DOOM: The Dark Ages is one of the most anticipated games of 2025, with the Xbox and ID Software teams already looking like they’ve knocked it out of the park. The fantasy aesthetic and new weapons look incredible, and fans can’t wait to enjoy all the new content and mechanics. While DOOM: The Dark Ages maintains its roots while taking a new direction just like DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal did, many have wondered how the new take on DOOM came to be. A recent interview has shed some light on how the development of DOOM: The Dark Ages became the final product and how some of its inspirations stemmed from Batman comics like Batman Year One.
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Edge Magazine published an interview that delved into the making of DOOM: The Dark Ages. This covered many of the design choices of the game, as well as giving players a look into one of the main inspirations for the game. And it is a surprising inspiration that fans didn’t expect to see.
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One of the most influential inspirations for DOOM: The Dark Ages is Batman Year Zero and Batman: The Dark Knight. The goal was to take DOOM back to the roots of the character and Batman Year Zero had a huge impact on this direction. The overall aesthetic of the world in DOOM: The Dark Ages definitely reflects the transition of Gotham with a little bit of ID Software’s flair and influence.
The choice of making DOOM Guy similar to a medieval knight in DOOM: The Dark Ages was taken from Batman: The Dark Knight. Batman’s depiction as a “caped crusader” and “hefty brute” are evident in the new look for DOOM Guy. The most obvious are the new serrated shield, which acts as a defensive tool and weapon, and the new cape sported in DOOM: The Dark Ages.
An early prototype of DOOM: The Dark Ages was titled Slayer Year One, which ultimately became the game it is now. Plans for DOOM: The Dark Ages were early, but DOOM Eternal was already in the works, meaning it would have to wait its turn. The fantasy setting had been envisioned in 2016, with Sentinals, a faction in DOOM: The Dark Ages, appearing in the reboot of DOOM.
ID Software has continuously sought to preserve what makes the DOOM series what it is, while pushing it forward into new and exciting avenues. DOOM was rebooted in 2016 to match the original DOOM, while DOOM Eternal aimed to rework DOOM 2. Establishing this allowed ID Software the freedom to go off cuff and led to the creation of DOOM: The Dark Ages.
DOOM: The Dark Ages is set to release on May 13th, and will launch for the Xbox Series X/S, PC, and PlayStation 5. There are rumors of a Nintendo Switch 2 release as well, but neither Microsoft nor Nintendo have commented on this. DOOM: The Dark Ages will launch at $69.99, with various editions, including a Collector’s Edition, available for pre-order.
