DOOM Eternal is a celebration of everything video games have to offer — and the Easter eggs reflect that. The secrets and references of DOOM don’t just mine the long history of the DOOM series, but of video games in general. There are tons of references to the storied history of id Software, the developers that created DOOM in the first place — and there are even sly nods for other games like Deus Ex, Fallout, and more.
DOOM Eternal is ridiculously packed with references. In the very first cutscene, you’ll hear an unseen king say ‘rip and tear’ — itself a reference to the infamous DOOM comic book. A broadcaster on the news calls the Doom Slayer by his true name: Doomguy. It’s all very tongue-in-cheek, and that only extends further when you start finding secrets, or taking a very close look at the many, many unique objects in the Hub.
Join us as we delve into the ridiculous (and hilarious) Easter eggs and references hidden all over DOOM Eternal.
More DOOM Eternal guides:
10 Tips & Tricks To Start Demon Slaying Strong | Beginner’s Guide | How To Unlock The Unmaykr | Secret DOOM 64 Gun Guide | Cheat Codes Collectibles List & Locations Guide | How To Farm Weapon Mastery Challenges | Easy Upgrades Guide | Best Runes To Unlock & Equip First | Upgrades Guide
Unmaykr Returns | DOOM 64 Secret Gun
The unholy Unmaykr is back! This awesome gun is criminally unknown outside of DOOM superfan circles — it’s a Laser Gun that was originally going to appear in the first DOOM games before getting cut. Later, it was included as a super-hidden weapon only found in secret levels of DOOM 64. Now you can unlock the Unmaykr in all its HD glory. It’s a laser beam that absolutely shreds demons. It’s amazing just to see this thing again, in glorious new unlockable form.
Reel In Dopefish
One of the most infamous id Software Easter eggs returns in DOOM Eternal — the Dopefish! This ridiculous looking fish first appeared as an enemy in one of the later Commander Keen games, a side-scrolling series the developers at id made before their gory classic DOOM. Since then, the Dopefish has become an Easter egg legend, passed on to just about any game willing to accept the goofy grin of the Dopefish.
You’ll find Dopefish in Quake, Quake II, Duke Nukem 3D, Shadow Warrior, and even modern games like Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Now he’s back, in fully-rendered form. You can find the Dopefish all over the Cultist Base level. Check out the official Dopefish website to learn more!
Doomguy Saves The Bunny
The first DOOM ends with an infamous scene — Doomguy returns to Earth after kicking the Spider Mastermind’s ass, and what first appears to be a lush green field (complete with bunny) turns into a nightmare. The scene pans over to reveal a city under siege. Oh, and Doomguy is holding a severed bunny’s head.
Thankfully, things have worked out differently in DOOM Eternal. Instead of letting this poor bunny die, Doomguy has adopted the critter and taken her to his Tower of Doom hub. Once you unlock more interior rooms, you’ll find the Doomguy’s office — there’s a painting of the Doomguy with his new bunny friend, and you can find a cage!
Is That The Soul Cube? | DOOM 3 Easter Egg
There’s a whole lot more cool stuff to find in the Doomguy’s office in the hub. On his desk, you’ll find a nod to DOOM 3 — the Soul Cube! This killer artifact was a special weapon you acquired in that game. It launched into enemies like a seeker missile and brought you back health. It’s a great weapon, so it’s nice to see DOOM’s sketchier past remembered.
Mystery Computer
Found in the Doomguy’s room in your hub, there’s a special old-school computer you can access. There are two “?” files here — and a cool secret waiting for players. From this computer, you can access DOOM 1 or DOOM 2 — full games! You just need to complete a few requirements.
- DOOM 1: Complete the game.
- DOOM 2: Input the password ‘FlynnTaggart’
Who is Flynn Taggart? Learn more in the next entry.
An Entire Library Of Video Game References
On the bookshelf in Doomguy’s room, you’ll find a ludicrous amount of video game references. Some of these are incredibly deep cuts, but fans should pick up on the references instantly. These books reference tons of classic games — from Wolfenstein, to Deus Ex, to Unreal. There’s even a harsh dig on Duke Nukem!
Best of all, one of the books references the protagonist of the DOOM tie-in novels — Flynn Taggart. As a child, I owned those books — and no, they made absolutely no sense, and they were shockingly bad. Seeing those dumb books remembered brings a tear to my gamer eye.
Here are some of my favorite book titles:
- Ret-Conned: The Life And Times of Flynn Taggart (DOOM Novels)
- The Spear of Destiny: A Post-War Deconstruction (Wolfenstein)
- U-NAT-CO Training Manual: Bomb Defusal (Deus Ex)
- Vault Dweller’s Survival Guide: Preparing Yourself and Your Loved Ones For The Inevitable Nuclear Apocalypse (Fallout)
- Mesa Science Monthly: Predicting Unforeseen Consequences (Half-Life)
- LIANDRI: A Brief History of Interplanetary Inquiry (UNREAL)
- Von Braun: Onboard AI System Technical Manual (System Shock 2)
- My Buddy Superfly (Daikatana)
- Why I’m So Great Pt. II by Dork Norkem (Duke Nukem)
Awesome.
Commander Keen (Is Dead)
If you search every nook-and-cranny of the missions, you’ll also find album collectibles. These tracks have their own Easter egg artwork — in Mission 4, you’ll find Commander Keen’s helmet on an album cover. Commander Keen was the very first IP the developers at id Software created. He might be dead, but he isn’t forgotten.
We’ll be on the lookout for even more Easter egg and references in DOOM Eternal. Check back soon for more updates!