• New game content. Update 6 includes something for everyone, with new game content being added in this release. DOOM Eternal adds a new Master Level to test advanced players' skills and a new Battlemode arena with Corrosion. Finally, there are other miscellaneous enhancements, quality-of-life improvements, and balancing changes.

id Software certainly knows how to take full advantage of the hardware they're using, and DOOM Eternal is now at the forefront of current-gen gaming technology with its new Xbox Series X|S update. If you missed it, DOOM Eternal recently concluded its saga with the release of The Ancient Gods Part II DLC, which adds a ton of compelling new story content. DOOM Eternal is now available for Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation, and even Switch. It's also included through Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Cloud Gaming, further increasing its reach to players.

Update 6 for DOOM Eternal is now available. With its newly acquired Xbox Series X|S enhancements, DOOM Eternal has once again confirmed its place as one of the best Xbox games you can play today.

Update, June 29, 2021 (1:15 p.m. CT) — DOOM Eternal supports NVIDIA RTX ray tracing on PC

DOOM Eternal may be Xbox Series X|S Optimized now, with ray tracing support for Xbox Series X, but that's not all that's going on today. NVIDIA has confirmed that DOOM Eternal now supports NVIDIA RTX ray tracing and NVIDIA DLSS, offering unprecedented visuals for DOOM Eternal for PC gamers with the right NVIDIA hardware. Ray tracing is supported in the campaign and expansions, while NVIDIA DLSS promises greater performance at higher resolutions.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

What you need to know

• NVIDIA and Bethesda are teaming up for a GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition GPU raffle.
• Some Doom Eternal collectibles are in the raffle as well.
• If you win the raffle, you'll then have the privilege of paying $1,450 for your prize.

It seems the GPU shortage has hit its apex. It was one thing when speculators and crypto miners destroyed global supplies of the best graphics cards, and it was another when people started trying to bribe each other to get extremely limited retail stock. But now, NVIDIA, the maker of these aggressively sought-after GPUs, is getting in on the madness and has forgone selling its GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition GPU in favor of raffling off 300 units alongside Bethesda (via PCMag).

To help solidify the ruse that this is an actual fun-themed raffle and not a bizarre way of selling RTX 3080 Tis, NVIDIA and Bethesda have created a list of goodies you'll get if you are one of the lucky 300 people selected to pay nearly the full MSRP for your raffle winnings (that's not a joke). Here's what's included in the bundle beyond just the GPU and a copy of Doom Eternal:

• An exclusive Titanium Slayer Collectible mini-figure, matching the aesthetics of the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti
• An exclusive Titanium DOOM Eternal-GeForce RTX t-shirt
• An exclusive DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods oversized 15.75 inch x 35.44 inch mouse pad, featuring key art from part 2 of the campaign expansion
• $100 of Bethesda Store credit

Yes, you read that right: If you win the raffle, you'll have the honor of paying for your own Bethesda Store gift card, alongside the other items listed. You can read the full terms and details of the raffle sale over at NVIDIA's website. If you want to enter the raffle and reserve your right to spend $1,450 on a GPU and its accompanying toys, you can do so at Bethesda's North American or European store pages.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

Doom Eternal was a gory mess of fun, and the DLC has lived up to that same standard. With the launch of The Ancient Gods - Part Two, id Software has completed the current Doom story arc, introducing new abilities, enemies, and an epic final showdown with all of Hell's might.

With the Dark Lord unleashed, the story revolves around gathering forces to fight him as you access an awesome new ability across four action-packed levels. It's a satisfying conclusion to the Doom Slayer saga, one that cements Doom Eternal as one of the best Xbox games available.

Doom Eternal: The Ancient Gods - Part Two: What I liked

Right away, it's worth mentioning that this DLC is (for now) the conclusion to the Slayer's story that began with Doom 2016. It's a bold choice, one that hearkens back to the days of massive expansions introducing major plot developments and I seriously respect it. Without spoiling what happens, the story here feels definitive and I'm curious to see how id Software continues Doom in the future.

I enjoyed both Doom Eternal and The Ancient Gods - Part One DLC, but the latter felt imbalanced. Fights went beyond frenetic — they were chaotic, far more difficult than almost anything the base game had to offer. The Ancient Gods - Part Two seems to address that issue, providing a wide variety of encounters that seem intelligently challenging and based on player skill and thoughtfulness, not sheer reflex. Make no mistake, encounters are still difficult and require you to exploit every weakness and trick in the book, but it's not overwhelmingly brutal anymore. It all culminates in a final boss fight that feels worthy of everything that has come before it and will test everything players have learned. It's everything a final boss should be.

One thing that helps to make players' lives easier is the Hellbreaker hammer, an ability earned shortly into the DLC that allows you to stun groups of enemies and earn even more health or armor back. It's fantastic for crowd control and perfectly complements the existing arsenal. There's new demonic sub-species to face as well, requiring specific use of alternate weapon fire or particular strategies to overcome. The new demon types from The Ancient Gods - Part One also return, meaning you're constantly swapping to find the right gun or weapon setting for the job.

Doom Eternal already looked fantastic running on id Software's custom id Tech 7 engine and the environments in this DLC showcase even more variety. All of this culminates in the final assault on Hell and the Dark Lord's forces look great as well as the final boss fight, which is suitably epic to behold and take part in.

Finally, you should be aware that a next-generation update for the game is still coming. Speaking with Game Informer, Executive Producer Marty Stratton indicated that the free Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PS5 upgrade will involve ray-tracing but there's no other details or timeframe right now.

Doom Eternal: The Ancient Gods - Part Two: What I didn't like

It's incredibly difficult to conjure up anything to complain about in this final expansion but I do have one major complaint: you don't get to pilot the big mechs. Why would id Software choose to show awesome anti-demon mechs throughout the entirety of the base game, have one under repair at the Slayer's base, and then forgo allowing us to utilize said mech in the final battle? Completely beats me and it's definitely a disappointment. Showing awesome mechs that can't be used will always lead to disappointment.

I also think it's worth noting the price is just a hair steep given how quickly you'll likely get through the expansion. The production quality speaks for itself and shouldn't be questioned, but you'll get the best deal grabbing the Season Pass that includes The Ancient Gods - Part One and Part Two, which I strongly recommend.

Doom Eternal: The Ancient Gods - Part Two Should you play it?

Any Doom fan that has enjoyed Doom Eternal should definitely pick up The Ancient Gods - Part Two and see how the story finishes. The fights are well-balanced, with the mix of new enemies and the hammer ability providing satisfying action that doesn't feel too overwhelming but still necessitates everything in your arsenal to survive. This is what id Software has been working towards since Doom 2016 and it leaned even further into using your entire arsenal in Doom Eternal. The Ancient Gods: Part Two is the culmination of all of that effort.

I'll reiterate that it's disappointing we didn't see the big mech suits used outside of level backgrounds though, especially if this is the last we'll see of the Doom Slayer for now. That doesn't take away from what is here though: one final effort against the forces of Hell that's awesome to watch and even better to play.

What you need to know

• Doom Eternal's second and final DLC expansion is called The Ancient Gods: Part Two.
• A full trailer for this DLC was shared today, showing heavy mechs, dragons and more.
• This DLC is set to arrive for all players tomorrow and is described as the "epic conclusion" to the Slayer's story.

Doom Eternal The Ancient Gods: Part Two is the final DLC expansion for id Software's Doom Eternal and it's available tomorrow. Ahead of this release, Bethesda has shared a full trailer, promising an epic showdown with the forces of Hell. You can take a look at the trailer on YouTube.

This DLC is being described as the "epic conclusion" to the current Doom story. Doom Eternal and this upcoming DLC are both available on Xbox One, PC, PS4 and Stadia. id Software previously stated that Xbox Series X and PS5 upgrades would be coming sometime after launch but there's been no update on this so far, so hopefully we learn more on that front soon.

id Software is part of Bethesda Softworks, a publisher under ZeniMax Media that was acquired by Microsoft. As a result, id Software is now a first-party Xbox developer, meaning that per Head of Xbox Phil Spencer's recent comments, future id Software games will only ship on platforms where Xbox Game Pass is available.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

What you need to know

• Doom Eternal: The Ancient Gods Part Two is the final upcoming expansion for Doom Eternal.
• A teaser trailer has been shared, showing a small peak at what's in store.
• The trailer description indicates that this is the conclusion to the current Doom story.

The second and final expansion for Doom Eternal is getting closer. As previously promised, the teaser for Doom Eternal: The Ancient Gods Part Two DLC has been released, giving players a glimpse at the massive battle awaiting. You can check out the teaser trailer below:

A full length trailer is coming on March 17, so we won't be waiting too long to see what else is in store. Interestingly enough, id Software is teasing that this DLC will be the final chapter in the current Doom story, with the trailer description indicating that "The epic conclusion to the DOOM Slayer's saga is coming soon" and that "Your war against Hell ends here."

Doom Eternal is one of the best Xbox games available right now, so it'll be interesting to see how this final DLC pans out and if the story is truly ending.

Doom Eternal developer id Software, alongside its sister studios at like Arkane Studios, MachineGames, Tango Gameworks and others, are all part of ZeniMax Media, which has been acquired by Microsoft, making all of these Bethesda Softworks teams Xbox first-party. Head of Xbox Phil Spencer has indicated that outside of contractual obligations, future Bethesda games will be exclusive to platforms "where Game Pass exists."

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

What you need to know

• Doom Eternal released in March 2020, while the first DLC packs released in October 2020.
• The second DLC, The Ancient Gods: Part Two, does not yet have a release date.
• Id Software shared a piece of artwork for The Ancient Gods: Part Two today, revealing that the first teaser trailer will be shared on March 15, 2021.

Doom Eternal first released back in March 2020, with a campaign we found to be exhilarating and frenetic. Two DLC packs were announced for Doom Eternal, split up into The Ancient Gods Part One and Part Two. While Part One released back in October 2020, the developers at id Software have shared a tease of when we'll learn what's next, alongside some intriguing artwork.

The first teaser trailer for Doom Eternal: The Ancient Gods - Part 2 is coming on March 15. The artwork accompanying this announcement seems to indicate players will be taking part in a massive battle, perhaps finally getting to use the gigantic mech suits seen throughout the game.

id Software and Bethesda Softworks previously confirmed that free upgrades were coming for a couple of titles including Doom Eternal, so hopefully this DLC will come alongside improvements for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PS5 owners.

id Software, alongside the other studios at Bethesda Softworks, is set to become Xbox first-party at some point in the coming months, as Microsoft is continuing to finalize its acquisition of ZeniMax Media.

If you haven't tried Doom Eternal yet, it's currently available with Xbox Game Pass, so anyone subscribed to the service can try it out and get a discount on any DLC, including the upcoming Part Two.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

Xbox Series X/S

Main

• Xbox Series X: Everything we know
• Best games coming to Xbox Series X/S
• List of Xbox Series X specs
• What is the Xbox Series X release date?
• How much does Xbox Series X cost?
• Why you can't preorder Xbox Series X yet
• Best Xbox Series X Headsets

What you need to know

• DOOM Eternal, the latest in the FPS DOOM franchise, has already joined Xbox Game Pass for consoles.
• In an announcement today, it was revealed that DOOM Eternal was coming to Xbox Game Pass for PC December 3, 2020.
• The game is also getting a new Master Level, adding unique challenge in exchange for exclusive cosmetic rewards.

DOOM Eternal is calling on new DOOM Slayers to join the ranks and start slaying demons en masse, and is aiming to do that by joining the growing Xbox Game Pass for PC lineup. DOOM Eternal already came to Xbox Game Pass for consoles a little while ago, but is now making the jump to PC's version of Microsoft's game subscription service. Anyone subscribed to Xbox Game Pass for PC or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will be able to download and play DOOM Eternal to their heart's content starting December 3, 2020.

While DOOM Eternal's arrival on Xbox Game Pass for PC is certainly the biggest part of today's announcement, there's also some news for existing DOOM Eternal players. A new Master Level is being added to the game, which is when an existing level from the campaign is given extra challenge with new baddies, flows, and more. This time, the level Super Gore Nest is the recipient of id Software's affections, and players who are able to complete the various challenges can earn exclusive cosmetic rewards, and eventually a super cool Gold Combat Shotgun.

There's also a brand-new variation in DOOM Eternal in which Super Gore Nest must be played like the original DOOM, in which players will only start with the Combat Shotgun, and you'll have to scavenge and find weapons and power-ups in the map to eventually achieve peak DOOM Slayer. Accomplish this task, and you'll earn the Classic Green Slayer Skin.

DOOM Eternal is a high-intensity first-person shooter, so make sure you're prepared with one of the Best Controllers for Xbox Series X|S for peak performance and as little latency as possible.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

Xbox Game Pass

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• Get Xbox Game Pass For Just $1
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• What is Xbox Game Pass Ultimate?
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What you need to know

• DOOM Eternal is a visceral first person shooter from id Software, and continues the infamous DOOM franchise.
• The first campaign expansion for the game, the Ancient Gods - Part One, is officially out on Xbox.
• With the expansion, players will have to conquer new threats with additional areas, enemies, and more.
• DOOM Eternal is included in Xbox Game Pass, but the Ancient Gods - Part One needs to be purchased separately.

DOOM Eternal already featured a fantastic and gripping campaign, combining its customary gory combat with an increased focus on movement and exploration, but the game is about to get a lot bigger with the Ancient Gods - Part One, which is officially releasing on Xbox today. DOOM Eternal's very first campaign expansion adds all-new areas to the game, as well as brutal new enemies to conquer, and a lot more that players will simply have to dive in to witness.

As the name implies, more is coming in the future, but players can go ahead and play the first part right now. DOOM Eternal is already on Xbox Game Pass, but players will need to purchase the expansion separately. If you bought the Deluxe Edition of DOOM Eternal, you're set, but other players can purchase DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods - Part One directly from Microsoft (see below).

It's great that DOOM Eternal continues to grow with new content over time, and hopefully further expansions are plentiful and just as goretastic as the base game is. And, of course, that awesome soundtrack needs to be a mainstay.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

What you need to know

• A new video shows Doom Eternal streaming to a Samsung smart fridge.
• Despite the odd hardware, game streaming seems to work well.
• xCloud's Android app was sideloaded onto the smart fridge.

Some people say that the Xbox Series X looks like a refrigerator, but that's not the fridge that's going viral right now in the Xbox world. Instead, it's a Samsung smart fridge that an Instagram personality used to play Doom Eternal through Xbox Game Pass Cloud streaming (xCloud).

Instagram user Richard Mallard showed off the beautiful and meme-worthy streaming of Doom Eternal. There's quite a bit of letterboxing because the screen of the smart fridge is in portrait mode and the game appears in landscape mode, but it does appear to work well. To get xCloud running, Mallard sideloaded the Android version of the service onto the fridge.

Doom Eternal delivers "goretastic catharsis," according to our senior editor Jez Corden's review. With xCloud support, Doom Eternal is available on several devices, and we don't just mean fridges. You can use your Android phone, Android tablet, or even Chromebooks for Xbox Game Pass Cloud Gaming.

People love getting various versions of Doom to run on ridiculous hardware. Just last month, one person swapped out the internals of a pregnancy test to play the classic version of Doom.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

What you need to know

• Xbox Game Pass is a Netflix-like subscription service for games, with over 150 games included to date.
• Games constantly come and go from Xbox Game Pass, with more added every single month.
• Microsoft just announced the games coming in the first half of October to Xbox, PC, and Xbox Cloud Gaming.
• Big hits like DOOM Eternal and Forza Motorsport 7 are included, as well as classics like Brütal Legend.

The spooky month of October is almost upon us, so Xbox is giving us a sneak peek at all the games coming to Xbox Game Pass in the first half. The trend that started last month continues here, with game announcements now including Xbox Cloud Gaming on Android devices as well as consoles and PC, which are all included in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Xbox also doesn't want people to forget how EA Play is coming to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on November 10, launching alongside the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.

Games being added include gems like DOOM Eternal and Forza Motorsport 7, as well as the wonderful classic Brütal Legend, which is definitely worth a play.

There are also a handful of games leaving the service in October, so be sure to check the list and play anything you're interested in before it's gone.

Coming soon

You can check out all the titles coming soon to Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Cloud Gaming below:

DOOM Eternal (Cloud & Xbox) - October 1

Drake Hollow (PC) - October 1

Brütal Legend (Xbox) - October 8

Forza Motorsport 7 (Cloud, Xbox & PC) - October 8

Ikenfell (Xbox & PC) - October 8

Leaving soon

You can check out all the titles leaving soon from Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Cloud Gaming below:

October 15

• Felix the Reaper (Xbox & PC)
• Metro 2033 Redux (Xbox & PC)
• Minit (Xbox & PC)
• Saints Row IV Re-Elected (PC)
• State of Mind (PC)

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

Xbox Game Pass

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• Get Xbox Game Pass For Just $1
• Xbox Game Pass: Everything To Know
• What is Xbox Game Pass Ultimate?
• Best Xbox Game Pass for Xbox One
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Xbox Game Streaming

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• Xbox Project xCloud Games List

What you need to know

• Xbox Game Pass is a Netflix-like gaming subscription from Microsoft, with over 150 games on offer.
• According to a new announcement from Xbox, DOOM Eternal, the latest in the demon-slaying franchise, is coming to the service.
• DOOM Eternal arrives on Xbox Game Pass on October 1, 2020, with Xbox Game Pass for PC planned later on.
• Hack-and-slash and rip-and-tear through Hell's armies at no additional cost if you're an Xbox Game Pass subscriber.

Yesterday, we reported on a teased image from the Xbox Game Pass team that indicated DOOM Eternal could be heading to Microsoft's value-driven gaming subscription. Thanks to a new announcement from Xbox, we can confirm that DOOM Eternal is officially coming to Xbox Game Pass, and players won't have long to wait. The sequel to the demon-slaying franchise's revival is exploding onto Xbox Game Pass for consoles as of October 1, 2020, with a launch onto Xbox Game Pass for PC a little later on.

We expect this to be the first of many such announcements after the bombshell news that Microsoft acquired Zenimax Media, the parent company for legendary gaming studios like Bethesda (Fallout, Skyrim), id Software (DOOM), and much more. As Microsoft now owns all of these game franchises, it only makes sense for their latest offerings to begin trickling into Xbox Game Pass, beginning with one of the industry's most goretastic and absolutely glorious first person shooters.

DOOM Eternal is getting its first expansion in the Ancient Gods: Part One on October 20, 2020, so players who have already gotten their fill of what DOOM Eternal has to offer will have a reason to make another foray into Hell when the expansion drops, while PC players hopefully won't have to wait too much longer for DOOM Eternal to also drop onto their Xbox Game Pass.

Will you be playing DOOM Eternal once it comes to Xbox Game Pass? Will it be your first time playing? Let us know in the comments below!

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

Xbox Game Pass

Main

• Get Xbox Game Pass For Just $1
• Xbox Game Pass: Everything To Know
• What is Xbox Game Pass Ultimate?
• Best Xbox Game Pass for Xbox One
• Best Xbox Game Pass for PC

What you need to know

• Xbox Game Pass is a Netflix-like gaming subscription that offers hundreds of games for one monthly price.
• According to a teaser image from Xbox Game Pass, it seems DOOM Eternal may be heading the the service.
• It's not clear if this has anything to do with the recent acquisition of Zenimax Media made by Microsoft.
• If true, players may be able to try out DOOM Eternal's goretastic action through Xbox Game Pass soon.

DOOM Eternal continues the demon-slaying, goretastic, metalrific shoot-them-up that is the DOOM franchise, and it does so in a big way. The game delivers exactly what it promises, and gives players tons of reason to leap headfirst into Hell. In a surprising turn of events, Microsoft now owns the entire DOOM IP, thanks to a recent acquisition of Zenimax Media and all their companies, including Bethesda, Arkane Studios, and, yes, id Software. This, combined with a recent teaser posted on the official Xbox Game Pass Twitter account, makes us confident that DOOM Eternal is about to head to Xbox Game Pass.

If you observe the above image, it doesn't look like a ton. Clever marketing from the Xbox Game Pass team, for sure, but it doesn't tell us anything other than "something is coming" to Xbox Game Pass. However, thanks to our own Matt Brown, who decided to do some independent detective work of his own, we were able to reveal a hidden message hidden in the teaser image. Let's take a look:

Matt Brown incorporated an advanced photo editing technique that's beyond my expertise known as "lowering the brightness", which reveals the hidden message I've been teasing: "The Slayer is coming." We can only assume "the Slayer" refers to everyone's favorite demon-slaying prodigy, the main character of the DOOM franchise, which brings us to our final conclusion: DOOM Eternal is making its way to Xbox Game Pass.

Of course, nothing has been confirmed by Xbox Game Pass or the team behind DOOM Eternal, but we're pretty confident in our assumption. Hopefully we won't have to wait long to get the final confirmation, and soon we'll all be hacking, slashing, and blasting through the armies of Hell through our Xbox Game Pass subscriptions.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

What you need to know

• A new video from NVIDIA shows off DOOM Eternal running on the GeForce RTX 3080.
• The game runs around 120FPS throughout the video, even during intense combat.
• The RTX 3080 comes out on September 17 and will cost $699.

DOOM Eternal gave our Senior Editor Jez Corden "goretastic catharsis" and earned a near-perfect score in our review as an excellent first-person shooter. Now, you can check out the title in 4K glory powered by the NVIDIA's newly announced GeForce RTX 3080. A new video by NVIDIA shows off around five minutes of gameplay powered by the monstrous new GPU.

The video showing off DOOM Eternal on the RTX 3080 has an FPS counter throughout the video. The game safely stays at around 120FPS during most intense action and spikes up to 160FPS at calmer points. Only the most taxing battles push the card to run at below 120FPS in the video, and those dips are quite brief. According to the video's description, the game is running in 4K with max settings.

NVIDIA revealed the RTX 3090 , 3080, and 3070 recently. They offer up to a two-times increase in performance over the Turing-based RTX 20 series. The RTX 3080 will be the first of the new cards to ship. It will be available starting on September 17 for $699.

While we haven't gotten our hands on the NVIDIA 3080, there's a good chance that it will be near the top of our list of the best graphics card options you can buy. NVIDIA's 20 series has four entries on that list, and the 30 series cards are more powerful and more efficient than their 20 series siblings.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

What you need to know

• Doom Eternal is getting two DLC expansions.
• The first, titled The Ancient Gods: Part One, has a release date of October 20.
• A new trailer shows a bit of gameplay and the environments the DLC is bringing.

Doom Eternal's first campaign expansion, The Ancient Gods: Part One, has been revealed at Opening Night Live at Gamescom. You can check out the gameplay trailer below.

In addition to this expansion, Bethesda previously confirmed that Doom Eternal is getting a free upgrade on Xbox Series X and PS5. The Ancient Gods: Part One is set to release on October 20, 2020.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

Xbox Series X/S

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• Xbox Series X: Everything we know
• Best games coming to Xbox Series X/S
• List of Xbox Series X specs
• What is the Xbox Series X release date?
• How much does Xbox Series X cost?
• Why you can't preorder Xbox Series X yet
• Best Xbox Series X Headsets

What you need to know

• Bethesda enlisted hardware experts to show off the prowess of id Software's id Tech 7 game engine.
• The goal was to push DOOM Eternal to 1,000 FPS.
• A team lead by Polish hardware retailer x-kom achieved the task as part of QuakeCon at Home.

A team of hardware and overlocking specialists successfully managed to create a custom PC that could run DOOM Eternal at 1,000 FPS as part of project for QuakeCon at Home.

Bethesda's Polish community manager Lukasz Lesniewski challenged Polish hardware retailer x-kom to show off the power and versatility of id Software's id Tech 7 game engine by figuring out a way to achieve the record-breaking framerate. X-kom's head of R&D Marcin Rywak and tech blogger Piotr Szymanski put together a platform using Intel's eight-core i7 9700K processor, an ASUS Maximus XI APEX motherboard, Samsung's 512GB M.2 drive, and power from Be Quiet 1200W Straight Power.

That device was able to push the game to 500-600 FPS, but hitting the goal required using liquid nitrogen in order to overclock the PC without it overheating. Using the custom cooling system, the team was able to get all eight cores running at nearly 6.6GHz and achieve 1,006 FPS in the opening corridor of DOOM Eternal's "Hell on Earth" level.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

What you need to know

• DOOM Eternal is the hotly anticipated follow up to the DOOM reboot in 2016.
• It already features a stellar and visceral campaign, but DOOM Eternal is about to get even bigger.
• It's first expansion, The Ancient Gods, Part 1, was just revealed today by Geoff Keighley.
• It'll get its world premiere during the Summer Game Fest on August 27, 2020.

DOOM Eternal had big shoes to fill after the surprise reboot of the classic DOOM series in 2016, and it met the challenge with aplomb. Satisfying combat, gor(e)geous visuals, and a shredding soundtrack meant DOOM Eternal was certain to succeed. Now we know the name for the first campaign expansion for the game, the Ancient Gods, Part 1, as well as when you can tune in to its world premiere. Geoff Keighley dropped the news on his Twitter today.

The Ancient Gods, Part 1, will get a world premiere (either a trailer, or hopefully gameplay) on the opening night of the Summer Game Fest hosted by Geoff Keighley. This means you can tune in on August 27, 2020, and watch the stream as DOOM Eternal's first campaign expansion is officially revealed, and all its goretastic details are revealed.

All we know about the expansion is the name right now, but you can be sure it'll feature more demon slaying action, likely with new baddies, guns, and abilities, and give DOOM fans a hefty reason to dive back into Hell. Judging by the name, it's also safe to say that at least one other part is planned, so we can expect more expansions under 'the Ancient Gods" name further down the line.

We'll have to wait until August 27 to learn anything new, but in the meantime, are you excited for the DOOM Eternal expansion? Are you still playing today? Let us know in the comments below!

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

Xbox

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• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• Bethesda Softworks announced that Doom Eternal and The Elder Scrolls Online will get free next-gen upgrades.
• Players on Xbox One or PS4 will be able to upgrade to the Xbox Series X or PS5 versions at no additional cost.
• There's no word on other Bethesda titles but the company is committed to free upgrades.

Today, Bethesda Softworks confirmed that Doom Eternal and The Elder Scrolls Online will be getting free upgrades on Xbox Series X and PS5. If you own those games on Xbox One or PS4, you'll be able to upgrade to the next-generation version at no extra cost.

Both games will also be playable via backward compatibility on the new consoles. Bethesda notes that it does not have any info to share on other games in its catalogue but that it is committed to free upgrades for any games that do get next-generation enhancements.

Doom Eternal is getting two DLC expansions over the next year. We don't know when they'll arrive but Bethesda has shared some concept art. It's possible we'll see more at QuakeCon at Home, which begins on August 7.

As for the company's future pipeline of titles, Bethesda Softworks' next upcoming games, Arkane Studios' Deathloop and Tango Gameworks' Ghostwire: Tokyo, are timed console exclusives on PS5. Deathloop is set to release in Holiday 2020, while Ghostwire: Tokyo is currently aiming for sometime in 2021.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

Xbox Series X/S

Main

• Xbox Series X: Everything we know
• Best games coming to Xbox Series X/S
• List of Xbox Series X specs
• What is the Xbox Series X release date?
• How much does Xbox Series X cost?
• Why you can't preorder Xbox Series X yet
• Best Xbox Series X Headsets

What you need to know

• Doom Eternal launched on March 20.
• The title is a first-person shooter with plenty of gore.
• It's getting a new update that removes Denuvo Anti-Cheat.
• You can purchase Doom Eternal for $60 on the Microsoft Store.

Doom Eternal is a first-person shooter that continues the story of the reboot. It looks absolutely spectacular on Xbox One X and should provide plenty of single-player and multiplayer enjoyment. In addition to Xbox One, Doom Eternal is available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Google Stadia.

Today, id Software announced that it was removing Denuvo Anti-Cheat in Update 1. The team said the following on Reddit.

It's unclear what the new anti-cheat solution will be. We'll keep you posted as soon as we know more.

Do you play Doom Eternal on PC? Have you had issues with Denuvo Anti-Cheat? Let us know. The cheating issue appears to be less severe on consoles, so if you own an Xbox One or PlayStation 4, you can always play the game there if you prefer.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

What you need to know

• Doom Eternal launched on March 20.
• The title is a first-person shooter with plenty of gore.
• It's getting a new update with tons of new content.
• You can purchase Doom Eternal for $60 on the Microsoft Store.

Doom Eternal is a first-person shooter that continues the story of the reboot. It looks absolutely spectacular on Xbox One X and should provide plenty of single-player and multiplayer enjoyment. In addition to Xbox One, Doom Eternal is available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Google Stadia.

Today, Doom Eternal got its first update that brings with it some major changes. Some of them are listed below. The Empowered Demons sound like a cool challenge in the battlefield.

• Empowered Demons: Avenge fallen Slayers by killing empowered variants of demons that took those players out. These demons offer a greater challenge and provide large amounts of resources and bonus event experience when defeated.
• Event Series 3: Today kicks off Event Series 3 in Doom Eternal, dubbed the Precious Metals event, offering shiny new cosmetics to work toward
• Single Player Quality-of-Life Improvements: Since launch, we've been listening to players' feedback, and Update 1 addresses some of the top issues we're hearing. Some of these changes include expanded demon tutorials, the ability to dash vertically in water and reducing toxic damage while swimming.

I'm mostly excited about the single-player improvements because the ability to dash in water and reduced toxic damage will make a lot of levels less painful to traverse.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

What you need to know

• Doom Eternal is the latest shooter from id Software and Bethesda Softworks.
• Some campaign DLC packs are in the works.
• The Doom Twitter account shared a couple of screenshots from the upcoming DLC.
• There's no release date for the DLC packs at this time.

While Doom fans continue to wait for news of the Doom Eternal DLC packs, a small teaser has been released. The official Doom Twitter account shared two new screenshots, showing a couple of the environments that'll be featured in the DLC. One appears to be a massive rig out at sea, while the other looks like part of the Makyr world. You can see both screenshots below.

Source: Bethesda Softworks / id Software

Both screenshots are from the first upcoming DLC pack, so it looks like the Slayer will be traversing multiple areas again. There are two campaign add-ons currently planned, both releasing sometime within the first year of Doom Eternal. We'll be sure to share an update when we learn more about the next DLC and when players can expect it.

Whenever it does arrive, the music will not feature any work from composer Mick Gordon, who has currently separated from Bethesda after some conflict.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

Xbox

Main

• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• Mick Gordon is a composer who has worked with Bethesda on games like Doom Eternal and Prey.
• Earlier this year, Gordon mentioned to some fans he was unlikely to work with Bethesda again.
• Marty Stratton, Executive Producer on Doom Eternal, has published an open letter on Reddit, providing some background for the situation.
• Stratton alleges that Gordon repeatedly missed deadlines and misguided fans with his online posts.

Recently, the official soundtrack for Doom Eternal was released for owners of the Collector's Edition. Many listeners immediately noticed a difference between tracks that were mixed by composer Mick Gordon and those that were not. Gordon, who has worked with Bethesda on multiple previous games, provided comments to fans, stating that he certainly wouldn't have mixed the soundtrack that way and that he was unlikely to work with Bethesda again.

In response, Marty Stratton, executive producer of Doom Eternal at id Software, has posted an open letter on Reddit. In this post, Stratton detailed the history of the soundtrack's development and provided Bethesda's perspective on the situation. Stratton states that Gordon missed deadlines on multiple occasions, which caused issues that necessitated pushing back the release of the soundtrack for owners of the Collector's Edition. Stratton notes that the date for delivering the soundtrack was pushed back to the latest that would be allowed under consumer protection laws.

Stratton explains that in order to deliver the soundtrack on time, the agreement reached (and suggested by Gordon) was to provide the tracks Gordon had been able to mix, while Lead Audio Designer mixed the remaining tracks. Gordon still received sole credit as composer and album artist. Finally, Stratton makes it clear Bethesda is moving forward and will not be working with Gordon on the DLC for Doom Eternal.

While this is certainly disappointing for fans of Doom Eternal, id Software and Mick Gordon to read, it also provides some transparency as to what exactly happened. We'll have to wait and see what the future brings.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

Xbox

Main

• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• Doom Eternal is the latest first-person shooter from id Software.
• According to published Bethesda Softworks, Doom Eternal broke franchise launch records.
• Doom Eternal also crossed 100,000 concurrent users on Steam.
• Doom Eternal is available on Xbox One for $60 at the Microsoft Store.

Doom Eternal just hit a few days ago and it is already putting up some impressive sales achievements. According to Gematsu, Bethesda Softworks has announced that Doom Eternal broke franchise launch records, achieving "double the launch revenue" of the previous game which released in 2016.

Additionally, Doom Eternal reached over 100,000 concurrent players on Steam. Doom Eternal is currently available on Xbox One, PC and PlayStation 4, with a Nintendo Switch release coming sometime at an unknown point in the future.

If you haven't checked out Doom Eternal yet, our Senior Xbox Editor Jez Corden wrote our review, saying "If you loved DOOM 2016, you simply have to buy DOOM Eternal. The gunplay achieves all-new heights, with new gore mechanics, spectacular new weaponry, and varied demons from DOOM's vast back catalog (as well as some new ones, no spoilers though, sorry!)"

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

Xbox

Main

• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• NVIDIA and AMD have drivers to optimize systems for DOOM Eternal.
• DOOM Eternal launched this week, bringing another excellent game to the DOOM series.
• DOOM Eternal is available now, starting at $50.

DOOM Eternal is the latest addition to the historic DOOM franchise. It brings mayhem, chainsaws, and the gates of hell. To get the best gaming experience, you can grab drivers from either AMD or NVIDIA that optimize systems for DOOM Eternal. For NVIDIA systems, you'll need to grab the GeForce Game Ready 44.74 WHQL driver. AMD users can grab the Radeon Adrenalin 2020 Edition 20.3.1 driver.

AMD states that its driver will help gamers get "up to 5% better performance playing Doom Eternal (Ultra Nightmare settings) at 1920x1080p on the Radeon RX 5700XT with Radeon Software Adrenalin 2020 Edition 20.3.1, versus Radeon Software Adrenalin 2020 Edition 20.2.2.," as reported by HotHardware.

NVIDIA points out that if you have a GeForce RTX 2080 Ti, you can get up to 200 FPS with "every single game setting maxed out." The latest driver from NVIDIA helps optimize systems for DOOM Eternal. NVIDIA says that "To ensure you get the highest possible framerates with any system configuration, download and install the DOOM Eternal Game Ready Driver."

DOOM Eternal earned an impressive 4.5 out of 5 in our review. Gaming editor Jez Corden states that "If you loved DOOM 2016, you simply have to buy DOOM Eternal. The gunplay achieves all-new heights, with new gore mechanics, spectacular new weaponry, and varied demons from DOOM's vast back catalog."

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

What you need to know

• Doom Eternal just launched on Xbox One, PC, and other platforms.
• The title is a first-person shooter with plenty of gore.
• The team delayed the game a few months ago to polish up the experience.
• You can purchase Doom Eternal for $60 on Amazon.

Doom Eternal is a first-person shooter that continues the story of the reboot. It looks absolutely spectacular on Xbox One X and should provide plenty of single-player and multiplayer enjoyment. In addition to Xbox One, Doom Eternal should be available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. It was also announced for Google Stadia a few months ago.

Doom 64 was a preorder bonus for Doom Eternal, but it's available separately on the Microsoft Store for $5. It's great to see that people don't have to buy a $60 game if they don't want to to get a $5 title. Doom 64 also looks great on Xbox One X and features crisp visuals and menus.

In Windows Central's Doom Eternal review, Jez Corden wrote, "Doom Eternal is a near-perfect follow up to 2016's sensational reboot of the legendary shooter franchise. The improvements that are good are really good, but some of the new stuff sadly doesn't land very well."

In Windows Central's Doom 64 review, I said, "Overall, Doom 64 is a memorable game that one can look fondly at years later. It's a great addition to Doom Eternal, and if you finish the campaign of the upcoming shooter, you should give this one a go. However, don't expect modernized controls or other improvements. It's the same game with the same quirks."

The game was reviewed on an Xbox One X with a code provided by the publisher.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

DOOM's legacy of brutality has been going strong for over 25 years now. To celebrate this impressive milestone and the release of DOOM Eternal, we'll be ripping and tearing through the 10 most iconic demons from DOOM's bloody history.

10. Former Humans (First appearance - DOOM)

As the very first enemies you encounter, Former Humans serve in setting the tone of the entire DOOM series. The world has gone to hell and these possessed husks represent the fate of humanity. Once proud marines like the Doom Slayer himself, these fallen soldiers now serve the demons they once fought.

While maybe not the most intimidating foes to face off against, they are a constant reminder that in the world of DOOM, nobody is safe.

9. Cyberdemon (First appearance - DOOM)

The manual of DOOM II simply describes the Cyberdemon as "a missile-launching skyscraper with goat legs" and while that isn't the most poetic description, it's probably the best way to put it. Few demons in DOOM have the same auditory or visual impact as the Cyberdemon.

If you can't see this hulking minotaur-like beast coming, it's safe to say you'll at least hear those hooves stomping in your direction.

8. Demon aka 'Pinky' (First appearance - DOOM)

The official name of this brutish beast is rather non-descript and honestly a bit uninspired, especially considering how gnarly the creature design is. Thankfully, 'Demon' has lovingly been given the nickname 'Pinky' by fans and developers due to the hue of its flesh in the original design.

Don't let this whimsical nickname fool you though, Pinky will absolutely destroy anyone unfortunate enough to get within grabbing range.

7. Arachnotron (First appearance - DOOM II)

Part big-brained evil genius, part cybernetic spider-monster, the Arachnotron is definitely one of the most nightmarish creatures in the DOOM universe. With an unnatural frame and massive eyes that change color when moving or attacking, this insect-inspired demon is some quintessential 90's sci-fi horror.

While this design is certainly iconic, it's not very accurate to call a creature with only four legs Arachnotron, but I guess Insectotron just doesn't have the same ring to it.

6. Mancubus (First appearance - DOOM II)

The Mancubus is a whole lotta demon. Its large stature, dual-rocket launchers, and generally imposing form make it a modern staple in the DOOM franchise. With a dragging gut that is seemingly bursting at the seams, the intimidating physicality of this behemoth is impossible to ignore.

It's rumored that the inspiration for this creature's name stems from combining 'manducus,' the Latin word for glutton, and 'incubus,' a medieval word meaning 'man-demon.'

5. Cherub (First appearance - DOOM III)

Cherubs might not be the most iconic demons in the DOOM franchise, but they are certainly the most disturbing. These disfigured human babies with insect-like wings and crudely attached claws prove that when it comes to the spawn of hell, nothing is off limits.

For many players, their first encounters with these ghastly abominations is a terrifying experience they won't soon forget.

4. Hell Knight (First appearance - DOOM II)

Hell Knights are fast, nimble, and really want to kill you. These fleshy demons resemble humans in a few disturbing ways, especially in the face and head. With a mouth openly displaying muscle tissue and a completely exposed skull, Hell Knights take something familiar and brutally distort it.

Like the infamous Lickers of Resident Evil 2, there's just something very unsettling about looking at their grotesque forms.

3. Revenant (First Appearance - DOOM II)

How do you make a decaying skeletal demon with a face straight out of Evil Dead even more horrifying? Give it a jetpack with rocket launchers! While you're busy trying to slay hordes of enemies on the ground, the Revenant flies overheard raining destruction upon you.

Even though it was first introduced in DOOM II back in 1994, it was really DOOM (2016) where this airborne horror got its chance to shine.

2. Baron of Hell (First Appearance - DOOM)

While there are certainly some enemies on this list that share similarities to the Baron of Hell, none of them pack quite the same devilish punch. This is hands down the most hellish creature to devastate the world of DOOM. Massive black horns and powerful cloven hooves gruesomely embody some of the most iconic depictions of hell and satanic imagery.

As a game franchise soaked in heavy metal culture, the Baron of Hell is easily one of the most 'metal' video game demons of all time.

1. Cacodemon

There's a very good reason the Cacodemon has more-a-less become the official mascot of the DOOM franchise. This unearthly monstrosity takes its inspiration from Dungeons & Dragons' classic Beholder monster but replaces the tentacle-like eye stalks with menacing horns.

Since its gruesome debut in 1993, the Cacodemon has firmly established itself as one of the most iconic creatures in video game history.

Share your thoughts below!

DOOM has given us some of the most satisfying enemies to slay over the course of the last few decades and it looks like that trend won't change a bit with DOOM Eternal. Which of these baddies is your favorite to tear down?

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

Xbox

Main

• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

A soundtrack that rips and tears like you do

Composer Mick Gordon is back again after his award-winning performance in Doom 2016. That now-infamous soundtrack grabbed onto your eardrums and aggressively pulled you into the game, and provided a perfect backdrop upon which to rip demons into tiny pieces with your bare hands. Doom Eternal's soundtrack might be even better. Gordon brought on a bunch of talented metal vocalists from varied backgrounds to bring a metal choir into Doom, making the soundtrack more gripping and ominous than ever before.

If you're one of the dedicated fans that pre-ordered Doom Eternal's Collector's Edition you'll get high-quality soundtracks included for both the first and sequel Doom games. This means digital tracks in lossless quality, so you don't lose a single note no matter what device you're listening on. For the rest of us, we'll have to be content with getting our Doom fix elsewhere. Doom Eternal's soundtrack hasn't shown its face in an official capacity on any platforms like Spotify or YouTube Music, but we'd be shocked if it didn't at some point after Doom Eternal's launch.

It's important to note that even those who pre-ordered Doom Eternal's Collector's Edition won't immediately get the official soundtrack on release day — March 20, 2020 — per a Bethesda update. A reason wasn't provided, although Bethesda did say lossless digital soundtracks for both Doom 2016 and Doom Eternal will be provided in the future. The company also said it'll let players know when they'll be available.

If you simply can't wait for your Doom fix, there's a pretty awesome playlist for Doom Eternal on Spotify that includes 89 songs from Mick Gordon and other talented bands and artists. The playlist should provide a perfect stopgap until the soundtrack is available in an official capacity. We'll update this space as soon as we have more information.

DOOM (2016) was a bit of a surprise hit, and far exceeded many people's expectations. Reboots of classic, beloved franchises are tricky to pull off well, but id Software did an amazing job, reclaiming its shooter crown in the process.

DOOM Eternal was announced a while back, following the success of its predecessor. DOOM Eternal follows similar cues to DOOM II: Hell on Earth from the mid-nineties, where forces of evil invade our world. The core premise remains unchanged: rip and tear. And in that goal, DOOM Eternal soars.

With stunning art, an amazing soundtrack, and an explosive arsenal, wreaking havoc on demons never felt so good. However, some of the "new" gameplay elements and design choices id Software introduces feel like a step back, rather than a step forward.

Art, gunplay, and sound

What I loved about DOOM Eternal

DOOM Eternal is a truly beautiful game, in the most diabolical sense. The art team really had a field day with DOOM Eternal, pushing established concepts of Hell and body horror to their most delectable limits.

Towers of writhing flesh mounds pocked with vile jagged teeth, fallen demonic titans spewing entrails across the entire area, creating environmental hazards in the process. Huge vistas of bleak hellscapes, with demonic tendrils towering into the sky. There's a screenshot opportunity every few minutes in DOOM Eternal, if you have the stomach for its grotesque majesty.

Complimenting the visual direction is great sound treatment from Mick Gordon, whose new tracks for DOOM Eternal ramp up and down as the action gets more intense, with an explosive fusion of metal and industrial overtones. It's another flawless victory for DOOM's music, which has almost become the game's calling card in recent years.

The performance of the game is stellar as well, running at dynamic 4K with a rock-solid sixty frames per second on Xbox One X. Not once did I experience even the vaguest hint of performance degradation even in some of the games most intensive fights in later levels, making DOOM Eternal one of the most impressive games in terms of fluidity in recent memory. Graphically the game is a massive step up in general, having gone back to do direct comparisons with DOOM 2016. The texture pop-in that plagued the last game is completely eliminated, and the overall presentation is far more detailed.

Throughout my time with the campaign, I only encountered a couple of bugs, where a specific shotgun upgrade wouldn't work, and a specific upgrade station wouldn't work. Additionally, I only experienced a single crash, which may have been an issue with Xbox's fast resume rather than the game itself.

DOOM Eternal changes up the franchise's gunplay a bit, putting a bigger emphasis on the chainsaw as a means of replenishing ammo. Now, you're pretty much expected to saw a hapless ambient demon in half every now and then, with rapidly replenishing fuel to keep you going. You also have an array of new toys to play with, including a shoulder-mounted gun module that can spread grenades, ice bombs, or spray fire in an area of effect. The flamethrower is particularly important since it causes armor shards to drop off enemies to help you stay alive.

Getting used to the new flow of combat took a while, particularly since my muscle memory was still very much stuck in 2016, but after a bit of practice, I found myself carving through hordes of demonic entities with reckless abandon. The violent ballet that is so very uniquely DOOM achieves all new heights, with new weapons like the Ballista that can cut an entire room of demons in half, with new weapon mods to keep returning weapons fresh.

Additionally, DOOM Eternal dials up the gore to a whole other level. Shooting enemies will gradually peel the flesh off their bones in chunks until their guts and sinews are dangling around, and contextual gore for specific weapons and finishing moves make combat varied and satisfying. Anyone who felt like DOOM 2016 wasn't bloody enough is about to get a big payday.

Speaking of weapon mods, the new Super Shotgun grappling hook is more than just a tool of destruction. It can be used to pull you out of harm's way. It can bring you into close quarters with a fodder demon for a quick chainsawin', or a health-regenerating execution. With upgrades, it can also set demons on fire, granting you a boost of armor as you cut them down with a hail of shotgun blasts.

Used in combination with jumps, it can also be used as a tool to gain higher ground. One of the runes you can gather that grant passive bonuses let you slow-down time as you use alt-fire while in the air, effectively letting you create Matrix-like scenes as you soar through the air, carving bloody patterns with the giblets of your enemies.

Source: Windows Central

Each level is full of secrets to unlock and uncover, to be displayed inside Doomguy's central hub of operations, although it's a bit of a spoiler exactly how that works, DOOM Eternal makes its unlockables and collectibles rewarding to unearth. I collected what felt like quite a ton of stuff throughout the campaign, many of which are celebrations of past id Software titles from the DOOM legacy, with a bit of Quake and Wolfenstein here and there. There are easter eggs everywhere too, and I'm looking forward to seeing what more observant players unearth in the coming weeks.

DOOM Eternal is another goretastically-satisfying shooter from id Software, with jaw-dropping vistas, stomach-churning monsters, with some of the meatiest, smoothest gunplay around. As great as DOOM Eternal's core aspects are, some of the attempts to diversify the gameplay don't land as well as I expect id Software hoped.

Platforming, level design, story delivery

What I disliked about DOOM Eternal

Nothing here is what I consider a deal-breaker for DOOM Eternal. Truly, if you loved 2016's take, you're going to love this one too. However, I do want to air some grievances about the game, across aspects that I felt really held it back as an overall package.

For some reason, DOOM Eternal puts a big emphasis on platforming. Clunky, awful, platforming. The Super Shotgun's grappling hook gives Doomguy new feats of agility, it plays no part whatsoever in the game's strange insistence on forcing you to scurry awkwardly along inexplicably obvious climbing walls, cavort on monkey bars, and double-jump and double-dash across levels. Towards the end of the game, the game even gives you literal hoops to jump through to get back to the action.

I reinstalled DOOM 2016 to see if I was simply being crazy, but where the previous game split the action up between encounter scenarios and exploration in large, sprawling levels, DOOM Eternal's epic combat segments are separated by these odd platforming segments and tedious water displacement puzzles that feel like they'd be more at home in Tomb Raider.

The fact you don't die from failing a platforming section, but merely teleport back to the spot you fell, is almost like an apologetic admission that they aren't fun to participate in. I'm not sure anyone played DOOM 2016 and thought "this game needs more platforming."

While the art is incredible, and DOOM Eternal really outdoes itself with some of its scenery and set-pieces, the level layouts are fairly linear in their progression. It also feels like there's less ambient storytelling in DOOM Eternal, which is a bit of a weak point for the game in general.

DOOM has never been known as a story-based title, but it's a bit odd how many important plot details were buried away in text-heavy codex entries in this one. I had to dive back into the codex after I had finished the game just to try and work out what had just transpired, given that so little of it really shines through in the game itself. It's a shame too, since the body of lore id Software is building for this incarnation of DOOM is incredibly rich and detailed. If you're willing to hunt down and read the text logs, that is. I would genuinely like to see DOOM take itself a bit more seriously in this regard, but I may be in the minority there.

Finally, as of writing, I was unable to test out DOOM Eternal's "Battlemode," as the servers are unpopulated. I did however try out the offline tutorial. Battlemode is a new 2v1 PvP multiplayer mode that lets two player demons battle against a single player Doomguy. You can spawn enemies in and utilize various demonic abilities while battling the Doom Slayer. I'll write up some thoughts on that in a future article, once the servers are populated. It might provide some fleeting fun as a mini-game, but it doesn't seem particularly groundbreaking, and it certainly doesn't represent the meat of DOOM Eternal — by far, that is the campaign.

Should you buy DOOM Eternal?

If you loved DOOM 2016, you simply have to buy DOOM Eternal. The gunplay achieves all-new heights, with new gore mechanics, spectacular new weaponry, and varied demons from DOOM's vast back catalog (as well as some new ones, no spoilers though, sorry!)

While the story delivery takes even more of a back seat in DOOM Eternal, id Software still delivers some impressive setpieces, epic boss battles, and stunning scenery, as the forces of Hell begin to devour our world.

I can't help but wonder why id Software felt the need to triple-down on the mild platforming elements DOOM 2016 introduced, because all they do is add road bumps to where you really want to be — in the midst of the DOOM hellscape, ripping and tearing demonic creatures from the depths. Thankfully, DOOM Eternal brings plenty of that. And then some.

DOOM Eternal was reviewed on Xbox One X using a copy provided by the publisher.

Today, TrueAchievements posted the Xbox Achievements for Doom Eternal. The game includes 33 challenges for 1,000 gamerscore. You can take a look at them below.

A couple of achievements are secret and you can take a look at them on TrueAchievements' website. Are you picking up Doom Eternal on Friday? Let us know.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

A refocused multiplayer

Doom Eternal and it looks incredible, if early previews are to be believed. There's little doubt that the campaign will be awesome, with an aggressive heavy metal soundtrack occupying most of the space in players' thoughts as they rip and tear through hordes of demons. This time around, though, Bethesda is doing their best to make sure the multiplayer gets its fair share of the fun.

Rather than shove a bunch of mismatched and safe gamemodes like Team Deathmatch into Doom, Bethesda is creating a new match type called Battlemode that is specifically tailored to Doom's combat, which should hopefully make for a much more focused experience. Battlemode pits two people as Doom Slayer, the game's main protagonist (and the bane of all demons everywhere,) against a third person playing as one of five unique demon variants. This 2v1 match-up is a "best-of-five" situation as both sides battle it out to emerge victorious. Upgrades and special abilities like Doom's patented "BFG" are available between rounds, shaking things up in the late game.

While most everyone should be familiar with Doom Slayer (loving referred to as "Doomguy" by fans) at this point, the five demons available to play as might be new. The five demons are:

• The Revenant. An agile demon equipped with a jetpack and dual shoulder-mounted rockets.
• Pain Elemental. A flying demon possessing a rechargeable shield and magical attacks.
• Mancubus. A huge, tank-like demon with dual cannons and a ton of health.
• Arch-vile. This demon hasn't been shown in Battlemode yet but should be a wily spell-casting demon.
• Marauder. Another demon that hasn't been fully shown off; this demon should be a close-combat specialist.

All demons will have unique abilities, as well as a way to cast "hazards" onto the field to damage enemy Slayers. The Slayers, on the other hand, will be fully loaded and armed as they would be in the campaign, making them a very dangerous threat if the demon doesn't manage them properly. Just like in the campaign, though, Slayers will have to carefully manage their resources and ammunition to stay on top of things.

There will be six maps at launch to play on, hinting that more features and maps could be added later on. Right now, the Battlemode is the only multiplayer variant that will be present in Doom Eternal, so it's clear Bethesda isn't rushing to make a generic multiplayer mode or, worse yet, a battle royale. If you want to check out the Battlemode gameplay trailer shown off at Quakecon 2019, head here. If everything fits together as promised, Battlemode should be tailored to Doom, and offer a great way to keep playing long after the campaign has been completed.

What you need to know

• Doom Eternal launches on March 20.
• The title is a first-person shooter with plenty of gore.
• The team delayed the game to polish up the experience.
• You can preorder Doom Eternal for $60 at Amazon.

Doom Eternal is an upcoming first-person shooter that continues the story of the reboot. It looks absolutely spectacular on Xbox One X and should provide plenty of single-player and multiplayer enjoyment. In addition to Xbox One, Doom Eternal should be available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. It was also announced for Google Stadia a few months ago.

Today, id Software discussed the in-game events coming to the game. This should keep players coming back for more because you can earn a lot of cool skins.

Are you excited for Doom Eternal? It launches on March 20 so the wait won't be too long. The game is Xbox One X Enhanced, but appears to be running at 1440p on the system. Google Stadia also renders at the same resolution, but the video compression may impact quality.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

When Doom Eternal, originally scheduled for release on Nov. 22, 2019, was postponed until March 20, 2020, something magical happened on the internet. You see, March 20 also happens to be the release date of a far different game: Animal Crossing New Horizons. In contrast to the violent and bloody universe of Doom, where you play as the Doom Slayer — an ancient warrior protecting Earth from literal demons — Animal Crossing is an outright peaceful life simulation game in which you can fish, collect fruit, and decorate your home with treasures found in the world around you. While a release date is pretty much the only thing these two games have in common, the internet wasn't about to let this opportunity for a crossover pass us by.

Starting as early as July 19, 2019 with Twitter User @MrAgentStrange, memes featuring the Doom Slayer, known to fans as DoomGuy, and Animal Crossing's helpful, anthropomorephic dog Isabelle have popped up on Twitter, Reddit, DeviantArt, and more. These are some of our favorites:

The fanart that started it all

Posted by @MrAgentStrange on Twitter, this image of the Doom Slayer aka DoomGuy teaching Isabelle how to use a gun was likely the first of many crossovers. While this is one of many pieces of fan art pairing DoomGuy with characters from various other franchises, this one took a life all its own. The internet then went crazy over putting these two in the same world.

More lessons

Posted on YouTube by @Atrio_N7, this video. which expanded upon the lessons illustrated in that very first meme, had our team in stitches!

That's one hell of a Glow Up

Posted to Twitter by @Awr_Hey, this one features Isabelle fully integrated into the gritty and violent world of Doom.

That's really under DoomGuy's helmet?

Not all of our memes have come from traditional artists. This post on Reddit by user Darkdreamr involved action figures, amiibo, and some Sid Phillips-esque surgery!

Aggretsuko

This meme, posted to Tumblr by NintendoVibes, seems to be suggesting that Aggretsuko is the secret lovechild of Isabelle and Doomguy. I'm not sure I buy it, but that is certainly one theory!

A peaceful retirement for the Doom Slayer

This image, posted to Imgur by Titmouseman, doesn't feature Isabelle but was too good not to share! After all the ripping and tearing DoomGuy has had to do to protect Earth from the hoards of hell, he deserves a relaxing retirement.

Can't have Animal Crossing without some quality fishing

Probably my very favorite of all, this art was posted to Weibo by HEDmeteor and features some quality fishing time for DoomGuy and Isabelle.

That's all for now!

Did your favorite Animal Crossing and Doom meme make the list? Do you have one that absolutely should be in our list? Drop us a comment below and be sure to check out the rest of our Animal Crossing coverage and Doom Eternal coverage!

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

The new video game Doom Eternal is set to release on March 20. You can pre-order it right now on Amazon for $49.94, which is $10 off the regular cost of the game. This deal is available for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Not only do you get the full game ready for release, you'll also get some other bonuses. Not to mention not having to pay full price when it eventually releases.

Amazon is also including a couple of pre-order bonuses with this deal. The first thing you'll get is a copy of Doom 64, one of the original old-school Doom games and a cult classic at this point. You'll also get the Rip and Tear pack, which has some extra in-game content. Use the Doot revenant player skin in Battlemode, the Throwback Shotgun weapon skin, which brings Doom's original shotgun to the newest game, and play a remixed version of the campaign level "Cultist Base" with all new challenges and surprises.

Doom Eternal is a direct sequel to the 2016 game Doom. This is sort of a reimagining of the entire Doom franchise, building on the classics from years ago but creating something altogether new. Doom Eternal looks to be just as successful with plenty more demons to fight and worlds to save. At the end of the first game you were teleported to an unknown location, and in this new game you find two years have passed and Earth is being overrun by demons. You will have to save it!

Beyond just the campaign, the game also has a robust multiplayer. In addition to the regular multiplayer matches, the new Battlemode is a two versus one multiplayer experience that pits one player as the Doom Slayer against two player-controlled demons in a best-of-five match.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

What you need to know

• Doom Eternal has a new launch trailer, showing more glimpses of what players will be fighting through.
• The trailer also shows an absolutely massive new monster.
• Doom Eternal is scheduled to release on March 20 for most platforms except Nintendo Switch.

Doom Eternal is almost here. Ahead of its release, Bethesda has released one last new look at the game through a launch trailer, which gives us a glimpse at some really, really big foes. You can check out the Doom Eternal launch trailer below.

Doom Eternal is bringing tons of new features for players to enjoy, such as the ability to customize the look of the Slayer in the campaign. You can even grab a unicorn-themed skin from a Twitch Prime promotion.

If you'd like to learn more about Doom Eternal, our senior staff editor Carli Velocci got a chance to play a few hours of the game at a preview event. You can check out her thoughts right here. There's also some new gameplay in the video below, where you can listen to Velocci explain some of the changes coming.

Doom Eternal is set to release on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC and Stadia on March 20, with a Nintendo Switch release coming sometime later, though there's no exact release date at this time..

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

What you need to know

• Bethesda has revealed that players can tweak the armor of the Slayer in Doom Eternal.
• Bethesda has released a new video showing off the different armor customization players can use in-game.
• There's even a very special unicorn skin for Twitch Prime members.
• Doom Eternal is set to release on March 20 for most platforms, with a Nintendo Switch release coming later.

Bethesda has released a new video showing off how players can personalize the Slayer in Doom Eternal. After all, what's the point of wreaking carnage if you don't look good doing it? There's even a promotional Twitch Prime unicorn-themed skin. No, seriously. Take a look at the different Slayer armor customization options in the video below.

Don't worry about potential costs through, as aside from the aforementioned Twitch Prime skin, everything is earnable in-game and there is no microtransaction storefront.

If you'd like to learn more about Doom Eternal, our senior staff editor Carli Velocci got a chance to play a few hours of the game at a preview event. You can check out her thoughts right here. You can also look at some gameplay footage below, which shows off some interesting changes coming in Doom Eternal. Doom Eternal is set to release on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC and Stadia on March 20, with a Nintendo Switch release coming later.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

Xbox

Main

• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• Doom Eternal launches on March 20.
• The title is a first-person shooter with plenty of gore.
• The game is available for pre-load on Xbox One right now.
• You can preorder Doom Eternal for $60 at Amazon.

Doom Eternal is an upcoming first-person shooter that continues the story of the reboot. It looks absolutely spectacular on Xbox One X and should provide plenty of single-player and multiplayer enjoyment. In addition to Xbox One, Doom Eternal should be available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. It was also announced for Google Stadia a few months ago.

According to numerous reports, Doom Eternal is now available for pre-load on Xbox One. The file size comes in at 40 GB so it shouldn't be too taxing of a download. Let's hope that the file sizes are better on Xbox Series X because this generation has gotten a little ridiculous.

If you preordered Doom Eternal digitally, be sure to download the file now because it'll take a few hours on a standard internet connection. Are you excited about the game? Let us know.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

What you need to know

• Doom Eternal launches on March 20, 2020.
• The title is a first-person shooter with plenty of gore.
• The game runs at 60 frames per second on many consoles.
• You can preorder Doom Eternal for $60 at Amazon.

Doom Eternal is an upcoming first-person shooter that continues the story of the reboot. It looks absolutely spectacular on Xbox One X and should provide plenty of single-player and multiplayer enjoyment. In addition to Xbox One, Doom Eternal should be available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. It was also announced for Google Stadia a few months ago.

Since Doom Eternal is a fast-paced action game, it benefits from a higher frame rate. Many gamers were curious as to what frame rate it would run at on base consoles. Luckily, Billy Khan, Lead Engine Programmer at id Software, provided the answer. The game runs at 60 frames per second (FPS) on base Xbox One.

It's unclear what the frame rate will be on Nintendo Switch, but I'm willing to bet that it's probably 30 FPS like the original Doom on the portable console. Google Stadia is also a mystery because it may run at 60 FPS at 1080p, but if the resolution is cranked up to 4K, it may lock the frame rate to 30 FPS. A lot of games already have this issue on the cloud streaming platform.

We'll keep you posted as soon as we know more. Are you excited for Doom Eternal? Let us know.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

What you need to know

• Doom Eternal launches on March 20.
• The title is a first-person shooter with plenty of gore.
• The team delayed the game to polish up the experience.
• You can preorder Doom Eternal for $60 at Amazon.

Doom Eternal is an upcoming first-person shooter that continues the story of the reboot. It looks absolutely spectacular on Xbox One X and should provide plenty of single-player and multiplayer enjoyment. In addition to Xbox One, Doom Eternal should be available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. It was also announced for Google Stadia a few months ago.

If you're playing on PC, you'll want to keep in mind that the game requires 64-bit processors. The Steam page revealed the specifications for Windows. You can take a look at them below.

Minimum

• Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
• OS: 64-bit Windows 7/64-Bit Windows 10
• Processor:  Intel Core i5 @ 3.3 GHz or better, or AMD Ryzen 3 @ 3.1 GHz or better
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 (4GB), GTX 1060 (6GB), GTX 1650 (4GB) or AMD Radeon R9 290 (4GB)/RX 470 (4GB)
• Storage: 50 GB available space
• Additional Notes: (1080p / 60 FPS / Low Quality Settings)

Recommended

• Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
• OS: 64-bit Windows 10
• Processor: Intel Core i7-6700K or better, or AMD Ryzen 7 1800X or better
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (8GB), RTX 2060 (8GB) or AMD Radeon RX Vega56 (8GB)
• Storage: 50 GB available space
• Additional Notes: (1440p / 60 FPS / High Quality Settings)

Are you excited for Doom Eternal? It launches on March 20 so the wait won't be too long. The game is Xbox One X Enhanced and seems to utilize dynamic resolution on the system. This means that the resolution can fluctuate from 4K to a lower value, but the frame rate is locked to 60 frames per second.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

What you need to know

• Doom Eternal launches on March 20, 2020.
• The title is a first-person shooter with plenty of gore.
• The team delayed the game to polish up the experience.
• You can preorder Doom Eternal for $60 at Amazon.

Doom Eternal is an upcoming first-person shooter that continues the story of the reboot. It looks absolutely spectacular on Xbox One X and should provide plenty of single-player and multiplayer enjoyment. In addition to Xbox One, Doom Eternal should be available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. It was also announced for Google Stadia a few months ago.

A metal soundtrack fits well with the fast-paced action of Doom Eternal, and composer Mick Gordon is returning to the Doom franchise to deliver an all-new pulse-pounding soundtrack. The Doom Eternal Heavy Metal Choir is an eclectic group of heavy metal vocalists from diverse backgrounds and experiences who love Doom.

Are you excited for Doom Eternal? It launches on March 20 so the wait won't be too long. The game is Xbox One X Enhanced and seems to utilize dynamic resolution on the system. This means that the resolution can fluctuate from 4K to a lower value, but the frame rate is locked to 60 frames per second.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

What you need to know

• DOOM Eternal "could hit a thousand frames per second," according to id Software's lead engine programmer.
• DOOM Eternal ran at 400 frames per second in internal testing on custom hardware.
• The id 7 engine that powers Doom Eternal is built to scale well across different types of hardware.

DOOM Eternal looks to be another exciting addition to the DOOM line of games. In a recent interview, Billy Khan, the lead engine programmer of id Tech 7, discussed how Doom Eternal can hit incredibly high frame rates in a recent interview with IGN. DOOM Eternal runs on the new id Tech 7 engine, which is built to scale well across different types of hardware.

Khan discussed in the interview how the id Tech 6 engine maxed out at 250 FPS, but the id Tech 7 engine hit 400 FPS in internal testing on custom hardware. The engine could theoretically take that even further, to rates above 1,000 FPS, in the right conditions. Here's an an excerpt of the interview:

Khan also discusses in the interview how id Tech 7 scales well across different types of hardware. For example, it could take advantage of the Xbox One X or run on older hardware.

Of course, there are no monitors close to displaying 1,000FPS right now, so unless Bethesda invented a time machine, you won't see those frame rates any time soon. But the insight from Khan shows the value of building an engine with scaling in mind. As hardware progresses, games like DOOM Eternal will be able to take advantage of it better thanks to forward thinking from its developers and its engine's developers.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

Xbox

Main

• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• There's a new trailer for Doom Eternal, going over the main points newcomers should know.
• Doom Eternal is scheduled to release on March 20.
• You can preorder Doom Eternal on Xbox One for $60 from Amazon.

If you somehow don't know what Doom Eternal is, fret not fearless friend, Bethesda has you covered with a new trailer specifically geared towards newcomers. This new trailer has all the answers you could possibly need, including details on the campaign, Battlemode multiplayer and more. Plus, you get to see even more demons being obliterated. You can check out the trailer below.

Doom Eternal appears to be taking everything from the first game and ramping it up. For more on the the story, you can check out a previously released trailer here. If you're interested in the multiplayer but you're concerned about possible microtransactions, don't worry, as the creative director has already confirmed there won't be a microtransaction storefront.

If you'd like to learn more about Doom Eternal, our senior staff editor Carli Velocci got a chance to play a few hours of the game at a preview event. You can check out her thoughts right here. You can also take a look at some gameplay footage below, which shows off even more carnage alongside some interesting changes coming in Doom Eternal. Doom Eternal is set to release on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC on March 20, with a Nintendo Switch release coming later.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

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What you need to know

• Doom Eternal is currently being developed by id Software.
• Creative director Hugo Martin has confirmed there will not be any microtransactions.
• Doom Eternal is currently set to release on March 20.
• You can preorder Doom Eternal on Xbox One for $60 at Amazon.

While Doom Eternal is still a couple of months away, players can put any fears of in-game purchases to rest. Hugo Martin, the creative director of Doom Eternal at id Software, confirmed (via PC Gamer) that Doom Eternal won't have any microtransactions or an in-game store.

Cosmetics that make you look different and stylish in Doom Eternal are unlocked with XP, with no secondary paid resources or direct purchases being necessary. XP can only be used to unlock cosmetics and is not how you improve your weapons, abilities, or progress in any other meaningful fashion during the campaign. "Eternal is a $60 game, not a free-to-play game or a mobile game" Martin said in a Facebook post.

One of our staff editors, Carli Velocci, got the chance to go hands on Doom Eternal at a recent press event. You can check out her thoughts right here. You can also take a look at some gameplay footage below, which shows off even more carnage alongside some interesting changes coming in Doom Eternal. Doom Eternal is set to release on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC on March 20, with a Nintendo Switch release coming later.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

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DOOM Eternal got delayed late last year, but we're rapidly approaching the game's fresh and shiny March 2020 launch date, and recently, one of our gaming editors Carli Velocci got the opportunity to witness the carnage first-hand at a preview event.

DOOM's formula is timeless, known for high-octane strafing, violent demon-slaying, and oceans of gore, the first-person shooter dredged the depths to unearth new ways to freshen up the bloodshed.

In our video above, we go through six ways DOOM Eternal has begun evolving the game's formula, from deeper resource management, even more agility, and new shiny tools the famed Doomguy has at his disposal for demon, err, disposal.

If you're interested in more of what's to come in DOOM Eternal, editor Carli Velocci wrote up a more in-depth preview of her time with the game, including a further breakdown of the crazy combat and changes made to the story.

DOOM Eternal launches on March 2020 for Xbox One, PC, and PS4, and we can't bloody wait.

1. Resource management: Diversifying the tools of the trade

Creative director Hugo Martin stressed that one of the biggest changes to Doom Eternal was the addition of what he calls "aggressive resource management." It sounds simultaneously metal and nerdy and in a way, and isn't that what Doom is all about?

Regardless, unless you're an RPG or open-world fan, or you make or write about games, you probably aren't familiar with the concept of resource management. For the uninitiated, it's basically when that taking care of your inventory becomes a key aspect of gameplay. It tends to be a much larger part in RPGs where crafting and upgrading are common, but in Doom Eternal it looks slightly different.

In Doom (2016), you had to constantly find ways to refill your health, ammo, and armor. This was pretty simple since ripping and tearing granted you health and using the chainsaw on enemies granted you ammo. There was also resources scattered all over the map. This is still the case in Eternal, but the focus is on constantly ensuring you have enough stuff. You get the chainsaw much earlier in the game to ensure you make it an important part of your arsenal, and a new item called the Flame Belch allows you to burn enemies for bits of armor. There's even less stuff lying around, so you have to prioritize using the tools at your disposal. It creates a much more delicate balancing act and provides more complexity to the gameplay without getting in the players' way. At the very least it ensures you'll actually use the chainsaw this time because I… definitely did not.

2. Dash and wall climbing: Increased mobility for the Slayer on the go

In Doom (2016) there were essentially two ways to move: You were either running or you were jumping. Sometimes you were even double jumping. This was generally fine until you tried to jump and fell which was awfullll. Now there are two more ways you can move: one is the dash. A little bit into the game you gain the ability to dash, which is exactly as it sounds: you can now hit a button to dash quickly over a certain distance.

The other is wall climbing. There are certain walls -- tough to see at first but easy to spot once you know what you're looking for -- that you can climb to reach new areas.

This all certainly speeds up and diversifies movement, but do you know what else it does? It leaves the room for even more complicated jumping puzzles. Doom (2016) was full of them, but they're even bigger and more challenging in Doom Eternal. Whether you're dashing in the air to reach a platform that will eventually fall or just want to reach that bar that you can swing off of, there is a much wider range of movement thanks to these two small skills.

3. Enemy weak spots: Find the squishy bits

Another important aspect of Doom? The enemies, of course! Doom (2016) reveled in introducing new and tougher baddies even deep into the game, and Doom Eternal is no different. Sure it has a lot more enemies up front (a lot of which were introduced late in the first Doom), but that leaves room for even more demons to rip and tear.

Just like with resources and puzzles, id Software has managed to make the enemies also more complex. Now a lot of the enemies have weak spots you can directly target. The Cacodemon, for instance, can be stunned if you manage to get a grenade in its mouth while you can target the Revenant's rocket launchers more directly to get rid of its primary attack.

This, of course, helps when you're fighting these tougher enemies so you can tell how you're doing, but it also, like the resource management, changes up the player's strategy. You might save your rocket launcher or frag grenades for the Cacodemon, then switch over to something more long-range to tackle the Revenant's cannons. There were definitely a few times I caught myself using the same weapon over and over again, and this makes sure I don't forget about the others.

4. Arcade-y elements: Adding a little retro flair to the modern shooter

Doom is a retro series, so it makes perfect sense for it to have retro elements. If you thought that Doom (2016) wasn't enough of a throwback, then you're in for a treat with Doom Eternal, which might be the most arcade-like game I've played since I've been to an arcade. Ammo drops, bright colors, and secret exploring were already here to remind us, but what about 1UPs? And not just extra lives: a floating orb that says 1UP. That's all you need to know.

5. The hub: Your home away from Hell

The Doom Slayer, affectionately known as Doom Guy, is a simple man. He likes to rip and tear, he's buff, and he doesn't really care for your plot. For Doom Eternal, the team at id Software though wanted to give him more of a personality, which is where the Hub comes in.

The Fortress of Doom (clever) is a place where you go in between levels to freshen up, upgrade some of your skills, and take care of your collectibles. Doom Guy has his own bedroom on the hub where you can check out all the little toys you collect over time, but also explore Doom Guy himself. You'll find out he's still a simple man, but that he really likes the idea of a guitar made of flesh.

6. New environments: More varied locations to slaughter demons

Martin said that one of the biggest criticisms his team received concerning Doom (2016) was that it became repetitive. This entry does have only two types of levels. You're either in space going through hallways or in hell. In Doom Eternal, however, there are so many more. You start off in space and are immediately thrust into hell, which is already a huge change from the first game where it took a couple hours to reach it for the first time. Then there are even more dimensions to explore. Hell is typically on fire, but a Cultist's base you visit in the third section is covered in snow and, dare I say it, greenery? It's tough to say how varied the environments will get, especially since the campaign is reportedly over 22 hours long, but it's a welcome change at least for the first few hours.

In general there's just more Doom. More environments, more combat, more weapons, more enemies, more... story? Not sure we needed that. Either way, we'll see what's completely in store when Doom Eternal (hopefully) hits PC, Xbox One, Stadia, and PS4 on March 20, 2020

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

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If Hugo Martin, the creative director at id Software, is to be believed, Doom (2016) was just the beginning. It was on the track towards what the company wanted to do with the retro, hyper-violent shooter franchise, but there's so much more to explore. In an interview with me at a preview event, he likened Doom Eternal to Evil Dead 2 — a movie that remade the original but added more detail that shaped the series for decades to come.

Doom Eternal, expected in March 2020, is the sequel to Doom (2016), which revamped the classic series visually and technically. It was still the cartoonishly violent shooter that people were familiar with, but it took the action to larger, crazier heights. It was a game that both hearkened back to another era and fit in nicely with the gaming environment that existed in 2016. For Eternal to be remotely as successful, it needed to go even further and do more. Like Evil Dead vs. Evil Dead 2, Eternal needed to redo a lot of the elements that made Doom (2016) great but expand upon them to hopefully create a more enriching experience.

At the aforementioned preview event, I was able to play a couple of hours in the new campaign. I got to rip and tear to my heart's content, but there was so much more there. Not all of it works, but if the goal was to give Doom fans even more to latch their teeth into — more story, more gameplay, more resource management, more of the Doom Slayer, more environments — then Eternal succeeds.

"I think we can be fun. We can be light. We can have you just shooting and tearing apart demons but that doesn't mean that we can't also make it a smart game," Martin said. "We're leveling you up, you're thinking a lot more."

For the purposes of this preview, we played a PC version of the game on high settings.

How about 'aggressive resource management?'

A phrase that keeps popping up is "junk food with nutritional content," which Martin first mentions in his introductory remarks. It's a perfect descriptor for what Doom Eternal seeks to be: a game that satiates your sweet tooth for destructive, seemingly meaningless and over-the-top combat but also wants to challenge you with something more. That meant not throwing out what worked in the first Doom but bringing it to another level.

Doom Eternal continues the fast-paced, bonkers, gory game play from Doom (2016) but with a twist. Not only are you ripping and tearing up demons quickly and bombastically, but you now also have to manage your resources quickly. Martin calls it "aggressive resource management," which sounds like an oxymoron at first glance, but makes sense in practice.

During my two hours (give or take) playing Doom Eternal, I learned immediately what he meant. Just like in Doom (2016), you're thrown into the action with nary an introduction. You get a gun and start destroying enemies, but then after a minute or two, you get the chainsaw. In the previous game, the chainsaw was a flashy weapon, but it was also a way to fill up on ammo. This could have become part of your strategy as you went through the levels, but it wasn't mandatory (I didn't use it nearly as much as the game probably wanted). Here, it's not only a key part of your arsenal but it's something you can't live without. It's like your gun in terms of importance.

Resource management is a much larger aspect of game play in Eternal because the team wanted to make the player think more. Shooting and tearing are fun, but there needs to be more to counteract monotony and to give players a challenge to overcome. So resources like ammo and health are more scarce this time around. There is some littered throughout each level, same as before, but there's less of it. In order to keep yourself alive, you need to utilize tools like the chainsaw regularly.

"In the early part of development… we just kind of threw the parts back together with new enemies... But it didn't really add up to fun," Martin said, explaining that the chainsaw change was to get the player not only thinking more about their resources but to get them to interact more with their arsenal. "If you use the chainsaw you would get ammo, and it was far more engaging to do it that way than when you just picked it up off the ground."

Along with weapons and your chainsaw, you have a new tool to help you gather resources: the Flame Belch. As you can guess from the name, it's a device that belches out fire. You can use this to light up enemies, which in return drop bits of armor. If you can kill the enemy after lighting it on fire you'll get even more armor.

You'll get reminded often of this need for more resources. I was only playing on the second hardest difficulty, but I was inundated with reminders that I had low health or was low on ammo. In the thick of a hectic combat area, it's easy to even ignore the large letters on your heads-up display (HUD) that tell you to find a demon to tear for health. When your gun automatically switches to the chainsaw and you're running around trying to find a demon weak enough to tear for ammo is where you realize that you need to tweak your strategy. It manages to break up the monotony of ripping and tearing without distancing the player too much from the game's overall mission. It's not "fun" in the typical sense of the word, but it is, as Martin often put it in our interview, "engaging."

"Even the gore and the destructible demons have purpose. Yes, I could rip off parts and it looks cool, but also I can disable parts that are actually really important," Martin said. "If I was to define the number one key ingredient to engagement, I have to be thinking. If I'm not thinking, I'm just bored."

Doom Eternal but remixed

Another aspect of Doom (2016) that was remixed for Eternal is the puzzles. In the first Doom, there are countless jumping puzzles supported with green lights that show you where to go. The platforming aspects of these puzzles can be challenging, but the focus is never on the puzzles themselves but on them to break up combat sections and create physical depth in the levels.

Eternal, on the other hand, is as much of a 3D platformer as it is a shooter. These sections still serve the same purpose as they did in the first Doom, but they're more complex and larger. One section, in particular, gave me a lot of trouble. Not only did you have to get from platform to platform, but you had to time your jumps to get off of dropping platforms and leap in just the right way to hit a bar that you can swing off of. You die a lot in Doom Eternal, and the hope is that you use it to learn from your mistakes. It pays off the most in situations like this.

It offers another way to challenge the player and to expand on aspects of Doom (2016) but, more importantly, it creates another space for id Software to introduce more tools for players. There's a new Dash ability that you can unlock that adds even more space for platforming puzzles; a Meat Hook, which is a shotgun with a grappling hook attached; and an updated Rune system that doesn't require you to complete a dungeon to unlock new abilities (of course, this was replaced with Slayer Gates, so players won't miss out on optional areas).

The skill system has also been diversified. Instead of just adding points into health or ammo capacity, you can unlock new abilities that go along with an increase in health. It allows the player to slightly tailor the play style to their preferences, even if the overall strategy of killing as many demons as possible is still the priority.

This all comes together to make progression more exciting. Martin stressed that the team wanted players to feel accomplished when they improved or learned something new, and that holds true in many areas (it helps that there are a lot of systems to play around with and improve in). Whether you learn a new skill, find a new weapon, or upgrade an ability, there are places to feel like you're moving forward. This becomes increasingly important over time as the game introduces even more enemies and puts Doom Slayer in even more intense situations.

Beyond some intricate touches, the team worked to redo how they hope the audience sees Doom. It's a "video game" in the most basic sense of the word, so there are elements that want to pay tribute to that. I was delighted to see a 1UP symbol floating in the distance, which does, in fact, give you extra lives once you work to pick it up. Doom (2016) was already a retro throwback, but Doom Eternal is even more forthright about it.

More everything, even more … story?

A huge criticism of the first game, according to Martin, was that some of it felt repetitive. That's been addressed in a lot of areas. In the first two levels, you hit around three different landscapes and hit a surprising snowy section in the third, for example. The same goes for the combat, the tools at your disposal, and now the story elements. However, did the story need correcting? Did we absolutely need more plot?

There has always been a disconnect between the Doom Slayer and what's going on around him. He's obviously a cipher to hit different narrative elements, to move the game forward and give the excessive combat purpose. Those elements, overall, aren't as important as the result, which is to get the player to another area.

He doesn't take the time to listen to Samuel Hayden, for instance, as he tells him to not destroy the Argent facility but he does it anyway because Doom Slayer does not care for your plot. He's apathetic, which is funny as a character and narrative choice, but in context, it shows how much the player needs to know. Players can engage with the story if they wish (and they should since a lot of the lore shows a lot of creativity and a dedication to the source material), but the Doom Slayer gives them the bare minimum to work with, which sets the tone for the rest of the game.

On the other hand, Doom Eternal makes him a key component, which feels odd in some areas. After one sequence you meet a character called the Betrayer, who gives you a MacGuffin that you need to take to another part of the level and combine with another MacGuffin. Instead of reacting in his typical uncaring way, the Doom Slayer takes the time to stare at the Betrayer through his helmet, take the MacGuffin, and allow the Betrayer to comment on the situation. The Doom Slayer is an active player here instead of an avatar, which feels out of character. It also draws attention to how meaningless a lot of the plot elements are. In Doom (2016) it was a joke how little the pieces mattered, even though if you did the reading, it all made sense. In Eternal, it's key.

This might work for some as it gives the Doom Slayer more of a personality. Unfortunately, it doesn't work for the purposes of letting the player experience the plot, especially since the plot is nonsense. Sure, it's always been over-the-top and ridiculous, and that's all been in line with what Doom is, but there's so much here revealed in data, collectibles, and exposition dumps that it becomes overwhelming.

Bottom line on Doom Eternal

Doom Eternal is a lot more of what was already a lot of game in Doom (2016). There is more to explore and more to play around with. There are more tools, more strategy to go along with even more enemies, more story beats to experience, and, of course, more ripping and tearing. The fact the id Software team was able to make the latter point even more complex by adding resource management into the mix is a testament to what it wanted to focus on with this new entry.

The game is both an update and a throwback — even more so than the first Doom was — and the attention to detail is commendable. Whether it'll translate to a satisfying experience in all of its ambition remains to be seen; Martin says the full game will have over 22 hours of game play so there's plenty of time to see it come to fruition.

At the very least, players will get more of the basic Doom they love; ripping and tearing and more ripping and more tearing.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

What you need to know

• Doom Eternal is getting a new trailer tomorrow.
• Doom Eternal was originally set to release back in November 2019.
• Doom Eternal is now set to release on March 20.
• You can preorder Doom Eternal on Xbox One for $60 from Amazon.

Update: Bethesda has released the trailer.

Bethesda announced today that a new trailer for Doom Eternal is coming tomorrow. While we don't know exactly what the trailer will entail, it's a safe guess that we'll get another look at the campaign mode, where players will hack through the Hordes of Hell, on Earth and elsewhere.

The new trailer is coming at 12:30 p.m. ET. You can tune into the Bethesda Twitch channel before then, as a countdown will start at 11:00 a.m. ET. We'll be sure to update this when the trailer is released.

For more information on Doom Eternal, you can check out the Battlemode trailer released last year. Doom Eternal is the first Bethesda Softworks game from id Software developed with id Tech 7. After originally being set to release back in November 2019, it's now scheduled to be released on March 20 later this year.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

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What you need to know

• Doom Eternal was delayed until 2020 a few months ago.
• There's a Doom Slayers Collection available with the past games.
• It also grants you a $10 discount on Doom Eternal.
• You can purchase it for $30 on Amazon.

A few months ago, Bethesda announced that it was delayed Doom Eternal until 2020. Well, to make up for this, the publisher just released the Doom Slayers Collection which includes Doom, Doom II, Doom 3, and the Doom reboot from 2016.

All of them are amazing games that run natively on Xbox One, and Doom 3 and the Doom reboot are also Xbox One X Enhanced. The games run at 60 frames per second on Microsoft's latest console.

Not only does the package contain the games, but it also offers a $10 rebate for Doom Eternal, a poster, and a controller skin. If you haven't played the Doom titles yet, and are interested in them, be sure to pick up this package. At $30, it's definitely worth it because it represents great value.

Related: Our full DOOM Eternal Xbox One review

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• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S