The news is finally out—Doom: The Dark Ages is set to release on May 15, 2025. This marks the third entry in the ‘nu-Doom’ series crafted by the renowned id Software. Interestingly, this game, which serves as a prequel to the highly acclaimed Doom (2016), takes a different route compared to its predecessors by skipping out entirely on multiplayer.
During a roundtable discussion led by id Software’s Marty Stratton, who serves as studio director, and Hugo Martin, the creative director, it was confirmed that Doom: The Dark Ages will not feature any multiplayer component. This decision surely raised a few eyebrows, considering that both Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal offered such modes.
“We chose to focus solely on the campaign,” Martin elaborated when questioned about the absence of multiplayer. “By dedicating all our resources to the single-player aspect, we’ve given [Dark Ages] a substantial upgrade.” This time around, players won’t just be the near-invincible Doom Slayer holding the line. Thanks to the increased focus on its single-player content, the game promises spectacular moments, like battling with “a 30-story Atlan mech” and facing off against “a fire-breathing, gatling-gun toting cyber dragon.” Exciting, right?
Stratton chimed in, touching on the long-desired thrill of introducing the Atlan. For those less familiar, Atlans are formidable bipedal war machines once wielded by the Night Sentinels in their battles against Hell. You might remember seeing their dormant forms in previous Doom games.
Both Marty Stratton and Hugo Martin couldn’t hide their excitement about featuring these colossal machines in Doom: The Dark Ages. Letting players control one of these behemoths is, according to the developers, a direct result of investing more time into the single-player experience.
In addition, the pair boasts that the upcoming game offers “the largest play space ever in a Doom game.” They teased a host of extra dungeons, caves, and encounters awaiting those eager to explore off the beaten path. “You dictate the game’s pace,” Martin explained with a smile. “You decide your destination, whom to battle, and which objectives to pursue.” Once more, they attribute the rich content and expansive world to the team’s focus on single-player elements.
In an era where multiplayer games often fizzle out and live-service models dominate digital storefronts, it feels refreshing to see a prominent developer like id Software pour its energy into a purely single-player adventure. This could serve as a lesson for industry giants like Sony and Blizzard in the upcoming years.
Mark your calendars: Doom: The Dark Ages is set to launch on May 15. It’ll be available on Xbox Game Pass for PC and Xbox Series, as well as on PlayStation 5.
