Doom Eternal’s multiplayer wants to be ‘every bit as satisfying to play’ as single player

Doom Eternal, as we already know, won't have a traditional deathmatch multiplayer mode. But interestingly enough Id Software thinks its replacement Battle Mode – pitting a player against two player controlled demons – will wind up as engaging as the single player campaign.

Creative Director Hugo Martin was chatting with Video Games Chronicle about the new mode, admitting the flaws with Doom 2016's multiplayer; 'This time around we really wanted it to feel like Doom. We took the DNA of the "Doom dance" – the loop of one Slayer versus many demons – and turned that into a competitive, social experience. When we had one Slayer on the battlefield and let players control the demons it felt really good.' he said. 

'We’d rather provide players with an incredibly polished and engaging experience that’s really tight, than something that’s huge with a million modes,' Martin continued, 'I think it’s going to be every bit as satisfying to play as the single-player campaign. We play it all the time internally and it’s really, really fantastic.'

Executive Producer Marty Stratton also added: 'With Doom 2016 we didn’t give players a Slayer experience in multiplayer. We didn’t give them the Doom experience that they got with the campaign and that’s really what this is about. For players who came to Doom 2016 for the campaign, the multiplayer felt like a side cart. In comparison, Eternal is entirely what they want.'

Martin was also pretty clear that the team didn't want the new mode to be solely based around who has the faster reactions, saying 'In Battle Mode, I can overcome somebody’s reaction skills with strategy and teamwork. We’ve provided a mode that has a lot of depth, that gets your brain going as you play it.'

Doom Eternal is set for launch on November 22 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia and PC. Here's our recent preview.