Skip to main content

Classic Deathmatch mode makes long-awaited return to ‘Doom" in Free Update 3

Although the latest Doom installment has plenty of multiplayer options to choose from, the game doesn’t come with the standard free-for-all Deathmatch mode we’ve come to know and love since the early 1990s. Instead, we currently have the likes of Team Deathmatch, Soul Harvest, Freeze Tag, Warpath, Domination, and Clan Arena. However, that’s about to change with Free Update 3 , which will arrive later this month packing not only the coveted Deathmatch mode, but also the ability to create Private Matches.

In Deathmatch mode, everyone is on their own, fragging each other to bloody bits in order to dominate the match. According to Bethesda, Private Matches mode allows a host and his friends to select the maps and gameplay modes together. The time limit and score limit can also be manually set, and demons and power weapons can be switched on and off.

Recommended Videos

Unfortunately, that’s all we know about Free Update 3. There’s also an Arcade Mode in the works, but Bethesda isn’t talking about that just yet, saying only that it’s “an upcoming competitive addition” to Doom’s awesome campaign mode. Arcade Mode will be provided in a future free update sometime this fall, which likely means it won’t be made available in Free Update 3.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

To catch a glimpse of all three new multiplayer modes, Bethesda has coughed up a little teaser showing the new Doom goodness in action. The company plans to provide an even better look at the new features at 11 a.m. PT on on September 13. This streaming session will be hosted by Xbox (via Twitch) and presented by Marty Stratton and Hugo Martin of id Software. Viewers will be given a chance to win a custom UAC Xbox One game console along with Xbox One copies of Doom signed by id Software employees.

This update follows Free Update 2, which was unleashed at the end of July. It added two new multiplayer modes (Sector and Exodus), and new SnapMap features like a “Recently Played” map list, a “Find Open Match” public matching browser, launch pads, and more. The update also included a huge number of improvements and optimizations for the single-player campaign and all multiplayer modes.

The first free update arrived at the end of June, adding a Photo Mode to the campaign, as well as the classic Doom weapon placement/view model option for all modes. The update also made a few changes to Clan Arena and Freeze Tag, an adjustment to the weapon balancing, and added six new features to the SnapMap portion.

If you’re a PC gamer and haven’t jumped onto the Doom bandwagon already, the Humble Bundle store is selling the game for $30 for a limited time. It’s part of Humble Bundle’s big Bethesda sale that includes Fallout 4 for $30, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Legendary Edition for $24, Doom 3 BFG Edition for $10, Rage for a mere $5, and more big discounts.

Kevin Parrish
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kevin started taking PCs apart in the 90s when Quake was on the way and his PC lacked the required components. Since then…
Our final Nintendo Switch 2 reveal predictions
An image of the Nintendo Switch - OLED Model Mario Red Edition.

The day is almost upon us. After years of speculation, we're very close to an official reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2. Thank goodness for that, as we've been locked in a tidepool of fake leaks and rumors for far too long. The new console hype cycle can be fun in moderation, but the long road to Nintendo's next console has only become more exhausting over time. We had AI companies faking its release date for clout, hardware manufacturers sharing 3D printed mock-ups, and every so-called insider on the planet flinging out conflicting information.

It'll all come to an end soon when Nintendo reveals its new console. While that's a relief, there is something bittersweet about it. The mystery of a new gaming device is part of the fun. What will it look like? What games will launch with it? Will it be backward compatible? These are the kinds of questions make for fun social fodder; I've had plenty of speculative conversations with friends over the past two years. In some twisted way, I'll miss that once reality sets in.

Read more
Former Witcher and Cyberpunk devs unite to create The Blood of Dawnwalker
A vampire appears in The Blood of the Dawnwalker.

Rebel Wolves, a new studio created by former The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 developers, announced its new game, The Blood of Dawnwalker.

The Blood of Dawnwalker looks to be Gothic fantasy on par with The Witcher. It features a character who, much like Geralt, traded humanity for power. Coen, the main character, combines human traits with vampiric power to take down foes.

Read more
One of my most anticipated games of 2025 just got a release date
A rabbit sits at a desk in Rusty Rabbit.

Rusty Rabbit | Release Date Trailer

Rusty Rabbit, an upcoming Metroidvania published by NetEase, will launch on April 17 for PS5, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

Read more