Doom Eternal abandons Invasions in favour of a brand new horde mode

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Remote working put a hold on the Dark Souls-style PVP mode.

Doom Eternal Ancient Gods pt 2
(Image credit: id Software)

Doom Eternal's long-absent invasion mode has been cancelled as Id Software diverts its attention towards a brand new PvE horde mode.

One of the neatest-sounding features ahead of Doom Eternal's launch, Invasions would have had you jumping into other players' games, Dark Souls style, to give them a meatier challenge by assuming the form of one of hell's demons. But while an absence at launch was followed by news that it would arrive later as a free update, the developer today announced that it has stopped working on the competitive feature.

"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 for 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 totally new single-player horde mode"

Besides a brand new mode, Id also plans a significant refresh of the game's 2v1 asymmetrical Battlemode. The demons vs slayer deathmatch already captured many of the ideas that would have been present in Invasions, and Id plans to beef it out with a new map, balance changes, and a new competitive, rank-based structure.

It would've been interesting to see a Souls-style invasion system pan out in Doom's hellish arenas. Hopefully, this new survival challenge will more than make up for its absence.

Natalie Clayton
Natalie Clayton
Features Producer

20 years ago, Nat played Jet Set Radio Future for the first time, and she's not stopped thinking about games since. Joining PC Gamer in 2020, she comes from three years of freelance reporting at Rock Paper Shotgun, Waypoint, VG247 and more. Embedded in the European indie scene and a part-time game developer herself, Nat is always looking for a new curiosity to scream about—whether it's the next best indie darling, or simply someone modding a Scotmid into Black Mesa. She also unofficially appears in Apex Legends under the pseudonym Horizon.