How To Install gzDoom

Doom is a timeless game! Released in 1993, it was the first FPS to feature 3d graphics and it’s still played today by millions of people around the world.

It has become a classic, and the forerunner for first-person shooter games, which is still one of the most popular genres in the world.

Without Doom, there is no Call of Duty, no Halo, no Doom Eternal! Doom paved the way for the next generations of gaming!

GzDoom is an open-source reimplementation of the original doom engine that runs on modern operating systems (Linux, Windows, Mac OS X).

How To Install gzDoom

It features many different improvements that will enhance your Doom experience, so it is one of the best modern options you will have to play Doom! 

So you want to install gzDoom, but you don’t know how to? Perhaps you have been searching and searching, but just can’t seem to get the answers that you need?

Or maybe you have given up and resigned yourself to never knowing how to install gzDoom? 

If this sounds like you, then you have come to the right article! We are going to take you through step-by-step instructions on how to install gzDoom on Linux, Windows, or macOS.

This guide should help you get started with gzDoom quickly and easily. We’ve also included a short FAQ section at the end of the article which will help answer any extra questions you might have.

What Is gzDoom?

Before we take you through installing the program, let’s first learn a little bit more about it. 

gzDoom is an open-source reimplementation of the original id Software Doom engine. The goal of gzDoom is to provide a stable, fast, and easy-to-use Doom experience for all platforms.

gzDoom aims to be as close to the original Doom engine as possible while adding new features and fixes. 

Some of these changes include the following:

* Improved performance

* New rendering techniques

* Better lighting

* Support for OpenGL 4.6+

* More advanced gameplay mechanics

* Many other features…

The gzDoom team is currently working hard to add even more features to make the game better than ever before. Installing gzDoom on Linux, Windows, or macOS

Why Use gzDoom Instead Of The Original Doom?

There are several reasons why we recommend using gzDoom over running Doom directly:

1) Stability – gzDoom is actively maintained and updated regularly. Running Doom from source can be very unstable, especially if you’re not used to compiling software yourself.

2) Performance – gzDoom uses OpenGL rendering, whereas Doom uses DirectX. Using OpenGL gives gzDoom much higher performance, especially when compared to Doom.

3) Compatibility – gzDoom supports all versions of Doom since 1.0 up until the current version of Doom Eternal. There are no known compatibility issues between the two.

4) Modding support – gzDoom allows you to mod your Doom files without needing to recompile them. You can find tons of mods online (see also ‘How To Install Half Life Mods‘), including some made by the gzDoom team itself!

Modding can be a great way of enhancing your Doom experience. After all, it’s an old game now and there is only so much that it can hold your attention!

How To Install gzDoom On Windows

Now that we understand what gzDoom is, we can start getting into the installation process. Let’s begin by downloading the latest release of gzDoom from their website. Once downloaded, double-click the file to launch the installer.

After clicking “Next” in the installer, select where you would like to install gzDoom. In our case, we’ll choose “C:\Program Files\GZDOOM”. Click “Install”, and wait for the installer to finish. When finished, you should see the following window:

Click “Finish” to complete the installation! 

How To Install gZdoom On Linux

For those who prefer Linux (see also ‘Does Linux Need Antivirus?‘), the process is pretty similar. Download the latest release from the official website, and double click the.tar.gz archive to extract the contents. 

Next, navigate Then run the command below:

$ tar xvf zdoom-Linux-x86_64-master.tar.gz

This will create a directory called “gzdoom-Linux-amd64”. Navigate inside the newly created directory and run the following commands:

$./configure && make && sudo make install

Once done, you should see the message “Installation successful!”

How To Install gzDoom On macOS

For those who are using macOS, the process is pretty simple too. Download the latest release of gzDoom from their website, and double click on the.zip archive to unpack it. Next, navigate to the extracted folder and execute the following commands:

$ cd gzdoom-macOS

$./configure && make && make install

When you have completed this step, you should see the output “Installation successful!”.

Final Thoughts

There you have it! Installing gzDoom isn’t too hard, but what comes next might be a little harder.

You now have a lot of options within this program, and we suggest checking out other guides so that you get the best Doom experience that you can.

Below is a short FAQ section that will take you through some important questions regarding gzDoom. 

Happy gaming – go kill some demons! 

Frequently Asked Questions

 Get your last-minute queries answered here!

What Is Source Code?

Source Code is just another name for the source code of a program or game. It contains the instructions needed to compile the software.

What Are The Best Doom Mods?

The best Doom mods are ones that enhance the original gameplay experience. Some examples include new weapons, enemies, levels, maps, etc.

What Is Brutal Doom?

Brutal Doom is an unofficial modification of Doom 1 & 2 which adds more gore, blood, and violence.

Do I Need A Graphics Card For gzDoom?

No, gzDoom does not require any graphics card. However, if you want to play with higher settings, you may need one.

Is The Base Game Of Doom Good Today?

Doom is a classic and we think it still holds up! It is an old game, but it’s still endless fun to kill demons with chainsaws and a variety of different weapons.

Erik D