Game News “It’s always an evolution” The makers of Doom The Dark Ages look back at the design of the Xbox Games Showcase’s star FPS
Scheduled for release in 2025, Doom: The Dark Ages heralds a return to the Hunter’s roots, to the time when he commanded respect with a chainsaw shield and 12-caliber cartridges. Marty Stratton and Hugo Martin of Id Software return to the character’s origins and how this new work was inspired by the first titles in the series.
Back to the origins
The Doom Guy emerged from hell during the Xbox Games Showcase to officially reveal the next title from Id Software and Bethesda: Doom: The Dark Ages, the spiritual sequel to Doom Eternal. This new game takes on the medieval fantasy genre and takes us back to the demon slayer’s past, when he was feared by all and known as “The Weapon of the Gods.” Armed with a chainsaw shield and his iconic double-barreled rifle, the mighty soldier gets a new look by wearing a cape that gives him great style. While players have noted that it will be possible to ride a dragon and maneuver a mecha, the game’s directors Hugo Martin and Marty Stratton told Gamespot in an interview that this sequel is inspired by Doom 1 and 2.
If Doom Eternal wanted to be very vertical, Doom: The Dark Ages was supposed to return to a more horizontal gameplay like in the first games in the franchise. The previous title, released in 2020, was based on what was already done in Doom (2016), namely the weapons and the general tone of the game. While the next work was completely redesigned to offer a fresh experience for both veterans and newcomers. According to Marty Stratton, it was necessary to replay the original games before developing Doom: The Dark Ages.
At the beginning of the project, everyone comes back and plays the original Doom. When we talked about what Doom: The Dark Ages is, it was a little bit like we were borrowing ideas from Doom 1 and Doom 2. As the brand evolved, the ideas also had the same evolution throughout the story, as all the different mechanics of the game are great. When you play the game, you really say, “This is great.”
Martin Stratton and Hugo Martin also talked about their inspiration for the Doom Slayer’s new look, which is said to come from Leonidas from the film 300 and Aragorn in Lord of the Rings. Their goal was to give players that impression of power when they see the character on screen. Like a Spartan, brandishing his shield in front of demons or ripping open their stomachs with his integrated chainsaw will be unprecedentedly bloody!
A rumor that pleases
Id Software and Bethesda have not yet announced an official release date, but the game is expected to be released in 2025, as announced in the trailer. This new work will be available on Xbox Series and PC, but no announcement has been made about a possible release on PS5, especially because Id Software is part of Xbox Game Studios after Microsoft acquired Bethesda. But that was before Phil Spencer made things clear! The head of the American giant confirmed that the FPS will also be released on PS5 because, in his opinion, “Doom is a franchise that everyone should play.”
This news was well received by gamers, as the previous installments of the franchise are available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. However, Microsoft has plans for its future games and their exclusives. We imagine that following this announcement, certain titles could continue to be exclusive to Xbox Series and PC, while others could be released on PlayStation 5.
