The Dark Ages Record Low Player Count Doesn’t Lie

[Pelican Press 0]

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

The Dark Ages Record Low Player Count Doesn’t Lie

After years of anticipation, Doom: The Dark Ages is finally out. It’s the latest entry in id Software’s reboot trilogy, which has been loved by players since its launch in 2016. So far, critics have praised the game and even declared it a GOTY 2025 contender.

However, the early success doesn’t mean that The Dark Ages is a smash hit among gamers. It’s been struggling compared to the previous trilogies on Steam, and the future doesn’t look bright unless id Software brings some major changes.

Xbox Games Pass is badly hurting Doom: The Dark Ages

If you take a look at the

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

numbers for Doom: The Dark Ages, there’s no doubt it has a troublesome launch. The game saw a peak player count of just 31,470 players during its launch weekend. That might be a big number for some games, but let’s not forget that Doom Eternal hit a peak of 104,8491 players during the same time.

What’s worse is that The Dark Ages is also trailing behind the 2016 reboot by about 13,000 players. Considering all the hype before the release of the title, these figures are quite shocking. However, the weak launch is due to

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

’s Xbox Game Pass.

The Dark Ages is a day-one release on Xbox Game Pass. Previous entries in the reboot franchise hadn’t received the same treatment. The fact that players can pay a small amount for the subscription service and access the game is the reason why there’s a drop in player numbers on Steam.

The prequel takes a different approach from the other entries in the franchise. The Dark Ages tends to focus more on melee combat and a slower pace compared to the absurdity of Eternals. Clearly, that might not have hit the mark for many in the community, and they’ve chosen to skip the game.

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

is suffering on Steam due to Xbox Game Pass. (Image via

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

)

Still, though, id Software can steer the ship around with multiple updates and DLCs for the game. The developers haven’t revealed a release date, but The Dark Ages’ Premium Edition promises access to campaign DLC. Id Software is clearly working on something, but players need to be patient.

Doom: The Dark Ages nails this one gameplay design

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

Doom: The Dark Ages. (Image via

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

)

While The Dark Ages isn’t having the best time when it comes to player numbers, the title has elevated gameplay mechanics. One of the many clever things done by id Software is the implementation of the health orbs, which are dropped by enemies when players’ health is low.

This encourages players to push for aggressive combat rather than hiding. Instead of punishing low health with death, the developers are rewarding boldness in fights.

Health drops aren’t new to the series, but The Dark Ages bring the most polished and impactful feature implementation.

It’s a design choice that maintains the classic Doom gameplay, adding a small twist to intensify the fights. Other franchises such as Halo, God of War, and Gears of War could also take note of it and reward players who fight harder in deadly situations.

With that said, are you enjoying Doom: The Dark Ages? Let us know in the comments below.

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

#Dark #Ages #Record #Player #Count #Doesnt #Lie

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up