During the June 2024 Xbox Games Showcase, Microsoft revealed Doom: The Dark Ages. It’s a medieval take on the first-person shooter series that’s typically set during contemporary times. It’s set to launch in 2025 for PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PlayStation 5. The game will also launch on Xbox Game Pass.
Doom: The Dark Ages is a prequel, with the Doomslayer donning animal fur and spikes on his shoulder-blade armor. With his trusty and classic shotgun, he’s ready to take down demons. However, he now has a new shield with blades that he can rev up like a chainsaw. The trailer shows the Doomslayer even throwing his shield at them like Captain America. He will also be able to ride a dragon at some point in the game, highlighting the fantasy elements of the game.
One interesting aspect of this game is that it’s not exclusive to the Microsoft ecosystem and that it’s also going to be on PlayStation. Microsoft purchased Bethesda back in 2020 and now owns id Software, the developer behind the Doom series. However, both Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal were multiplatform games before id Software got acquired as part of Bethesda, and now Microsoft is seemingly going to be consistent with past releases in the series.
Microsoft has already brought over four of its former exclusive games to rival platforms, PlayStation and Switch: Hi-Fi Rush, Grounded, Pentiment, and Sea of Thieves. Other Xbox games are reportedly being considered as well, including Starfield, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and Senua’s Sacrifice: Hellblade II.
