Should I Play Doom Before Doom Eternal?

When It Makes Sense

• Good fit: You want the story and characters to feel coherent. Doom (2016) introduces the rebooted setting, the Doom Slayer, Samuel Hayden, Olivia Pierce, and the VEGA artificial intelligence. Doom Eternal picks up shortly after those events and treats many of those figures as returning presences. Playing the 2016 game first makes their roles, motivations, and the state of Earth easier to follow.
• Good fit: You would rather ease into the series’ combat style than jump straight into its most complex form. Doom (2016) teaches the basic loop of shooting, glory killing, and chainsaw resource management at a comparatively measured pace. That foundation can make Doom Eternal’s added movement options—dash, double jump, meathook, wall climbing, flame belch, ice bombs, and multiple cooldown timers—feel less overwhelming.

When You Should Avoid It

• Warning sign: You are mainly interested in the latest graphics, mechanics, and multiplayer features. Doom Eternal refines nearly every system and adds more enemy variety, platforming, and escalation. If you start with the older game, its simpler arenas and slower enemy introduction may feel like a step backward once you have seen Eternal’s pace.
• Warning sign: You have a tight budget or limited gaming time. Doom (2016) is a full campaign that can take ten to fifteen hours, and purchasing it adds to your total cost. If you only plan to play one game, Eternal is the more complete current experience and does not gate its main story behind the 2016 campaign.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Stronger narrative context: You will recognize returning characters, understand why Earth is under demonic invasion, and catch references to the prior game’s events without relying on external recaps.
• Smoother skill progression: The 2016 release introduces the core combat identity of the reboot—fast movement, aggressive resource management, and weak-point targeting—before Eternal layers on advanced mobility and cooldown juggling.

Cons

• Added cost and time: Buying and finishing Doom (2016) means spending extra money and several hours before you ever start Eternal, which may not be worthwhile if you only want the newest title.
• Mechanical downgrade risk: Doom Eternal’s combat is faster and more vertical. Some players find that returning to the 2016 game afterward feels slower, while others who play 2016 first may still need to unlearn habits because Eternal demands more aggressive use of all abilities at once.

Decision Checklist

• Do you care about following the rebooted Doom storyline, or are you happy to learn the premise through an in-game codex or a short recap?
• Are you comfortable with high-speed first-person combat that expects constant movement, or would you benefit from a shorter, simpler warmup?
• Is your priority to save money and time, or are you willing to invest in both games for the fullest experience?

Alternatives to Consider

If you are unsure, you have several middle paths. You can start with Doom Eternal on a lower difficulty setting and read its codex entries to absorb the lore; this lets you experience the modern gameplay without the extra purchase. You can also watch a reputable story recap of Doom (2016) before beginning Eternal, which takes far less time than playing the campaign. Another option is to buy Doom (2016) during a sale and treat it as a prelude rather than a requirement, playing a few hours until you feel ready to move on. Finally, if you own both through a subscription service or bundle, you can alternate or skip ahead freely without financial pressure.

Final Recommendation

If you value narrative continuity and want a gentler introduction to the reboot’s combat, play Doom (2016) before Doom Eternal. If you prefer the most polished, feature-rich version of the modern formula and do not mind catching up on lore as you go, start with Doom Eternal. Neither game punishes you for skipping the other, so the decision depends on your budget, available time, and how much context you want before facing the demon hordes.