It’s been a little over a year since 2016’s DOOM reboot was released, and the game has aged rather gracefully since its mostly positive debut. But now, in a move that will likely reinvigorate the game’s playerbase, Bethesda has announced “ultimate” update 6.66, which will overhaul several gameplay aspects and make all DLC free as part of the base game, bringing the game’s multiplayer scene some fresh life. Throw in a Free Trial weekend and a temporary heavily reduced retail price, and, as game director Marty Stratton puts it, “There’s never been a better time to go to Hell.”
DOOM update 6.66 goes live today, and first and foremost unlocks all DLC content for all players, free of charge; all of the extra content across the game’s 3 DLC sets that were previously unlocked with the DOOM Season Pass are now available to anyone with the base game. The update also revises the progression system, removing the inherent randomness of unlocks and drops in favor of a new system that lets players unlock specific items through set challenges and requirements. Other new features in the update include new enhanced kill notifications, a new rune system, and the option for players to reset their progression to experience the new system with a fresh start.
In celebration of the new update, DOOM will be holding a Free Trial weekend for any and all interested players, granting access to the game’s first two campaign missions, as well as unlimited access to DOOM‘s multiplayer, Arcade Mode, and SnapMap mode. The Free Trial weekend for Xbox and Steam users starts tomorrow, running from July 19 – July 23, while PlayStation users will get theirs next week, from July 27 – July 30. Players who choose to purchase the full game during the free weekend will be able to do so at a special “ultimate price” of $14.99 USD, and will also have all of their in-game progress from the weekend saved and transferred into their new game.
You can read the full patch notes for DOOM Update 6.66 at the Bethesda community forums.