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.

id Software’s DOOM Eternal is still several weeks away and the wait is palpable. To help build the anticipation more, IGN First has the first 10 minutes of the game available to view. As with the previous game, it’s straight into the action as the Doom Slayer ventures to Earth in search of demons.

A few things to note is that the player starts with the Shotgun and gets their first mod – sticky grenade shots – fairly quickly. The Chainsaw is also obtained fairly early but the challenge seems upped from the first game. Instead of just regular foes, you’ll encounter Possessed Soldiers and Imps along with new enemies like the Arachnotron.

There’s also a massive demon just casually walking around the ruins – one has to wonder how the Slayer plans on killing it. DOOM Eternal will release on March 20th 2020 for Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Stadia. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks, and check out more details on the game’s demon design here.

id Software kicked off QuakeCon 2018 with quite the bang, unveiling new footage for RAGE 2 and debuting gameplay for DOOM: Eternal. The latter has received new screenshots, new details, and much more. There’s tons of buzz surrounding both the games, and what better way to carry that even further than to keep the ball rolling with even more buzz? As such, DOOM and RAGE  are now both available on Xbox Game Pass.

Announced on Xbox Wire, both first-person shooters are now available for Game Pass subscribers. For $9.99 per month, you can enjoy these games (and a bunch of others) for as long as you’re subscribed. Though RAGE had a mixed reception at launch, DOOM is absolutely worth playing, especially since it provides some background on what’s happening in the sequel.

Xbox Game Pass has even more to offer for those who mostly play on Xbox One. Over 180 games are included in the service and new exclusives will launch on release for the service as well. Whether it’s Forza Horizon 4, Gears 5, or Halo Infinite, it’ll be possible to experience all of these on Game Pass. If you’re not subscribed, then head here for a free trial.