| DOOM: The Dark Ages | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | Gameplay & Story | Pre-Order & DLC | Review |
DOOM: The Dark Ages is an upcoming action shooter featuring the titular Doomslayer as he rampages across hell one more time. Read on to learn about the game's latest news and developments!
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DOOM: The Dark Ages News
2025
November 22
⚫︎ Doom: The Dark Ages’ Update 2.3 delivers a major rework to its custom arena mode, Ripatorium. The overhaul, dubbed Ripatorium 2.0, shifts the mode from loose wave spawning to a more structured, round-based format, giving players tighter control over how their demon gauntlets play out. The patch also makes light campaign encounter tweaks and adds a new slider for the Brink of Death mechanic, letting players tone down the near-death safety net for a harsher experience.
August 7
⚫︎ The developers of DOOM: The Dark Ages, id Software has released update 2 on PS5, Xbox Series, and PC through Steam and the Microsoft Store. It adds an endless arena mode called the Ripatorium,enhancements for the dragon, atlan, and the slayer, and some balance changes in the campaign.
July 9
⚫︎ id Software has released DOOM: The Dark Ages update 1.006, a small hotfix exclusive to the PS5 version. The patch addresses a long-standing issue preventing some players from unlocking the Berserker Trophy despite meeting the requirements. The update is now live and resolves the achievement unlock bug.
June 20
⚫︎ Amid growing discussion over upcoming changes in Doom: The Dark Ages, game director Hugo Martin has addressed concerns by clarifying the team’s plans for a future update, including tweaks coming during QuakeCon.
Martin confirmed that while the Agaddon Hunter’s core combat loop will remain intact, one specific change is being made to its parry mechanics. In a future update, the enemy’s overhead charged melee attack will no longer be parryable. However, players will still be able to block the move without it instantly breaking their shield.
June 20
⚫︎ Doom: The Dark Ages has received a major visual update today, introducing path tracing support—an advanced lighting technique even more demanding than traditional ray tracing. The update includes path-traced lighting, shadows, and reflections, alongside support for Nvidia’s DLSS Ray Reconstruction to help offset performance costs.
June 5
⚫︎ DOOM: The Dark Ages has released its first major patch with Update 1, introducing key gameplay refinements, audio improvements, and a broad range of bug fixes across all platforms.
Among the most notable changes, the game’s audio mix has been rebalanced to improve the clarity of music and sound effects at default settings. Players are advised to reset their audio settings to default for best results. Health drop duration during Atlan missions has been reduced, and sprint visual effects are now disabled when using auto-sprint.
May 28
⚫︎ Despite Bethesda announcing that DOOM: The Dark Ages has reached 3 million players, new reports suggest that fewer than 1 million copies of the game have actually been sold. According to analysts, approximately 2.2 million of those players accessed the game through Xbox Game Pass.
Critics have compared Bethesda’s announcement to similar marketing tactics used by other publishers, suggesting the actual success of the latest DOOM installment may be more limited than initial headlines imply.
May 22
⚫︎ Doom: The Dark Ages has become the biggest launch in id Software’s history, according to publisher Bethesda. In a recent post on X, Bethesda announced that the game reached 3 million players since its May 15 release—achieving the milestone seven times faster than Doom Eternal.
May 19
⚫︎ Fans of DOOM: The Dark Ages have uncovered an unused weapon hidden within the game’s files, accessible through console commands. The weapon features an incomplete model and animation set, and appears to share design elements—and metallic sphere ammunition—with the Chainshot, prompting speculation that it was intended as its counterpart.
May 15
⚫︎ Doom: The Dark Ages is facing criticism from Linux users after reports surfaced that its DRM system is preventing access to the game, even for those who purchased it legitimately. The issue appears to stem from the use of Denuvo, an anti-piracy software known for strict activation protocols.
May 14
⚫︎ Ahead of its launch, Doom: The Dark Ages is facing backlash from some fans who have canceled their pre-orders after learning that the physical disc includes only a small portion of the game data. The full game requires an 85 GB download across all platforms, prompting criticism from players expecting a complete product on disc.
⚫︎ Fans of Doom: The Dark Ages can unlock an exclusive “Ranger” skin for the Doom Slayer by visiting select Prince St. Pizza locations. The skin features a darker green armor tone with enhanced silver accents on the Slayer’s medieval gear. The promotion runs through June 15, with the skin labeled as a “timed exclusive,” suggesting it may become available as cosmetic DLC at a later date.
May 12
⚫︎ Details about DOOM: The Dark Ages have leaked online ahead of its official release on May 15. According to posts on the Gaming Leaks and Rumours subreddit, some players have received their copies early, leading to widespread sharing of information related to the game's plot, menus, combat systems, weapons, bestiary, and more.
The game will ship with only 85MB of data on its physical disc for PS5, effectively requiring players to download the full game before playing. The news, confirmed by preservation group Does It Play through a supporter’s screenshots, has sparked frustration among fans who prefer fully playable physical editions.
April 1
⚫︎ In an interview with GamesRadar+, Hugo Martin, director of the Doom series, revealed that the decision to exclude multiplayer from Doom Eternal was made early in development. The team chose to focus entirely on refining the campaign, with Martin citing the game's scope and resources as factors in the decision.
March 30
⚫︎ DOOM's official X (formerly Twitter) account announced on March 30 that new gameplay footage and press hands-on impressions for DOOM: The Dark Ages will be released on March 31. Fans are encouraged to stay tuned for the latest updates and insights on the upcoming title.
March 15
⚫︎ Bethesda has revealed the DOOM: The Dark Ages Wearable Helmet Replica in its latest merchandise unboxing video. Priced at $175 USD, the replica is available for pre-order and features a detailed design inspired by the upcoming game. The helmet is part of a broader merchandise rollout ahead of the game's release and is currently listed as in stock, with shipping scheduled once all items in an order are ready.
March 12
⚫︎ Doom: The Dark Ages remains on track for its May 15 release date, bringing a medieval-inspired prequel to the modern Doom saga. Building on the success of Doom 2016 and Doom Eternal, the new title maintains the core elements of the franchise while introducing new gameplay dynamics. The Dark Ages expands upon underexplored concepts from Doom Eternal, including the Wintherin dragons, which have seemingly inspired the semi-mechanical dragon that players will pilot during the game.
March 10
⚫︎ In an interview for PC Gamer's upcoming print issue 408 (396 in the U.S.), Doom: The Dark Ages director Hugo Martin and producer Marty Stratton discussed how the game's expanded melee and parry mechanics could factor into challenge runs. Martin suggested that a melee-only playthrough would be slightly out of bounds,
but still possible for dedicated players.
Stratton added that while such a run could be completed, it would likely result in a janky and less enjoyable experience, comparable to the notorious pistol-only Ultra Nightmare challenge in Doom 2016.
⚫︎ In an interview with PC Gamer for its upcoming print issue, Doom: The Dark Ages developers Hugo Martin and Marty Stratton shared new details about the game's conclusion. Contrary to expectations, the story will not end with the Slayer being locked in a coffin, a fate depicted at the beginning of Doom 2016.
Martin explained that concluding with the Slayer’s imprisonment would effectively close off future medieval-era stories, noting that The Dark Ages is intended to be part of a broader Chronicles of the Slayer
saga. The ending will instead leave room for potential future prequels.
March 9
⚫︎ In an interview for PC Gamer's upcoming issue 408 (396 in the U.S.), Doom: The Dark Ages game director Hugo Martin and producer Marty Stratton discussed the game's weapon lineup. Martin revealed that aside from the shotguns, most of the arsenal in The Dark Ages is entirely new, noting that even the plasma weapon has been significantly redesigned. He emphasized that this decision was intentional, aiming to provide players with fresh tools to master.
January 23
⚫︎ Bethesda has announced that the Developer Direct 2025 event is live today, January 23. The showcase, featuring updates from studios such as id Software, Compulsion Games, and Sandfall Interactive, will be streamed on platforms including Twitch and YouTube. The event began at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. GMT.
January 9
⚫︎ Bethesda has confirmed its participation in the upcoming Developer Direct event, scheduled for January 23, 2025. The showcase will feature updates from multiple studios, including DOOM, Compulsion Games, and Sandfall Interactive. The event will stream live at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. GMT across YouTube and other platforms.
2024
June 11
⚫︎ Doom: The Dark Ages has been officially unveiled during the Xbox Games Showcase, promising a bold reimagining of the iconic shooter series. The trailer revealed dragon riding, mech battles, and a darker, heavier visual style, while introducing significant gameplay changes—including a shield and flail for melee combat.
