Over 30 years ago, a small team of game developers at id Software set the standard for first-person shooters with DOOM. The company still focuses on three core values: innovation, craftsmanship and performance. The team at id Software guarantees that all three are infused in the latest installment of the legendary DOOM franchise.
DOOM: The Dark Ages
In a developer-direct video, id Software game director Hugo Martin and executive producer Marty Stratton give fans all the gory details on their latest project. DOOM: The Dark Ages sees the Doom Slayer as a powerful weapon and humankind’s only chance to win a medieval war against Hell.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is a science fiction fantasy filled with new locations to explore, innovative weapons to unlock and plenty of demons to destroy. Stratton even dares to call it the team’s most ambitious game yet. While this may be a bold claim, here are some facts that just may prove him right.
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A Prequel to Doom 2016
The Dark Ages is a prequel to DOOM (2016), which means if you are new to the franchise, it will be a perfect entry point into the series. DOOM: The Dark Ages allowed developers to reimagine every aspect of the experience. However, long-time DOOM fans will appreciate the familiarity of the true-to-classic form gameplay.
Combat
In DOOM: The Dark Ages, the Slayer plays like an iron tank but way faster and more agile. The latest installation features a grounded combat system that emphasizes power compared to the acrobatic style of DOOM: Eternal. Fans of the classic games will appreciate the balance between enemy projectiles and player movement speed that makes strafing to aim possible again.

Nostalgia is great (and appreciated), but innovation was the goal of the developers at id Software. Experience an all-new world while mastering unprecedented mechanics and tools. For example, a brand-new weapon, the aptly named Shield Saw. With this bad boy, players can block, throw, parry and deflect, all from the press of a single button.
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Stand and Fight
DOOM (2016) was a run-and-gun experience, while DOOM: Eternal featured a jump-and-shoot style. In DOOM: The Dark Ages, you stand and fight. Don’t worry, the Shield Saw has everything you need to take on some of the biggest and baddest demons in Hell.

Although, it never hurts to follow up a shield parry with a blow from your second-hand weapon. Choose from an iron flail, an electrified gauntlet or a DOOM spiked mace. The melee system is all set to one input and includes its own unique combos and upgrade system.
New Glory Kill System
One of the most iconic features of the newest DOOM series is the epic glory kills that feature brutal cut scenes. The Dark Ages features a reworked glory kill system that is completely in the player’s control. Easily move in and out to perform those extra special and oh-so-satisfying kills at the tap of a button whenever you feel like it. This seamless new system gives players more freedom and makes it easier than ever to get those cinematic kills.
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All About the BFGs

Game director Hugo Martin ensures fans that “DOOM has and always will be about the guns.” Thanks to the medieval setting, The Dark Ages introduces ancient and incredibly powerful torture devices to the franchise. The mad geniuses at id Software manage to combine history and science fiction to create weapons only a Doom Slayer could wield. In fact, “only in DOOM” was the mission statement when designing this arsenal of mayhem, according to Martin.
A DOOM for All Slayers
Combat in The Dark Ages is more approachable and flexible than ever with a new difficulty system. Players can customize every aspect of the gameplay, including speed of the game, difficulty level and more. This makes it what executive producer Marty Stratton calls “a DOOM for all Slayers.”
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The Altan and the Dragon

One of the most original features of DOOM: The Dark Ages is the Atlan, a 30-story mech that packs a serious punch. Deliver colossal-sized beatdowns to Titan-sized demons in your shiny new suit. Just when you think it can’t get any more metal (literally and figuratively), you get your very own cybernetic dragon. This model comes fully loaded, complete with fire breath and a Gatlin gun. Why? Because “Hell yeah,” that’s why.

Both the Atlin and Dragon have unique ability sets and mini-bosses that make them an integral part of the entire experience. They also make for legendary fights on a scale never seen before in a DOOM game, and that is saying a lot.
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Exploration
Explore the far reaches of the DOOM universe, including mysterious places from the Doom Slayer’s past, dark forests, dungeons, battlefields and, of course, ancient hell-scapes. As you journey through this expansive world, unlock new abilities and discover plenty of other treasures. The DOOM games typically have a plethora of fun little secrets, and The Dark Ages seems to be no exception.

The Dark Ages offers a larger place space than any other DOOM game — an impressively expansive world filled with secret caves and dungeon-like mines. Play the game at your own pace by choosing where to go, who to fight, and which missions to pursue. Martin describes the world of The Dark Ages as “a DOOM sandbox filled with war and riches.”
Explore all of this to the tune of a wickedly metal soundtrack created by the award-winning team at Finishing Move. Expect the adrenaline-fueled guitar and double bass only a DOOM soundtrack can provide.
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Story
Expand the legend of the Slayer in a new story that is the perfect entry point for new players. Powerful enemies seek the Slayer’s power as the balance between good and evil shifts. The narrative has been pulled from the codex and put into cutscenes, making it more accessible and cinematic. Fans should expect to see new characters, old allies and powerful new villains in a story that leads directly into the DOOM (2016) Slayer’s Testaments.
What We Want
Honestly, after all of that, it feels downright greedy to ask for more, but it never hurts. Right? I cannot be the only DOOM fan who wants to see some sort of multiplayer here.

Can you imagine taking down one of those colossal demons with your best bud by your side? I can, and it looks like a hell of a time. Please, id Software, give us a local and online co-op campaign so we can rip and tear together.
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DOOM: The Dark Ages releases on May 15, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Check out the official trailer below and visit the Bethesda website for pricing, pre-orders and more.
The Bethesda Gear Shop Reveals DOOM: THE DARK AGES – Collector’s Bundle
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