Doom alpha playable this weekend, invites going out today

The new Doom from id Software will be playable this weekend for a select few. Publisher Bethesda Softworks and id are holding a closed multiplayer alpha test for Doom starting this Friday, Oct. 23, with invites to get into that playable test rolling out today.

Doom's official website describes the alpha as "a series of development-driven tests designed to stress test the game's dedicated server infrastructure in a real-world consumer environment." This is not the beta — the one used to promote Wolfenstein: The New Order — or representative of the final game, the official website reads.

The alpha is limited to one map, six-versus-six team deathmatch and a small set of weapons. This weekend's alpha test kicks off at 12:01 a.m. ET on Oct. 23 and concludes at 11:59 p.m. ET on Oct. 25, according to the Doom Twitter account.

To get access to the alpha, players will need to register for the beta using the code included with copies of Wolfenstein: The New Order. If you're selected, you'll get an email from either Sony or Bethesda. More details on the alpha registration process are available at the game's website.