A new leak all but confirms that a 1997 N64 classic is getting a new release on both PS5 and the pair of Xbox Series consoles, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. Video games most synonymous with 1997 include Final Fantasy 7, Grand Theft Auto, GoldenEye 007, Fallout, Gran Turismo, Star Fox 64, Quake II, and Crash Bandicoot 2, Mega Man Legends, Tomb Raider II, Tekken 3, and Virtua Striker 2. These are the tentpole releases of 1997, but far from the only notable releases of 1997.
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There are a collection of other noteworthy releases, though perhaps slightly less noteworthy than these games. One of these releases is no doubt Midway Studios San Diego’s Doom 64, which was an N64 exclusive back in 1997, and remained an N64 exclusive until 2020 when it was brought to Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Google Stadia. And now it looks like it’s coming to PS5, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X, and doing so soon.
There has been no official announcement from Bethesda, which owns the series, unlike back in 1997 when it was a Midway property. This technically means Xbox now owns the series because it owns Bethesda, though Bethesda operates with some level of publishing independence.
How do we know the 1997 N64 classic is coming to PS5, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X? Well, because the Entertainment Software Rating Board — more commonly known as the ESRB — has rated the game for release on these platforms.
For those that don’t know, any game that releases in North America has to go through the ESRB, which is in charge of giving the game a rating and providing warning of specific types of content.
Recently, the ESRB updated its listing of Doom 64 with PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. This is not the result of an error or a mistake, but the result of the game being resubmitted by Bethesda for a release on these platforms. In other words, it’s not a matter of if this port will happen, but a matter of when it will happen. In fact, the ESRB rating the N64 game for release on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S not only leaks the new release, but confirms it’s coming soon as these ESRB ratings happen typically no further out than a few months from release.
All of that said, take this information with a grain of salt. There is no wiggle room to question the validity of this leak, but it’s still not official information from Bethesda or Xbox.
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As for the game itself, Doom 64 is a first-person shooter, the fourth game in the Doom series, and the second spin-off following 1996’s Final Doom. That said, it’s not the original version that is playable in modernity or that is coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles, but the aforementioned 2020 version, which is a remaster from Nightdive Studios.
Back at the time of its release, Doom 64 earned a somewhat mixed reception, evident by its 73 on GameRankings. Over time, it has gained a cult following but some still dismiss it considering it is not a release from the series’ main developer and creator, id Software.
