The year is winding down for everyone and the games industry is no exception. id Software, which released the stellar DOOM Eternal earlier this year, released an end of year letter for its community, thanking them for their support. It also talks about the challenges of remote development, The Ancient Gods – Part 1 expansion and recent Nintendo Switch port by Panic Button.

The studio also outlined its plans for next year. On top of PS5 and Xbox Series X/S upgrades for DOOM Eternal and bringing the expansions to Switch, there will also be “general additions and improvements made.” BattleMode will be receiving new maps and playable demons along with a “revamped” competitive structure. Invasion mode is also coming along and The Ancient Gods – Part 2 promises to deliver an “epic culmination” to the story that began in DOOM (2016).

DOOM Eternal is currently available for Xbox One, PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch and Google Stadia. You can check out our official review for the base game here. Though the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S upgrades are a ways off, the previous-gen versions are still playable on those consoles via backwards compatibility.

An end of year letter from @idSoftware to the amazing DOOM Eternal Community. pic.twitter.com/VlVT8Wxymk

— DOOM (@DOOM) December 16, 2020

Update: The official launch trailer for the expansion is now live.

Original Story:

Id Software’s first paid expansion for DOOM Eternal is out today with The Ancient Gods Part 1. However, it seems the launch trailer leaked beforehand, showcasing the various environments, foes and platforming challenges that players will endure. It’s since been removed from YouTube but can be viewed below via Streamable. Naturally, there are spoilers so keep that in mind if you want to go in blind.

Taking place after the base game’s story, the Slayer’s victory has caused an “imbalance of power” to occur. The “true ruler” of the universe is apparently coming to fix things, though what that could mean is anyone’s guess. One thing is for sure though – the Slayer will have to face challenges unlike anything till now.

Along with new environments, DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods Part 1 will features new demons and abilities to wield. It’s out today on Xbox One, PS4, PC and Google Stadia and doesn’t require the base game to play. Speaking of which, the base game is currently available on Xbox Game Pass with a free next-gen upgrade to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S also in the works. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.