DOOM: The Dark Ages Wiki
DOOM: The Dark Ages is a first-person shooter prequel to DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal, developed by id Software and published by Bethesda Softworks. It launched May 15, 2025 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, and became the biggest launch in id Software's history.
A Deliberately Slower, More Tactical DOOM
Game director Hugo Martin has described the design philosophy as "stand and fight," drawing inspiration from Batman and the film 300. Rather than the previous games' constant high-speed mobility, The Dark Ages puts you in the boots of a heavily armored "iron tank" Doom Slayer, confronting enemies directly with brutal melee combat, iconic firearms, and the new Shield Saw -- a tool that merges blocking, parrying, and slicing, and also doubles as a throwable buzzsaw.
Franchise Firsts: Pilotable Vehicles and Open-Ended Levels
For the first time in series history, you can pilot vehicles directly -- including a cybernetic dragon and the genuinely massive, 30-story Atlan mech. The game also introduces open-ended objective areas that can be tackled in any order, another first for the franchise, spanning ruined castles, epic battlefields, dark forests, and ancient hellscapes across the world of Argent D'nur.
Revelations: The First Major Story DLC
Launched July 7, 2026 globally at 4:00 PM UTC, Revelations is the first and only major story expansion for The Dark Ages, and the third expansion in the modern DOOM trilogy following DOOM Eternal's two Ancient Gods DLCs. Available as a standalone $19.99 add-on or included with a $34.99 Premium Edition upgrade, Revelations delivers a full 10-12 hour single-player campaign -- larger than both DOOM Eternal expansions combined, split roughly 60% main story and 40% endgame content.
The Story of Revelations
Battered, wounded, and thrust into a frozen-over Hell for eternity, the Doom Slayer must confront a demon from his own past to reclaim his freedom and restore balance to Argent D'nur. Journeying to the deepest core of Hell via the expansive hub of Purgatory, you explore six vast new levels packed with secret passages, collectibles, and special encounters.
A New Weapon: The Chain Spear
Revelations introduces the Chain Spear, a genuinely significant new tool that changes combat dynamics -- usable as a grappling hook to traverse locations, to yank enemies toward you, or to close distance with sudden bursts of movement. It takes over the Shield's role specifically within Hell's Core, but can later be used alongside the Shield in regular combat. Level design throughout Revelations draws inspiration from the Metroidvania genre, requiring backtracking and puzzle-solving to reach hidden paths -- a genuine structural departure from the base campaign's more linear design.
Ripatorium 3.0 and Endgame Content
Beyond the story campaign, Revelations significantly expands the Ripatorium (the game's custom arena challenge mode) to version 3.0, adding new maps, new demons, and additional customization options for experimenting with combat builds. Clearing Revelations' new Master Arenas grants access to further Ripatorium content, and a dedicated Uber Boss provides a genuine top-tier endgame challenge for players who've mastered the Chain Spear.
A Real, Honest Note on Post-Launch Patching
Revelations' Update 4 Hotfix 1 specifically addressed Chain Spear keybinding issues, red walls incorrectly blocking progression, and the most commonly reported crashes -- worth knowing if you experienced any of these specific issues at launch.