It’s tough to imagine where first-person shooters would be today without the groundbreaking original DOOM, which burst onto the scene in 1993 for MS-DOS. The image of the solitary super-soldier, the legendary Doom Guy, battling endless demon hordes from hell remains a cornerstone of PC gaming, and the series continues to deliver shocking, gory thrills with each new installment. Now, Modiphius Entertainment is bringing that iconic ‘rip and tear’ action to your tabletop with the highly anticipated Doom Arena Board Game. I recently got to spend some quality time with a prototype, eager to see how well I could unleash hell right in my own dining room.
While Doom Arena isn’t the first board game to tackle the demonic universe, this latest version plunges players into a brutal bloodbath. It’s a head-to-head showdown where one player commands the indomitable Doom Guy, and the other controls the infernal legions. The action unfolds in – you guessed it – a hexagonal grid-based arena. Both players strategically maneuver their plastic forces, vying to inflict the most devastation.
Each point of damage done to an opponent earns you blood, which serves as a victory point.
Victory goes to the player who accumulates the most blood across two out of three rounds. Each round is a six-turn sprint for both sides. Between rounds, players can beef up their forces: Doom Guy acquires powerful new weapons and sturdy armor, while the demon player can unleash more formidable foes like Pinky, Cacodemons, or even the colossal Cyberdemon.
Doom Arena shines as an excellent ‘filler’ game for your game nights, perfect for when you want a quick, exciting match between heavier titles, or simply to enjoy some chaotic fun with friends over drinks and snacks. The gameplay is a fast-paced dice-chucker, unapologetically prioritizing furious action over deep strategic planning, a true homage to its video game roots. My primary strategic consideration usually revolved around which upgrades to invest in between rounds.
I truly appreciate the streamlined ruleset of Doom Arena; it allows for swift setup and getting right into the dice-rolling mayhem with new players. However, I wouldn’t mind a touch more strategic depth. It’s worth noting that my prototype experience focused solely on two-player modes, but the final game promises 2-4 player compatibility. This suggests that the extra depth I’m craving might emerge in the full rulebook and various game modes. On that note, the inclusion of official rules for starting with more upgrades is a fantastic touch, guaranteeing immediate, chaotic fun and paving the way for exciting pick/counter-pick matchups.
The version of Doom Arena that I played featured miniatures that perfectly captured the classic look of Doom Guy and his demonic adversaries, instantly recognizable to fans of the ’90s original. But fear not, newer fans! Modiphius plans a mechanically identical version inspired by the latest Doom: The Dark Ages, where Doom Guy is replaced by the formidable Doom Slayer, and the demon roster includes the Mancubus, Imps, Imp Stalkers, Hell and Battle Knights, Pinky Rider, Arachnotron, and Soldiers. For those with limited shelf space, an acrylic standee version will also be available, offering a smaller box and a more budget-friendly option.
When Modiphius first announced a new Doom board game, my mind conjured images of Doom Guy navigating labyrinthine corridors, searching for keys, and eventually confronting a towering demon – a board game experience akin to classics like Betrayal at House on the Hill, Cthulu: Death May Die, or Zombicide. While I still yearn for a dungeon-crawler style Doom game, I cannot deny that Doom Arena brilliantly encapsulates the relentless, action-packed spirit of the series.
At its heart, Doom is about annihilating as many foes as rapidly as possible, and Doom Arena delivers on this premise in a thrilling, easily digestible package. Even with this early build, every dice roll brought tense anticipation, with enormous sighs of relief as my demons narrowly escaped a brutal chainsaw dismemberment. I’m genuinely excited to discover what additional elements and expansions will be available and what new game modes will support three and four players in the final release. Modiphius appears poised to deliver a board game that will satisfy both long-time video game fans and tabletop enthusiasts alike. I’m eagerly counting down the days until I can rev up that chainsaw and tear into some more demons!
The Doom Arena Board Game’s Kickstarter campaign runs until November 21, 2025, with an estimated delivery date of October 2026.
Scott White is a freelance contributor to IGN, covering tabletop games and strategy guides.