id Software has revealed the release date for DOOM: The Dark Ages alongside an extensive new presentation for the upcoming first-person shooter. This past summer, Xbox and Bethesda announced DOOM: The Dark Ages alongside a broad 2025 launch window for the game. Rather than take place after the events of DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal, The Dark Ages is a prequel that centers around the origins of the Doom Slayer. Now, id Software has finally shown off more of what will set this prequel apart from its predecessors.
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Announced during Xbox’s new Developer Direct event, it was confirmed that DOOM: The Dark Ages will be released in just a few short months on May 15, 2025. While The Dark Ages is published by Bethesda and Xbox, the game will still be coming to PS5 in addition to Xbox Series X/S and PC. And since this is a first-party title from Xbox, it will also be joining Xbox Game Pass immediately upon its arrival in May.
You can get a look at the new trailer for DOOM: The Dark Ages in full here:
As for how DOOM: The Dark Ages will differentiate from its predecessors, id Software says it wants to make the Doom Slayer feel more like a tank and less like a jet fighter. This means that much of the platforming and jumping that was a central part of the gameplay of DOOM Eternal will be done away with in The Dark Ages. Instead, the latest DOOM entry is said to be returning to the roots of the series and is putting a larger emphasis on strafing and close-quarters combat.
Related: Xbox Developer Direct: Every Trailer and New Game Reveal
Outside of these slight tweaks to gameplay, id Software also revealed that it will be adding more open-ended areas to DOOM: The Dark Ages. While not outright an open-world game, these sections of The Dark Ages are described as being vast sandboxes that will allow players to complete tasks in any order they like. Outside of being broader in scope, these locales are also going to be filled with collectibles off the beaten path that will increase the power that the Doom Slayer has.
Lastly, id Software showed off its first glimpse at the Atlan, which is the Doom Slayer’s new 30-story mech, in action. The Atlan will be used during specific points of The Dark Ages to do battle with towering demons. The mech was previously spotted in DOOM Eternal, but the ability to control it is a new feature in The Dark Ages.
All in all, DOOM: The Dark Ages is looking fantastic and should be exactly what longtime DOOM fans have been waiting for. As we get closer to the shooter’s launch in May, we should start to see even more of the game in action. To that end, be sure to stay tuned to our upcoming coverage here on ComicBook if you’d like to learn even more about DOOM: The Dark Ages.
