Doom: The Dark Ages could be the next major title in the popular gaming franchise

[Alfonso Maruccia]

Demons May Cry: Leaks about the development of a new Doom game have circulated for years. The latest, unconfirmed rumors suggest a potential reveal date during the upcoming Xbox showcase.

Developer id Software and publisher Bethesda Softworks have been busy working on a new game in the Doom franchise for at least four years. This upcoming first-person shooter is expected to be introduced during the Xbox Games Showcase on June 9. A prolific leaker has revealed that the game will be called Doom: The Dark Ages and will transport the Doom Slayer back in time, diverging from the gothic sci-fi settings of the latest installments in the series.

Leaker Tom Henderson recently mentioned that the game was previously known as Doom Year Zero, but "Doom: The Dark Ages" is expected to be its final name. FPS specialists at id Software started development of The Dark Ages in 2020, shortly after releasing the hyper-kinetic (and hyper-brutal) Doom Eternal on consoles and Windows systems.

Also see: Ripping and Tearing: 3 Decades of Doom

Unnamed sources have described The Dark Ages as a "medieval-inspired" Doom world, which aligns with previous snippets of information about id Software's plans to evolve the series. Microsoft, which now owns Bethesda and the Doom franchise, among others, has stated that the Xbox Games Showcase will reveal new games and updates on the Call of Duty franchise.

While Doom hasn't matched the immense popularity of the Call of Duty series in recent years, it remains one of the most profitable brands in the gaming market. Henderson highlighted that an id Software developer claimed in 2020 that Doom Eternal generated over $450 million in revenue for id and Bethesda that year alone.

New, unconfirmed leaks about a new game in the Doom universe recently surfaced online, starting with the IDKFA trademark registered by Bethesda's parent company, ZeniMax Media (owned by Microsoft since 2021). A potential Doom-themed reveal during the Xbox Games Showcase was teased earlier this month, and Henderson has now independently verified this rumor.

Doom is one of the most storied game franchises ever, with id Software enticing and entertaining fans of the FPS genre (including this humble demon-killing writer) since the early Nineties. Doom Eternal, the latest game in the series, introduced significant innovations in gameplay and visual fidelity thanks to the powerful id Tech 7 game engine.

Permalink to story:

Doom: The Dark Ages could be the next major title in the popular gaming franchise

 

[The Talking Tech]

I hope this releases for PlayStation and Nintendo as well, I much rather see most Xbox games going multiplatform than Microsoft discontinuing GamePass for the lack of funding.

That way everyone wins, PlayStation and Nintendo gamers get to play the games, Microsoft get to profit from them and GamePass subscribers get everything for a fraction of the price.

 

[Beerfloat]

I have love for Xbox but does it really deserve a showcase at this point. It sounds like a depressing event

 

[The Talking Tech]

I have love for Xbox but does it really deserve a showcase at this point. It sounds like a depressing event

So what kind of "love" do you have for Xbox when you don't even want a showcase from them.

I think you might have need to calibrate your feelings for the brand.

 

[RudyBob]

As long as I don't have to do one impossible swing, leap and flip from one obstacle to the next...bring it on. If it's like the last iteration I will pass

 

[MSIGamer]

After doom 2016 it turned into one of those games that people will buy anyway and you can make endless successors to.
I really disliked the direction doom eternal went in. I don't think they can be really surprising or innovative with a new one, but I hope I'm wrong... Not looking forward to another blurry taa title with an adhoc story and confusing platforming and locked down arcadish play style though.

 

[pencea]

After doom 2016 it turned into one of those games that people will buy anyway and you can make endless successors to.
I really disliked the direction doom eternal went in. I don't think they can be really surprising or innovative with a new one, but I hope I'm wrong... Not looking forward to another blurry taa title with an adhoc story and confusing platforming and locked down arcadish play style though.

I share the same sentiment. I enjoyed Doom 2016 but am not fond of Doom Eternal. I've always enjoyed the slower pace and horror aspects. Doom 3 was a standout to me.

 

[i like foxes]

Guys , Doom is so scary that I dont play them .

 

[Atmajaya2020]

Guys, Doom is so scary that I dont play them.

doom 3 was scary gane but a good scary game..

 

[i like foxes]

Witcher games are creepy too . Unlikely to continue with no 3 although I bought it just because of the hype . My bad . I play The Division 1/2 , Assassins Creed Unity , Guardians of the Galaxy and etc .

 

[GodisanAtheist]

If they're doing a medieval theme, it would make so much more sense to use the setting to reboot Quake, which held to that aesthetic so much more than anything in Doom.

Could have finally brought the Lovecraftian and Strogg storylines together and moved forward with that angle instead...

I can't see this feeling like Doom anymore, but as was mentioned above, the name is selling the franchise instead of the game now, gonna get a whopper of a turd here sooner or later.

 

[daffy duck]

Would loved a slower paced scary Doom sequel to Doom 3 for sure. That game gave me shivers and I only played it for 30 minutes at a time it was so stressful LOL. Not at all in to the frenetic pace of the newer titles and have never been tempted to even buy them on 90% off sales.

 

[zx8086]

"Medieval-inspired"...so new Doom is now original Quake?

 

[loki1944]

If it's platforming vs Doom 1/2 action again...no thanks

 

[Neatfeatguy]

So....Hexen? We're getting a new Hexen game?

As for the newer Doom games, I thought they were awful. Just a reskin of Painkiller games. Constantly running and shooting and jumping and then more running and shooting and jumping where you finally mixed it up with more running and shooting and jumping.

 

[bviktor]

I share the same sentiment. I enjoyed Doom 2016 but am not fond of Doom Eternal. I've always enjoyed the slower pace and horror aspects. Doom 3 was a standout to me.

Funny, I hated Doom 3.

 

[kinetix]

Connecting to Quake 1? or Hexen?

 

[Phylop]

Doom in a medieval setting sounds pretty awesome to me.

 

[user478318]

So what kind of "love" do you have for Xbox when you don't even want a showcase from them.

I think you might have need to calibrate your feelings for the brand.

Xbox is so much better than PS5 it's unbeliveable how PS5 sales can be kept only by tradition, much like Nintendo... PS peaked with PS3 back in 2007, everything after that was a joke...