DOOM: The Dark Ages Gets the Launch Date and a Huge Cybernetic Dragon

At the Xbox Developer Direct 2025, id Software unveiled the release date of DOOM: The Dark Ages, a prequel to the DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal –  May 15, 2025.

The game will be available on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC, with Game Pass subscribers getting day-one access. While the game won’t initially launch on the recently announced Nintendo Switch 2, Microsoft has hinted at potential future compatibility.

According to the game director Hugo Martin, the design philosophy of the combat approach was “stand and fight.” The Slayer in Doom: The Dark Ages wields a shield but not just for blocks and counters – it also works as a throwable buzzsaw. Mainly, Slayer’s arsenal will be equipped with heavy, close-range weapons making direct confrontation with enemies the major combat strategy.

Martin explained that in contradistinction from previous titles of the series, like Doom Eternal, which prioritized long-range combat and fancy movement, in Doom: The Dark Ages, navigating safely around and through projectiles while choosing the right attack will be an essential part of the gameplay.

In addition to the usual difficulty levels, id Software presented adjustable speed sliders that will allow players to slow projectiles down to study their patterns or increase their momentum to create new challenges.

The new Doom title will also introduce an expanded exploration system, allowing players to traverse sandbox-style levels with hidden secrets and loot.

On top of that, Doom: The Dark Ages features two new major gameplay additions:

• 30-story tall mech called the Atlan, rigged with weaponry scaled to dominate “Titan-sized enemies”;
• Ready to soar across the game’s map’s cybernetic dragon with mounted Gatling guns, able to drill through anything standing in its way and an exterminating fire breath.

Players can fly a gatling gun-equipped dragon or engage in kaiju-scale battles against colossal demons while piloting the Atlan. 

Game director Hugo Martin explained, “These are ideas we’ve dreamed of for years, and focusing solely on the single-player campaign allowed us to fully realize them. We wanted players to feel like unstoppable forces in a medieval war against Hell.”

Unlike its predecessors, DOOM: The Dark Ages is a single-player-only experience. According to executive producer Marty Stratton, the decision to exclude multiplayer was made early in development to ensure the campaign received undivided attention.

“It’s our largest, most expansive campaign ever,” Stratton said. “This focus allowed us to create new gameplay mechanics, intricate level designs, and epic moments that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.”

The game’s action is intensified with a soundtrack composed by Finishing Move, whose work blends heavy guitars with medieval-inspired undertones.