New DOOM multiplayer modes and details revealed

Developer Id Software will adopt a greater emphasis on multiplayer in its upcoming DOOM reboot, which will be carried by features like the newly revealed Warpath game mode.

In a recent blog post, Bethesda Content Lead Gary Steinman detailed how Warpath plays into DOOM’s focus on movement. A play on king of the hill, Warpath adds a single, constantly moving capture point to the game’s arena-style combat. The point rotates around the map on a set path, while a demon rune (power-up) moves around the opposite side.

“Players have to decide where they want to be …,” Steinman said. “The constant motion adds a unique twist to the gameplay, spurring players to move just as quickly as they do in single-player.

“It’s frenetic, fast and a heckuva lot of fun,” he added.

Steinman also detailed Hack Modules, “single-use disposable items earned through the game’s progression system.” Hack Modules offer supportive abilities such as visible power-up cooldowns and enemy health bars, as well as more precise benefits like seeing nearby power-ups or the location of the player who last killed you.

“Think of Hack Modules as an emphasized awareness of your surroundings that may, if you utilize it well, make you more effective,” Producer Marty Stratton said. “Good players ‘see’ these things inherently.

“But none of these affect the game’s balance by changing how powerful your gun is or anything like that,” he clarified. More good news: Hack Modules are not tied to microtransactions.

Modern shooters have set the bar high for DOOM’s multiplayer debut, but with a fairly hefty campaign in the game, players shouldn’t want for demons to shred. Xbox One buyers have it even easier, as a limited-edition pre-order bundle sweetens the deal with digital copies of the original DOOM and DOOM 2.

Thanks, Eurogamer.