It's been well over a year since Doom Eternal launched—we reviewed it on March 17, 2020—and yet somehow it still doesn't have a Horde Mode. That situation is finally about to change: Bethesda announced today that the fight-until-you-die challenge is set to go live on October 26.
One of the reasons for the long wait is that id Software didn't actually start working on the mode until just a few months ago. Originally, Doom Eternal was meant to have Dark Souls-style "invasions," enabling other players to jump into your game and mess with you as a powerful demon. But in July 2021, id Software pulled the plug on that plan, citing "the unforeseen consequences of the pandemic and remote working," and shifted attention to making a singleplayer horde mode instead.
It's too bad that the invasion idea was dropped. As much as I hate it when Julianna pops into my Deathloop games to make my life miserable, her unwelcome presence makes for some very intense moments and exciting escapes—the fact that I haven't yet excluded randos from my game really says it all. But the horde mode likely has more appeal for hardcore Doom players who want to keep blasting demons after the campaign is over.
The update bringing horde mode to Doom Eternal will also make big changes to the 2v1 Battlemode multiplayer mode including the addition of a new arena and streak-based awards, and a pair of new Master levels. Full details will be revealed when the update goes live on October 26, but community manager Joshua Boyle and game director Hugo Martin will show off the new horde mode later today, October 21, in a livestream set to begin at 7:30 pm ET on Twitch and YouTube.
