by DOOM is back!
The iconic first-person shooter that took the gaming world by storm in 1993 is getting an update for 2025 with three new editions from Limited Run Games.
DOOM hit the market in December 1993 and began crashing networks immediately. Playing DOOM over the internet was so popular universities had to ban the game to preserve their networks.
Downloading DOOM in 1993 was no small feat. The size of the installer was 2.3MB. Doesn’t sound like much for today’s standards. But downloading 2.3MB over the fledgling internet was painfully slow.
The most common dial-up modem at the time was a 14.4k modem, if you were fancy you had a 19.2k modem. I wasn’t fancy. Simple math would say at 14.4 kilobits a second it should take about 20 minutes to download DOOM.
Nope.
It took over an hour and half to download the game. It was horrible! Checking the download progress, wiggling the mouse to make sure nothing was frozen. The network was bogged down and nothing could make it go any faster. Well, all those other people getting offline would have helped. Life was tough back then 🙂 But once it downloaded and finally installed, it was worth the wait.
DOOM was released as a shareware game, meaning it was fully functional but limited to a certain number of levels. If you wanted the full game you had to buy it. The 2.3MB download was for the shareware version. The shareware version was the first episode of the game called “Knee-Deep in the Dead,” what a great name. It was nine levels of pure shoot’em-up fun!
I played DOOM non-stop the first weekend I had it. It was the go-to game for months. Even with one episode of nine levels it was great to keep coming back to the game.
DOOM II followed in 1994 and was just as successful. It wasn’t available as a shareware download though. It was only available to purchase in the store. It didn’t matter, the game flew off the shelves.
Now, thanks to Limited Run Games we are getting new, enhanced versions of DOOM and DOOM II.
They are offering three different releases:
Standard Edition ($29.99)
- DOOM (Physical copy)
- DOOM II (Physical copy)
- TNT: Evilution
- The Plutonia Experiment
- Master Levels for DOOM II
- No Rest for the Living
- Sigil & Sigil II
- Legacy of Rust (a new episode created in collaboration by id Software, Nightdive Studios and MachineGames)
- A new Deathmatch map pack featuring 25 maps
Big Box Edition ($99.99)
- All of the above plus
- Digital code for games
- Two Piece Big Box
- Cassette Tape Soundtrack Set with Slipcase
- Includes Base Soundtrack and full IDKFR Soundtrack
- Trading Card Pack includes five random cards
Will It Run Edition ($666.66)
- All of the above plus
- Display Box that Plays DOOM
- Floating Cacodemon – on Magnetic Base; 3’ Cacodemon with 5’ Base
- Handheld Cacodemon – Plays DOOM
- Certificate of Authenticity
The Will It Run edition is limited to 666 copies. Along with the $666, I see they are leaning into the Hell theme on these… I like it.
I wonder if I can buy the Trading Cards without having to buy the games? I’d love a few packs of those cards.
Check out LimitedRunGames.com to order your copies.
Are you a DOOM fan? Will you be grabbing one of these editions. If you buy the Will It Run edition I want to know about it in the comments below. Also, I want to be your friend!
You can share your thoughts on X too. The main Retro Network channel is @TRNSocial and I’m @MileHighSamurai You can also find me on Bluesky @MileHighSamurai
