What's up with finding the grenade launcher on a random subway?

I mean really. Is there any lore behind this? There's a random grenade launcher, that just happens to fit on the slayers shoulder mount, in the middle of a random subway. That's some damn luck right there. I understand it's a game and that it's just a "powerup", but there's gotta be a story behind it. The super shotgun for example, it was made out to be a big thing. Your shoulder mounted grenade launcher though? Nah. Just picked it up on a subway. 

There is no story behind it, besides maybe some ARC soldier left it behind and the Slayer's Equipment Launcher is flexible enough to accept most modifications it comes across. There are a few moments where the game takes some liberties with its own lore - a UAC-designed Plasma Rifle found next to the Exultia teleporter in Hell, a Maykr Drone in the Mars Core Slayer Gate, Sentinel Praetor token ghosts in Urdak, etc. It's probably mostly done for gameplay purposes.

The Combat Shotgun, Super Shotgun, BFG, Unmaykr, and Crucible are the only weapons that are given places in the story. The Flame Belch, Ice Bomb, and Ballista are crafted on the Fortress at some point. All of the other weapons the Slayer comes across are incidentally found in the environment somewhere.

Everything should have a place in the story IMO

OK, now that the OP has pointed it out, it does seem a little weird that you find such an integral piece of equipment just lying around in a random subway car. Especially when the flame belch and ice bomb are shown as being made on the Fortress. I'm going with @AtimZarr1's idea that it was left by an ARC soldier. The Slayer has got his own little workshop on the Fortress, so I think it's easy to imagine him retrofitting his suit to accept ARC equipment beforehand.

On the other hand, it's a testament to how well the grenade launcher fits into the gameplay that I didn't notice the strangeness of its acquisition until now.

15 hours ago, Retro Dino said:

I mean really. Is there any lore behind this? There's a random grenade launcher, that just happens to fit on the slayers shoulder mount, in the middle of a random subway. That's some damn luck right there. I understand it's a game and that it's just a "powerup", but there's gotta be a story behind it. The super shotgun for example, it was made out to be a big thing. Your shoulder mounted grenade launcher though? Nah. Just picked it up on a subway. 

I don't really feel that particular pickup needs any more story than others that have no story explanation. For me though, it's perfectly placed because on Nightmare it's fairly common I run out of shotgun ammo by the time I get past the last Arachnotron in that battle just before you jump across the big gap to the other side of the ravine. There's a Cacodemon that comes just before that jump and the grenade launcher suffices fine when you have no sticky bomb ammo.

Why can't pickups be placed purely for gameplay reasons? Does there really have to be a story behind all their placements, especially in a Doom game? I mean just the fact that it's found on a subway after a mass invasion could easily mean the subway was used as a means of transport for some troops, much like the NY PA cops used a city bus to get to the towers during 911.

Extraordinary circumstances call for unorthodox methods.

I am leaning towards AtimZarr's theory. That piece of equipment really isn't beyond the technology of humanity. I mean there are giant mechs littered around. It's probably part of a combat suit broken off or removed. Maybe the gore growth consumed a corpse and spat it out. It looks to be a versatile tool. 

If it was the Crucible or BFG etc, I would definitely question it.

There was also how the UAC was involved with Hell and Maykrs and maybe how humans in this Earth come from the Sentinels.

Although like i said in another thread, the thing about the glowy pick up is that it was a story/one-time/mandatory thing, so it has even less reason to be like that than 1-ups or collectables.

If it were a random dead soldier with the shoulder gun almost falling, while he's attached to the ceiling, that could have worked.

Maybe humans came up with shoulder guns as a contrast to the Revenants.

I'm also surprised actual cyber humans aren't common, because i think the codex for the Buff Totem implied cybernetic brain implants were needed to avoid certain corruption from the totems.

@whatup876 If it was Doom 2016 I reckon that's likely how the Slayer would have acquired the shoulder cannon.

As for cybernetic soldiers, I wouldn't be surprised some professional or elite soldiers had some to at least some degree. From my understanding humanities military hasn't really been covered in detail beyond the wreckage we see.

I love your profile pic @Chezza

Who knows, maybe the mechs are controlled through a cybernetic link? Control the giant robot by being the giant robot.

If the UAC had cybernetic/tech to compete with Hell's tech, i can imagine UAC marines piloting giant metal legs like those of the Mastermind, even if the tech is still "hijacked" by Hell.

Also, i wonder if Quake Champions served as inspiration for a bit of Eternal because of Keel's shoulder grenade launcher and Athena's grapple hook.

May sound like a basic, unfounded comparison/line being drawn here.

Speaking of grenade launchers, i wonder if the one from 2016's MP is technically canon.

1 minute ago, whatup876 said:

Speaking of grenade launchers, i wonder if the one from 2016's MP is technically canon.

Boy oh boy, do I miss 2016's MP. 

The Doomslayer ordered the grenade launcher online while he was in his fortress and had it delivered by drone to that spot just before he teleported to Earth.

In fact, the reason he suited up and went down was because he got the e-mail notification that it had been delivered.

13 hours ago, GuyMcBrofist said:

The Doomslayer ordered the grenade launcher online while he was in his fortress and had it delivered by drone to that spot just before he teleported to Earth.

 

In fact, the reason he suited up and went down was because he got the e-mail notification that it had been delivered.

And the delivery guy wore a mask and tried his best to practice no contact, social distancing, but he found the demons to be uncompliant. Somewhere, there remains nothing but a blood smear of this poor chap.

You wouldn't want me to be Doom writer, I'd just turn it into a dark comedy. 

Because that's when the devs decided to teach the player about it.