Low Steam Player Count for “The Dark Ages” Not a Concern

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Alright, so here’s the scoop – Doom: The Dark Ages just dropped last week for PCs and all those shiny modern consoles, and folks, it’s been getting pretty good feedback. I mean, not everyone thinks it blows 2016’s Doom or even Doom Eternal out of the water, but eh, it’s doing alright in my book. Apparently, the critics are into it – sitting there with a neat 86% positive rating on Steam. Oh, and OpenCritic says it’s got an 86% Top Critic Average, just like its older siblings. So, it might not snag Game of the Year or anything, but it’s keeping the fans content, I guess?

Now, here’s a bit to chew on: Folks are whispering (more like shouting) about its money-making performance. Like, on launch day, it only hit around 30,000 players on Steam at one point. Compare that to Doom (2016) and its 44,000 – way back when. And Doom Eternal? Psh, easily over 100,000 players. Some say that’s not a great sign for The Dark Ages sales-wise, but who knows – maybe the numbers don’t tell the whole tale?

Let’s dig deeper. Steam numbers, yeah, they give a peek into a game’s popularity, except not really. Especially with multi-platform games. Doom: TDA might just be rocking it on consoles instead – like, it’s one of the top 10 most played across PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S here in the U.S. The big guys, Sony and Microsoft, keep their player counts hush-hush, but hey, being in the top 10 is still a win, right?

And listen, here’s a nugget: The game’s on PC Game Pass too, being a Microsoft title and all. Launched on the service on day one! A bunch of PC gamers might’ve gone with Game Pass instead of splashing out on Steam. Who’d blame them? And even though other games like The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered are also on Game Pass, they still chugged ahead with higher Steam numbers than our Gothic Doom entry.

Oh, and there’s the price tag drama. Doom: The Dark Ages is a bit pricey compared to its forerunners. We’re talking $70 in the U.S., with it jumping to ₤70 in the UK – that’s roughly $93! Doom Eternal? That was only ₤50 back in the day. Inflation, am I right?

Remember the past, dear reader, aka 2020? Doom Eternal dropped right smack in the COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone locked inside, with video games flying off the digital shelves. It’s no wonder Eternal had tons more players – probably double compared to now. It all makes you think about The Dark Ages’ numbers, doesn’t it?

Anyway, that’s all for now. Catch ya in the next deep dive.