Microsoft has recently done a podcast explaining some of their 2024 goals for Xbox. It was definitely needed especially after the big rumors that Xbox could potentially abandoning console exclusives.
Now the answers have finally been revealed and Xbox fans are well aware that Microsoft will continue on promoting exclusives to encourage new consumers to buy the Xbox Series consoles. They did state that they will plan on releasing four existing exclusive titles to the PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch.
The Verge has confirmed those titles to be Hi-Fi Rush, Pentiment, Sea of Thieves, and Grounded. Interestingly enough, The Verge also revealed that other games like Gears of War, Microsoft Flight Simulator, and the upcoming Doom game could be a consideration on top of those four games.
Doom Being a Microsoft Exclusive
For this article, I mostly want to focus on whether the next Doom should be released as a multiplatform because back in 2021, Microsoft bought Bethesda and at first glance, it seemed the next Doom will most likely be an Xbox exclusive.
Let me share some background story about me and Doom. I grew up as a PC gamer when I was a child, and for the longest time, the PC was literally the only platform I could play my games on. Doom was the first game that introduced me into the magnificent world of video games. I’ve also written tons of Doom content for KeenGamer, and Doom will forever be one of those video game series that is near and dear to me because it changed my life when I first played it.
As someone who grew up playing PC and Xbox titles for a good chunk of my life, you’d be surprised that I am actually against the idea of having the next Doom game to become only exclusive to Microsoft platforms.
Modern Doom Being Multiplatform on Launch
The rebooted Doom games have been made since 2016, and during those times, it was the inception where players saw a major Doom title being released on all major gaming platforms at the same time. Before Doom 2016, the Doom series have always been first released on PC, and it would have console ports down the line.
This fact may not seem like a big deal, but this release method would be a continuation for the next Doom game that id Software would release in 2020. Doom Eternal would end up following the same route and that means players who owned a PC and any of the major consoles can play the game without needing to wait for a port to play on their preferred platform.
PlayStation users were able to play modern Doom titles without any those issues until 2021 where fans of both the PlayStation consoles and Doom series might see a problem. That problem is not being able to play the new Doom game on the day of release because it will most likely come out first on Xbox consoles and PC, and possibly be ported over at a later time.
Doom as a series before the Bethesda acquisition by Microsoft, was in a great spot in terms of consumer friendly. You can easily play the latest Doom title on your preferred platform without feeling like you’re playing the “wrong” version. Id Software definitely put in the work to make sure every existing version of either Doom 2016 or Doom Eternal will play the best they can depending on the platform they’re ported to.
The Legacy of Doom
It just also wouldn’t make any sense to release the new Doom being only exclusive to Microsoft platforms especially nowadays; PlayStation users can easily get access to both the classic and modern Doom games. The PlayStation players should still be able to have that experience when id Software releases the new Doom title.
Diehard Doom fans know that Doom as a series has always been important to PC gaming as a whole. It was the first computer game I played as a child, and it will always be one of the games that I will immediately think about when I think about games that define and solidify PC gaming as a platform.
Doom Eternal is about to be four years old.
Despite the legacy that the series has done for PC gaming, the original PlayStation port has always been looked in high regards among the fans. John Linneman from Digital Foundry has stated the PlayStation version to be the “smoothest console port from this era and a joy to play.” Linneman also praised the version to be unique compared to the PC where it’s still worth experiencing it even if players played the tried and true PC version.
I’m sure PlayStation fanatics probably got their first taste of the Doom series from that port, and that port is certainly a fine one to play if you didn’t grow up on PC version like I did.
I understand exclusive games are very much important to convince players to buy a certain gaming platform over another. I personally stand by that belief very heavily, but Doom is one of these series that definitely have garnered a large fan base of both PC and console players since 1993. Nowadays, there are a good amount of PC and console players that are fans of that whole one man army versus hordes of demons concept.
The Exit Is Near
Doom in general has definitely had a lot of console ports and they also been well received by the critics and players. Even to this day, I still play the Xbox 360 ports when I don’t feel like playing the old games on my PC. Sometimes, I don’t feel going to my PC to load up one of my all time favorite games when I can easily just use the controller to conveniently load up Doom on my Xbox Series X.
Can we potentially fight dragons in the next Doom?
It’s only right that the upcoming Doom game will continue this consumer friendly tactic that Doom 2016 has started for the series. The modern Doom games have also been great too, and PlayStation users should definitely keep up with the players that own Microsoft platforms. After all, gamers want to experience high quality adventures that the gaming medium can provide us.
Doom is simply that series that can do that and it already been offering that type of content for both PC and console players for years. It should remain that way when id Software is ready to announce their next big project.
