April 23 BATTLEMODE Update

This update for DOOM Eternal features BATTLEMODE balance changes for ALL platforms and does not require any download.

Note from the Devs:

It’s been a few weeks of fantastic BATTLEMODE matches since our last BATTLEMODE console only updates. We’ve been watching all of your streams, playing with and against you and hanging out with you all on Discord and in Twitch chat during Friday Night Fights.

From the very beginning, BATTLEMODE was designed to push Slayers to reach the highest levels of skill in order to win. DPS combos, movement, weapon switching, using equipment, Chainsawing, hitting weakpoints, Flame Belch, Glory Killing – these are the elements of the “FUN ZONE,” as we call it. Every skill you learned in the campaign should be put to the ULTIMATE TEST in the BATTLEMODE arena. Anything that negatively impacts the experience, any exploit that pulls players out of that Zone needs to be identified and considered for an update. Currently, on all platforms, the Lock-On Rockets against player-controlled Demons is creating a dull combat loop that was devoid of the type of skill we strived for in the mode for Slayers. For the Demons on the receiving end of this exploit – it was pretty rough as they have limited options to deal with this attack.

So with this update, Lock-On Rockets will do 33% less damage to player-controlled Demons on all platforms. The damage will remain the same against all other AI in the arena.

We love seeing the matches between elite Slayers and Demon duos. Only the most skillful of Slayers can bring down 2 well-coordinated Demons employing smart tactics to counter the DPS firepower that good Slayers can produce. That’s how the mode was designed to be played. We do feel that on PC only, a slight reduction in the Ballista’s damage, from 600 to ~550, could help keep the balance of the mode close between demons and Slayers and reinforce the skill vs teamwork balance we strive for. DPS combos are still absolutely the cornerstone of good Slayer play in the mode.

On Consoles, the changes made in the last update have increased the win rate for slayers and brought the experience of skill vs teamwork closer to what we hoped for. It is clear though that at the highest level, the very best and most coordinated demon teams are still able to exploit certain abilities whose balance is more tuned for a PC slayer than a Console (controller) Slayer. With continued refinement to abilities on the demon side we will force a more tactically aggressive, strategic and coordinated approach as opposed to the all-out “non-stop push” we currently see employed by certain demon types.

So, in this update we will add time to the cool down of the Pain Elemental’s dash, forcing this demon player to be more strategic when choosing to push the Slayer as his ability to evade won’t be recharging quite so fast. This will create a larger window of vulnerability, something more appropriate for a Console-Slayer making the battle with this demon less tedious and more tactically engaging for both players.

Additionally, we will be reducing the boost to the Unstable Trigger mid-round upgrade for the Revenant. A console Slayer doesn’t have the mobility of a PC Slayer so the power of this upgrade proved too much for someone playing on a controller. It was an easy checkmate. With this re-balance, engagement levels for both sides now should increase as the Slayer has a slightly greater chance to counter or evade the attack and so the Revenant player must be more strategic in the deployment of his Rocket Barrage. More thinking = better matches.

Thank you for all the continued support. BATTLEMODE is a multiplayer for fans of the Doom Eternal single player campaign. Bring your mastery of the “Doom Dance” to the Arena and test your skills against the best Demon Teams online. Keep playing and we’ll keep watching.

We have many more updates to come. Stay tuned...

-Hugo Martin, Game Director

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