For most newcomers, play DOOM (2016) first and DOOM Eternal second. Bethesda describes DOOM Eternal as the direct sequel to DOOM, so that order preserves the release and story progression. Starting with Eternal is still reasonable if you are more interested in its denser resource-management, traversal and progression systems than in following the series in order.
The short answer: start with DOOM (2016)
DOOM (2016) is the best default entry point when you want the clearest introduction to the modern series. It establishes the reboot’s combat language, movement and tone before DOOM Eternal expands those ideas. Bethesda’s 2019 announcement calls DOOM Eternal “the direct sequel to DOOM,” which is the strongest reason to play the earlier game first.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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DOOM Eternal: Standard Edition - PlayStation 4 | $27.49 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Doom: Eternal (PS4) | $24.92 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Doom: Eternal (Xbox One) | $30.01 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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DOOM: The Dark Ages – PlayStation 5 | $69.47 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Numskull Pinky Doom Eternal in-Game Collectible Replica Posable Toy Figure - Official Doom... | $27.95 | Buy on Amazon |
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That recommendation is about continuity, not a claim that Eternal is impossible to understand on its own. The available evidence does not establish that a new player will be lost by beginning with the sequel. The choice mainly comes down to whether you prefer a more direct combat-focused introduction or want to begin with a sequel that asks you to manage more systems at once.
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How the two games differ at a glance
| Question | DOOM (2016) | DOOM Eternal |
|---|---|---|
| Place in the series | Reboot entry and the first game in this two-game sequence | Bethesda identifies it as the direct sequel to DOOM |
| Best reason to choose it first | Introduces the modern combat and movement approach before additional systems appear | Starts immediately with the sequel’s expanded combat, traversal and progression layers |
| Combat emphasis | Speed, weapon feel, movement, map flow and a combat-focused campaign, as described by co-director Marty Stratton | Fast, push-forward combat retained, with more active resource management described in a TIME preview |
| Resource loop | The comparison evidence does not establish a directly equivalent resource system | The preview describes replenishing health, ammunition and armor through combat actions |
| Traversal | No directly comparable traversal specification was established | The preview discusses double jumps, dashes, wall climbing, secrets and platforming |
| Campaign-length information | No comparable figure was verified | Developers estimated 20–30 hours in a 2020 TIME report; that is a dated estimate, not an independently measured average |
| Current PC requirements | A comparable current requirements table was not established | Bethesda Support lists 8 GB of system RAM and 50 GB of storage on the accessed page and says the recommendations were revised from the physical PC packaging |
Why release and story order favors DOOM (2016)
Playing in release order lets you see how the reboot sets up its world and combat before the sequel builds on it. You encounter the first game’s version of the protagonist, learn the series’ approach to environmental storytelling and become familiar with its arena-like encounters without also learning every later movement and resource rule.
#1 Best Overall
- Gain access to the latest demon-killing Tech with the DOOM Slayer's advanced praetor suit, including a shoulder-mounted flamethrower and the retractable wrist-mounted DOOM Blade
- Upgraded guns and mods, such as the Super shotgun's new distance-closing meat hook attachment, and abilities like the double Dash make you faster, stronger, and more versatile than ever
- You can't Kill demons when you're Dead, and you can't stay alive without resources. These tools are the key to your survival and becoming the ultimate demon-slayer
- A new class of (destructible) demon
- Battle mode is the new 2 versus 1 multiplayer experience built from the ground up at id software
The sequel relationship is official, but that does not make the first game a mandatory tutorial. Bethesda’s wording establishes chronology; it does not prove that Eternal cannot stand alone for someone who has never played DOOM. If your priority is the complete arc, choose DOOM (2016) first. If your priority is the sequel’s mechanics, you can begin with Eternal and return to the earlier game afterward.
What you gain by following chronology
- You meet the modern interpretation of the series before its direct continuation.
- You experience the progression from the reboot’s initial combat design to the sequel’s expanded systems in the order they were released.
- You avoid judging the first game mainly by mechanics that were introduced later.
- You can recognize which ideas are foundations and which are sequel additions, making your own comparison less dependent on memories of the newer game.
Combat: direct momentum versus a larger management loop
DOOM (2016): a focused combat foundation
In a 2016 TIME interview, co-director Marty Stratton emphasized speed, weapon feel, movement, map flow and a campaign centered on combat. That description points to the intended identity of DOOM (2016): keep moving, read the space around you and make weapons feel immediate rather than treating combat as a slow cover-based exchange.
This does not mean the first game has no upgrades, exploration or decision-making. It means the documented design emphasis is comparatively straightforward: the fight itself is the organizing principle. For a newcomer, that can make the first hours easier to parse because fewer interacting combat duties compete for attention.
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DOOM Eternal: fighting to replenish what you spend
A TIME writer’s 2020 preview of the opening three hours describes a more explicit loop involving health, ammunition and armor replenishment. In practical terms, the preview presents combat as a sequence in which your attacks and movement are also ways to recover resources, rather than simply ways to reduce enemy health.
That creates a different rhythm. You may need to decide not only which weapon or target is safest, but also which combat action will restore the resource you are about to run out of. The preview also mentions additional progression systems and secrets. These observations come from a three-hour session, so they should be read as evidence of the sequel’s early design, not as a universal verdict about every encounter or every player.
Which combat model suits you?
| If you want… | Start with… | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| A cleaner introduction to fast first-person combat | DOOM (2016) | Its documented design emphasis is speed, weapon feel, movement and map flow. |
| A combat loop that constantly asks you to manage health, ammunition and armor | DOOM Eternal | The preview specifically describes resource replenishment as part of fighting. |
| To learn the series before adding more simultaneous systems | DOOM (2016) | It comes before the sequel’s documented expansion of progression and resource mechanics. |
| To begin with the more mechanically layered option | DOOM Eternal | The preview describes extra systems, though it does not establish that they are better for everyone. |
Movement, platforming and exploration
DOOM Eternal adds movement challenges that can materially change how you read a level. The TIME preview discusses double jumps, dashes, wall climbing, secrets and platforming. These features mean that navigation is not only about finding the next combat arena; it can also involve planning a route through vertical spaces and timing movement abilities.
Rank #2
- Experience the ultimate combination of speed and power with the next leap in push-forward, first-person combat
- As the DOOM Slayer, return to take your vengeance against the forces of Hell
- Set to an all-new pulse pounding soundtrack composed by Mick Gordon, fight across dimensions as you slay new and classic demons with powerful new weapons and abilities
Players who enjoy mobility puzzles and searching for hidden areas may find that emphasis attractive immediately. Players who prefer combat arenas with less traversal overhead may find release order more appealing, because it allows them to learn the series before deciding whether the sequel’s platforming is their preferred direction.
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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →The preview writer’s favorable response was based on the opening three hours. It supports describing traversal as a meaningful difference, but it does not justify saying that every player will enjoy it, that the entire campaign maintains one fixed difficulty, or that either game is universally easier.
Questions to ask before choosing
- Do you enjoy using double jumps, dashes and wall-climbing routes to reach secrets?
- Would a fight feel more satisfying if movement abilities were part of your resource and positioning decisions?
- Do you want exploration to be a break from combat, or another skill test alongside it?
- Are you comfortable learning movement abilities while also learning weapon and resource routines?
Progression and complexity
The available comparison supports a clear distinction in complexity, but not a universal quality ranking. DOOM Eternal‘s preview includes additional progression systems and secrets alongside its health, ammunition and armor loop. That gives you more variables to learn and more ways to specialize or adjust your approach as you advance.
DOOM (2016) is the safer first choice if you want to understand the reboot’s core loop before adding layers. Eternal is the better starting experiment for players who routinely prefer sequels with more systems, more movement options and more deliberate resource decisions. Beginning with the sequel does not make the first game pointless; it simply changes the order in which you encounter the design ideas.
Can you play DOOM Eternal before DOOM (2016)?
Yes. Nothing in the available evidence establishes that you must finish DOOM (2016) to follow Eternal. Bethesda’s description of a direct sequel makes the earlier game the natural chronological starting point, but it is not proof that the sequel is incomprehensible by itself.
Choose Eternal first when its combat-management and traversal features are the reason you are interested. If you later want the origin of this version of the series, you can play DOOM (2016) as a predecessor rather than treating it as required homework.
Rank #3
- Slayer Threat Level at Maximum - gain access to the latest demon-killing tech with the DOOM Slayer's advanced Praetor Suit, including a shoulder-mounted flamethrower and the retractable wrist-mounted DOOM Blade. Upgraded guns and mods, such as the Super Shotgun's new distance-closing Meat Hook attachment, and abilities like the Double Dash make you faster, stronger, and more versatile than ever
- Unholy Trinity - you can't kill demons when you're dead, and you can't stay alive without resources. Take what you need from your enemies: Glory kill for extra health, incinerate for armor, and chainsaw demons to stock up on ammo. These tools are the key to your survival and becoming the ultimate demon-slayer
- A New Class of (Destructible) Demon - obliterate more demons than ever before, each with unique attacks and abilities. Fan-favorite classics such as the Pain Elemental, Archvile, and Arachnotron make their return, while a horde of totally-new demons join the roster including the DOOM Hunter, Marauder, and the Gladiator. Rip apart your favorite demons to the core with DOOM Eternal's "destructible demons" system and take your power fantasy to new levels
Length: what is actually documented
Developers told TIME that DOOM Eternal was projected to provide a 20-to-30-hour campaign. That number was reported in 2020 and is a developer estimate, not a controlled completion-time measurement. It can vary with difficulty, exploration, secrets and how much optional content a player pursues.
No equivalent, directly comparable campaign-length figure for DOOM (2016) was verified here. It would therefore be misleading to claim that one campaign is definitively longer or shorter based on the available evidence.
PC requirements and buying checks
Hardware information is especially vulnerable to becoming stale. Bethesda Support’s DOOM Eternal PC requirements page lists 8 GB of system RAM and 50 GB of storage on the accessed page. Bethesda also notes that its recommendations were revised from specifications printed on the physical PC box.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteUse the current Bethesda Support page and the live store listing for your platform before purchasing. Do not treat an old box, an archived article or a remembered specification as definitive. A current, directly comparable requirements table for both games was not established, so the figures above should not be presented as a complete two-game compatibility test.
Pre-purchase checklist
- Identify your platform and edition, including whether you are buying a PC, console or subscription version.
- Check the platform’s current store page for operating-system, console-generation and storage information.
- For PC, compare your system with the current Bethesda Support requirements for DOOM Eternal; note the stated 8 GB RAM and 50 GB storage figures, while recognizing that support pages can be revised.
- Confirm available storage before downloading both games, especially if you intend to install them together.
- Check the store’s current price, edition contents and availability at the time you buy; those details were not established as permanent values.
- Make sure the edition you select contains the campaign you want rather than assuming every bundle has identical contents.
Tone, violence and language
Both games are built around graphic demon combat and are not suitable for every player. Discussing the original game’s violence in a TIME interview, Stratton said, “Violence-wise, it’s not for everybody, but I think it’s all in good fun.” That is a developer’s characterization, not a universal content judgment.
Bethesda’s DOOM Eternal launch page lists blood and gore, intense violence and strong language. If you are choosing a game for a younger player, a shared household or someone sensitive to graphic content, treat those descriptors as a reason to review the platform’s age rating and content information before purchase.
Rank #4
- Developed by id Software, DOOM: The Dark Ages is the prequel to the critically acclaimed DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal that tells the epic cinematic origin story of the DOOM Slayer’s rage.
- In this third installment of the modern DOOM series, players will step into the blood-stained boots of the DOOM Slayer, in this never-before-seen dark and sinister medieval war against Hell.
- A dark fantasy/sci-fi single-player experience that delivers the searing combat and over-the-top visuals of the incomparable DOOM franchise, powered by the latest idTech engine. With a customizable difficulty system, it’s the perfect entry point whether you’re new to the franchise or a long time fan.
- As the super weapon of gods and kings, shred enemies with devastating favorites like the Super Shotgun while also wielding a variety of new bone-chewing weapons, including the versatile Shield Saw.
- Experience the origin story of the DOOM Slayer’s rage in this epic, cinematic, and action-packed story.
Soundtrack and presentation note
Bethesda’s 2019 announcement credited Mick Gordon with composing the Eternal soundtrack. That attribution belongs to the announcement and is useful context for readers who care about the game’s industrial-metal presentation. It should not be treated as a promise about every later soundtrack release, format or store bundle; check the specific edition’s listing if included audio extras matter to you.
A practical decision framework
Pick DOOM (2016) first if…
- You want the official release and story sequence.
- You are new to the modern DOOM formula and prefer to learn its combat foundation first.
- You value speed, weapon feel, movement and map flow without beginning with the sequel’s documented resource-management demands.
- You want to decide later whether more platforming and progression layers appeal to you.
- You prefer to compare the sequel’s additions after you have a clear baseline for the reboot.
Pick DOOM Eternal first if…
- You are specifically attracted to a health, ammunition and armor loop that is integrated into combat.
- You enjoy double jumps, dashes, wall climbing, secrets and platforming.
- You prefer starting with a sequel that presents more progression systems from the outset.
- You accept that you will be playing out of release order and may later return to the earlier game for context.
- You would rather test the series through its most layered documented mechanics than begin with its simpler foundation.
Use a two-step test if you are undecided
- Start with DOOM (2016) if narrative continuity is your tie-breaker.
- Start with DOOM Eternal instead if the sequel’s movement and resource loop are the features that made you interested in the series.
- Whichever game you choose, judge it on the kind of decisions it asks you to make rather than assuming the newer game is automatically the better entry point.
- If the first game’s combat focus appeals but you want more systems later, continue directly to Eternal; if the sequel feels busy, the earlier game remains a valid way to experience the reboot’s core idea.
Collector’s editions and extras
Bethesda’s Gear Store has documented an Eternal Collector’s Edition containing the game, a SteelBook, a wearable helmet replica, cassette and soundtrack download codes, a lore book and a lithograph. The page showed a $199.99 price and an out-of-stock status when accessed. That was a volatile page state, not a standing offer or a guarantee of current availability, so check the store directly if physical extras matter to your decision. Do not assume that an out-of-stock collector listing represents the normal cost of either game’s standard edition.
Final recommendation by player type
| Player profile | Recommended first game | Why |
|---|---|---|
| New to modern DOOM | DOOM (2016) | It provides the chronological and mechanical starting point. |
| Story- and continuity-focused player | DOOM (2016) | Eternal is the direct sequel. |
| Movement-system enthusiast | DOOM Eternal | Its previewed double jumps, dashes, wall climbing and platforming are central differences. |
| Player who enjoys resource-management combat | DOOM Eternal | The preview describes health, ammunition and armor replenishment as part of the fight. |
| Player concerned about content | Review both games’ current ratings first | Both feature graphic violence; Eternal‘s listed content includes blood and gore, intense violence and strong language. |
| Hardware-conscious PC player | Check the current support page before selecting either | The accessed Eternal page lists 8 GB RAM and 50 GB storage, while Bethesda warns that specifications have been revised. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which game should I play first: DOOM (2016) or DOOM Eternal?
For most newcomers, play DOOM (2016) first, then DOOM Eternal. Bethesda calls Eternal the direct sequel, so release order gives you the clearest progression from the reboot’s combat foundation to the sequel’s expanded systems.
Can I play DOOM Eternal before DOOM (2016)?
Yes. The available evidence does not show that Eternal is incomprehensible without the earlier game. Start with Eternal if its resource loop, movement abilities and platforming are more appealing than chronological order.
Is DOOM Eternal harder because it has more systems?
It is more mechanically layered in the documented comparison: a preview describes managing health, ammunition and armor through combat, plus additional progression systems and traversal. That may feel more demanding, but the evidence does not establish a universal difficulty ranking.
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Which game has the longer campaign?
Developers estimated a 20–30-hour campaign for DOOM Eternal in a 2020 TIME report. That is a dated estimate and not an independently measured average. No directly comparable campaign-length figure for DOOM (2016) was verified.
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- Renowned for its incredibly robust defense capabilities, it’s best not to attack The Pinky head on as his incredibly strong armored front allows him to endure high amounts of damage
- Standing at a mighty 135mm (5.3 inches) tall, this officially licensed collectable is an exact replica to the in-game toys that you can find in DOOM Eternal
- Try out different poses by adjusting the figure’s limbs to your own liking, or display it in its original packaging to preserve its value
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What movement features does DOOM Eternal add?
A TIME preview discusses double jumps, dashes, wall climbing, secrets and platforming. These make navigation and exploration a more visible part of the sequel’s design, especially for players who enjoy mobility challenges.
What PC specifications should I check for DOOM Eternal?
Bethesda Support listed 8 GB of system RAM and 50 GB of storage on the accessed requirements page, while noting that recommendations were revised from the physical PC box. Check the current support page and your platform’s live store listing because specifications can change.
Are these games appropriate for players sensitive to violence?
Both center on graphic demon combat. Marty Stratton said violence is not for everybody, and Bethesda’s Eternal launch page lists blood and gore, intense violence and strong language. Review the current age rating and content descriptors before buying.
What was included in the DOOM Eternal Collector’s Edition?
Bethesda’s Gear Store documented a package with the game, SteelBook, wearable helmet replica, cassette and soundtrack download codes, lore book and lithograph. The page showed $199.99 and out of stock when accessed; availability and price are not permanent.
The Bottom Line
Play DOOM (2016) first if you want release order, story continuity and a focused introduction to speed, weapons and movement. Play DOOM Eternal first if its health-ammo-armor loop, double jumps, dashes, wall climbing and extra progression systems are the main draw. Either order is defensible, but the default recommendation remains the 2016 game followed by its direct sequel.
Quick Recap
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