A new game in the Doom series might be on the horizon, but there’s one potential aspect of its release that could end up being a problem for some fans. Few game franchises have a legacy comparable to Doom, which rocked the market as a violent leap ahead in FPS design when the first game was released in 1993. The games have managed to evolve and grow without ever losing the tight design and fast-paced action that made them stand out, and the rebooted version of the franchise that kicked off with the 2016 version of Doom has proven especially effective.
At the moment, the last major Doom release was 2020’s Doom Eternal, which built on the 2016 foundation while upping the amount of fast-paced platforming involved. The series hasn’t been idle since, with Doom Eternal DLC expansions, new versions of old titles, and the mobile game Mighty Doom filling the gap. The not-quite-four-year-window that passed between Doom and Doom Eternal has already come and gone again, however, so the itch for another mainline game is definitely starting to be felt.
As reported by Eurogamer, the big news for Doom comes in the form of a pending trademark under the title of IDKFA, a cheat code made famous by the original Doom. Following up on some prior leaks, this is a good sign that a game is in the works. This Doom entry would be the first release since the series has fallen under Microsoft ownership, however, which could very well end up making it an Xbox exclusive thanks to this change.
The studio behind the Doom games, id Software, came under the ownership of Bethesda Softworks parent ZeniMax in 2009, a shift that happened during the extended development hell that turned Doom 4 into the 2016 game. With Microsoft’s acquisition of ZeniMax in 2021, anything that id makes now falls under the larger umbrella.
Leveraging IP exclusivity was clearly a major motivating factor for the acquisition, as showcased by the Xbox-only console release of Bethesda’s Starfield. Exclusivity has its place within the industry, driving the development of some strong titles to motivate console sales, but it’s frustrating when it happens to franchises that used to be available across platforms. Like the currently unclear fate of The Elder Scrolls 6 on PlayStation, a new Doom game becoming inaccessible to a portion of its community would be a loss.
Microsoft’s stewardship of owned studios has also recently come under major fire, even if it’s not in a way that would be likely to impact Doom. The closure of studios like Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks shows a lack of commitment to investing in developers, and it’s especially concerning coming off of the critical acclaim that Tango Gameworks generated with Hi-Fi Rush. It’s hard to trust in the advantages promised by Microsoft’s acquisition, making the possible trade-off of exclusivity seem like a worse deal than ever before.
All of that being said, there’s still a real chance that the next Doom game will come to all reasonable platforms. Microsoft’s been playing around with its exclusivity strategy lately, bringing several key titles to PlayStation for the first time in a bid to generate more sales. Whether this shift will impact IPs as big as Doom remains to be seen, but it certainly doesn’t seem to be off the table.
There’s also the possibility of a balanced approach with timed exclusivity, incentivizing Xbox sales while still opening up the game to a larger market in the long run. Although it still might not be exciting news for PlayStation users, this release plan would certainly be more welcome than complete exclusivity.
Whatever ends up happening to the next Doom in terms of exclusivity, it’s at least good to see some evidence that it’s on the way. There’s always more ripping and tearing to do, and as long as fluid and fast gameplay remains at the forefront, Doom still has a lot to give. It’s just a shame that fewer people might get to enjoy it this time around.
Source: Eurogamer