Doom's Lackluster Multiplayer Adding Custom Games, Bots, and More

After having an external developer work on Doom's multiplayer prior to launch, id Software is now taking the reins on that side of the project, with plans to introduce a number of absent features.

"We worked with Certain Affinity through the launch of the game and really appreciate their contributions and effort on the game," director Marty Stratton told Eurogamer. With the game now out, the team at id has time to devote more resources to multiplayer.

"There's certainly no lack of commitment to Doom as a multiplayer game on our side," he explained. "We are already working on private matches with custom game settings and expect to include that in a free update this summer."

Custom games are something that were accessible in the Doom alpha test on PC, though they weren't meant to be included at the time. During the alpha, you could play private matches, include AI-controlled bots, and use SnapMaps (Doom's map creation tool)--none of which made it into the game at launch.

Stratton said these were "developer tools" that it continues to work on for release in the live game. Aside from custom-game support, bots are also coming; they were held up because John Dean, the programmer also responsible for the bots in Return to Castle Wolfenstein and Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, was busy working on SnapMap.

Privately-hosted matches aren't something currently in the cards, however, with id preferring its dedicated server solution.

Free and paid DLC is also coming, though specifics regarding what form that will take weren't shared.

"We know that talk will only go so far with players and hope that our actions this year continue to give players across every component of the game--multiplayer, single-player and SnapMap--more and more reasons to continue playing and enjoying the game in whatever way they choose," Stratton said.

Doom was released in May to critical acclaim, particularly for its surprisingly excellent campaign mode. You can read GameSpot's review here.