DOOM: The Dark Ages is coming soon with big iron tank energy

As part of today’s Xbox Developer Direct, Bethesda revealed a new trailer for their upcoming title, DOOM: The Dark Ages, along with a release date sooner than we anticipated: May 15, 2025.

The third game in the modern DOOM series, The Dark Ages is a prequel that aims to bridge the gap between the older and newer games. Initially announced in June 2024, this new trailer gave us more insight into the Doom Slayer’s crusades prior to his romp through hell in DOOM 2016.

The Dark Ages expands on the fantasy elements introduced in DOOM: Eternal. In this trailer, we see the Doom Slayer wielding a chainsaw shield that can be thrown at enemies, reminiscent of Captain America. We also saw more gameplay of the new dragon, which players can use to ride across levels freely. The open nature of these snippets suggests a greater deal of freedom in The Dark Ages.

However, the foundational sci-fi of DOOM isn’t going anywhere. The Doom Slayer still wields a variety of powerful firearms, and the hordes of cybernetically enhanced demons return from the previous games. We also got a quick peek of the Doom Slayer operating a giant mech suit. This giant robot fantasy was teased in DOOM: Eternal and is finally being fulfilled for gamers.

In this extended trailer, the developers detail how The Dark Ages differs from previous DOOM titles. Director Hugo Martin wants players to feel “like an iron tank.” The shield especially supports this idea, with its deflect and parry offering new defensive abilities. This a big departure from DOOM: Eternal, which focused on fast-paced, acrobatic combat. Exploration is a bigger focus, with large and open levels, instead of the tight linearity the series is known for.

DOOM: The Dark Ages will release May 15 2025 on on Xbox Series X|S, Steam and PS5. It will also be available on day one on Xbox Game Pass.