id Software is going to bring a free update shortly, but it will not be the one you might expect.

Marty Stratton, the executive producer of DOOM Eternal, published a statement on Twitter, and in it, he explained what’s next for the game that launched in March 2020: „With E3 2021 finished and our Update 6 just released, we want to provide you with an update on our latest work and plans for DOOM Eternal in the months ahead.

In March, we marked DOOM Eternal‘s first anniversary with the release of our second campaign expansion, “The Ancient Gods – Part Two.” Together, both of “The Ancient Gods” expansions deliver some of the most engaging and exciting gameplay the series has offered, as well as an epic conclusion to the Slayer saga that we began in DOOM (2016). “The Ancient Gods – Part One” is also now available for Nintendo Switch and we expect to release “Part Two” later this year.

On June 29, we were thrilled to deliver Update 6. You can read the complete list of additions and improvements at Slayers Club, but we’re particularly excited to offer impressive new video options for next-gen consoles, as well as improved visuals with ray tracing on Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, and compatible PC hardware. The free update includes the Taras Nabad Master Level, with new challenges and rewards for both standard and classic modes. BATTLEMODE players can enjoy a new map, as well as improvements to bandwidth utilization that should improve server performance and mitigate hitching on all platforms.

As many are aware, we intended to release a free Invasion Mode update for the game. However, the unforeseen consequences of the pandemic and remote working impacted the progress of development or this addition. Over this time, we have also seen and heard how many of you enjoy the range of gameplay and combat available in the expansions and master levels. With these factors in mind, we have decided to redirect our focus from Invasion Mode to creating a new single-player Horde Mode. We’re confident this Horde Mode will offer you more of the diversity and challenge you’re looking for in the game. In addition, the team continues to work on a refresh of BATTLEMODE that includes a more competitive, rank-based structure, gameplay and balance updates, and another new map. We expect to share more information at QuakeCon in August […]”, Stratton wrote.

So DOOM Eternal’s story isn’t getting expanded further, so the single-player Horde mode can still bring tens, if not hundreds of hours of gameplay.

Source: Gematsu