The shooter DOOM Eternal was released on Steam this weekend. It already surpasses the player numbers of its predecessor from 2016.
What is being reported: DOOM Eternal launched on Friday, March 20, on Steam. On release day, the shooter was incredibly popular. Over 100,000 people were simultaneously playing that day.
This makes the shooter significantly more successful than the “old” DOOM, which launched in May 2016.
DOOM Eternal 3 times more successful than its predecessor
Here are the numbers: On SteamDB , you can see the initial numbers for DOOM Eternal. At peak times, 104,891 people were playing the new shooter simultaneously. On Twitch, around 142,000 viewers were watching.
Comparable numbers can also be found from DOOM and its release in 2016. There, at peak times, 31,623 players were online on Steam. Since the release, the shooter has never reached a higher player count.
Where do the high numbers come from? DOOM Eternal has already received very good reviews from the press on Metacritic. There were scores in the 90s, and the constant excitement was highlighted.
Another reason is certainly the corona crisis. People are being called worldwide to stay at home and avoid social contacts. This lures many gamers to the consoles, and a new title is a welcome distraction.
DOOM Eternal also comes at the right time. Currently, there are few strong releases, and DOOM generally has a strong fanbase due to its predecessor history. Additionally, it is the first blockbuster shooter of 2020 and is likely to have sparked interest among fans of the genre.
How is the game received? Looking at the reviews on Steam, you might suspect that the shooter will stay relevant for a long time. Out of about 10,500 reviews, a total of 9300 (as of March 21, 12:00 PM) are positive. The 88% results in an “Very Positive” rating on Steam.
The players write:
- Spectah85: “Really great shooter! Level design is fantastic. Gunplay is on point. Absolute recommendation to buy.”
- qmass: “DOOM 2016 was fun, but I never got lost in the battles as much as I did now in DOOM Eternal.”
- Erazor: “Fast, faster, DOOM Eternal”
Are there also negative voices? Some fans of DOOM 2016 express disappointment on Steam. This can be seen in the about 1300 negative reviews. What defined DOOM in their eyes was somewhat lost in Eternal. Often the Glory Kills are mentioned, which are rather imposed, as they provide strong rewards.
The animations of the Glory Kills are often the same and bore many players. In DOOM 2016, you could skip these kills, as the rewards were not so essential.
