Doom is id Software's first-person shooter franchise, beginning with the original PC game in 1993. Its fast movement, heavy weapons, maze-like levels, hidden rooms, and relentless demons helped define how early first-person shooters looked and felt. The classic games follow a lone space marine fighting through UAC facilities, Mars, and Hell, a character later widely known as Doomguy.
The modern series reframed that marine as the Doom Slayer. Doom (2016) brought the franchise back with aggressive combat that rewards pushing forward instead of hiding, while Doom Eternal expanded movement, enemy weak points, resource management, and the Slayer's history. Doom: The Dark Ages moves earlier in that story, combining medieval weapons and shield combat with the same focus on speed, pressure, and large demons. Its Revelations expansion adds another campaign chapter and the Chain Spear.
New players who want the modern combat style can start with Doom (2016), then continue into Doom Eternal and The Dark Ages. Players interested in the series' origins can begin with Doom and Doom II, whose compact levels and community-made maps still influence shooters today. Across both eras, the core identity remains simple: keep moving, learn the arena, choose the right weapon, and fight through Hell. id Software develops the series, with Bethesda Softworks publishing its modern releases.
