Bethesda unleashes Doom alpha gameplay video

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Bethesda very recently tweeted that, per the terms of the non-disclosure agreement, people taking part in the upcoming Doom multiplayer alpha "cannot share content" taken from the game. But it's also thrown up a closed alpha gameplay trailer on YouTube, so even if you're not playing, you can get a good feel for what's going on.

The video opens with Doom Executive Producer Marty Stratton delivering the usual caveats: It's an alpha, it's early, it's not a "game demo," and it's not representative of the final product, etc and so on. Be that as it may, Doom looks very promising, and there's a little bit of everything on display: A variety of weapons, a spot of melee, some powerups, and even a moment of demonic transformation.

The first Doom multiplayer alpha test kicks off at 12:01 am ET on October 23 and runs through the weekend, ending at 11:59 pm ET on October 25. The alpha is closed and signups are limited to those who are eligible to take part in the beta, which will happen at some point down the road. If that's you, and you haven't already put your name in the hat, you may do so at doom.com.

Andy Chalk

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.