There is less than a month until the release of Doom: The Dark Ages, the next instalment in the reboot of id Software’s DOOM franchise. Taking us back in time before the events of the 2016 DOOM, the Slayer takes on medieval monstrosities and demons with more regal weaponry – if you don’t count the giant mechs and dragons that you can pilot in the prequel.
In this article, we will go over everything we know about Doom: The Dark Ages releasing on the ides of May regarding gameplay, pricing, platforms and other information that might be of interest to anyone that looks to don the helmet and saw-shield.
Everything We Know About Doom: The Dark Ages
Doom: The Dark Ages Release Date
The newest episode of the DOOM series drops on May 15 on all platforms: both new gen consoles, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, as well as PC.
Even though the games rights are with Bethesda, who were bought by Microsoft a while back, Phil Spencer, the CEO of Microsoft Gaming spoke about talking to id Software’s Studio Director, Marty Stratton about releasing the game on as many platforms as they can, because DOOM is a “franchise that everyone deserves to play”.
Doom: The Dark Ages Price
As the DOOM series have been a triple-A title ever since it’s 2016 reboot, the prequel to DOOM and DOOM: Eternal, every retailer asks for a price in the same range. On the biggest online platform, Steam, Doom: The Dark Ages is listed at €79.99 for the base version, while the Premium Edition is priced at a whopping €109.99.
Doom: The Dark Ages Editions
The game comes in two editions: the Standard and Premium Edition. The first one comes with just the base game, while the Premium Edition has some goodies inside. If you get the Premium version of Doom: The Dark Ages, you’ll receive:
- Two days of early access
- Campaign DLC
- Exclusive Divinity Skin Pack for your Dragon, Atlan Mech and Doom Slayer
- Cccess to the Digital Artbook and Soundtrack
You can also pre-order the game on all platforms, which nets you another exclusive skin: The Void Slayer, which turns the armour of the Slayer into a heavy metal black colour, while also giving you access to the game two days prior to its May 15th release date.
Doom: The Dark Ages Gameplay
The first trailer for The Dark Ages dropped almost a year ago on June 9th 2024. That revealed a good chunk of what to expect from gameplaywise from the title, and it looks like the folks at id Software don’t want to slow down after the incredible start and continuation of the reboot.
In the prequel, we will have a plethora of weapons to choose from. Our best friend will be the saw shield, a new tool that can be used for both offense and defence, as well as a projectile to hurl at enemies. The Dark Ages will also have a parry mechanic that lets the Slayer stun attacking enemies if you press the block button at the right moment, opening them up for a glory kill.
While the prequel to DOOM 2016 takes place centuries before the first part of the reboot, we will still have access to plenty of ranged weapons as well. The trailer showed a weapon that grinds skulls to use as projectiles, a stake-launcher as a long ranged gun, a giant cannon wielded in one hand, and of course, the trusty shotgun that accompanied the Doom Slayer for more than 30 years – only this time around, it looks like something an executioner would use.
While there were some close-combat weapons in DOOM 2016 and Eternal, Doom: The Dark Ages will focus even more on melee weapons. The Slayer will have access to a flail and a mace – and of course, the saw shield is not just for looks but can be revved to slice through demons.
While the Slayer is a walking weapon, sometimes some hellspawn prove to be too big of a challenge for one man: thankfully, in the Dark Ages, the player can jump into a mechanized Heldrake for a few missions, soaring through the sky and spewing flames on all that stand in the way of salvation. And that’s not even the biggest weapon the Slayer can use, as in the prequel you will gain access to your own Atlan mech, which was showcased to be fistfighting a demon the size of a kaiju from the classic movies.
As for the feel of The Dark Ages, the developers have revealed that the game dropping in may will return to the tempo of the older games – so more boots on the ground, high-octane action instead of jumping up and down using the verticality of the maps to avoid enemy projectiles and land air glory kills. As Hugo Martin told GamesRadar+, this won’t mean that Doom: The Dark Ages will feel slower or sluggish, it’s just that you’ll have to be more aware of your surroundings while trying to dodge the attacks of demons. If you’re a long-time fan of the franchise, The Dark Ages should feel closer to the older entries – especially with the returning sprint mechanic, which has been improved a lot.
Doom: The Dark Ages System Requirements
As listed on Steam, Doom: The Dark Ages will need a beefy PC to run. The minimum requirements are:
- A 64-bit processor and operating system, so Windows 10 64-Bit or Windows 11 64-Bit;
- For the processor, an AMD Zen 2 or Intel 10th Generation CPU @3.2Ghz with 8 cores or 16 threads or better – for example an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X or better, or Intel Core i7 10700K or better;
- 16 GB RAM for memory;
- An NVIDIA or AMD hardware Raytracing-capable GPU with 8GB dedicated VRAM or better, such as an NVIDIA RTX 2060 SUPER or better or an AMD RX 6600 or better;
- and 100 GB available storage space would be needed.
With these specs, players could run Doom: The Dark Ages at 1080p, 60 FPS and Low-Quality Settings. However, on Steam the requirement for NVME SSD storage is also highlighted.
To run the newest entry in the franchise with optimal graphics and performance, you’d need:
- Still requires a 64-bit processor and operating system;
- A Windows 10 64-Bit or Windows 11 64-Bit OS;
- An AMD Zen 3 or Intel 12th Generation CPU @3.2Ghz with 8 cores or 16 threads or better, just like and AMD Ryzen 7 5700X or better, or an Intel Core i7 12700K or better;
- 32 GB of RAM;
- An NVIDIA or AMD hardware Raytracing-capable GPU with 10GB dedicated VRAM or better think of an NVIDIA RTX 3080 or better or an AMD RX 6800 or better;
- 100 GB of storage space;
With these components in your PC, Doom: The Dark Ages should comfortably run at 1440p with 60 FPS at High Quality Settings, but the NVME SSD storage is still required. Of course, on consoles, the games should run just fine, even if not as smooth or as pretty as the best PC’s you can build.
Doom: The Dark Ages should be an instant hit, as it has everything that DOOM 2016 and Eternal had, only improved, while also reaching long-time fans. With the new weapons and mechanics, it looks like a game that could surpass it’s predecessors easily – even though we thought the series couldn’t get better after Eternal.
It also gives more answers about where the Slayer came from, and what happens when you play Pacific Rim in hell. Keep an eye out for the release of The Dark Ages on the 15th of May, and come back to Method for the best guides and tutorials about the latest DOOM!