Doom: The Dark Ages Could Leave the Next Game with an Impossible Choice (2025)

Doom: The Dark Ages is one of the most highly anticipated games of the year, and as the release date draws closer, many are gearing up for some heavy metal medieval action. Announced last year, Doom: The Dark Ages serves as a prequel to 2016's Doom, taking things back to a time filled with both dragons and demons.

The Doom franchise has always been fueled by hard-hitting action and over-the-top demon slaying, but Doom: The Dark Ages' medieval setting is promising one of the coolest shake-ups that the series has seen yet. 2016's reboot brought the beloved franchise back in a great way, and Doom Eternal marked its place as one of the best releases of 2020. Now that Doom: The Dark Ages brings players a prequel, there are plenty of questions about where the franchise should head after this entry.

There is Bound to Be More After Doom: The Dark Ages

Doom: The Dark Ages' Game Director Hints at More Doom Chapters

Shortly before Doom: The Dark Ages showcased more gameplay at January's Xbox Developer Direct event, the game's director, Hugo Martin, had some interesting thoughts to share about the future of Doom with PCGamer. He states, "I like making Doom games. I wouldn't have a problem doing this for a long time." Of course, this isn't a full-blown confirmation that another chapter is going to be made. He mentioned in the same interview, "genuinely, sincerely, we're really just focused on this right now," referring to Doom: The Dark Ages. Considering it's a brand-new launch, it makes complete sense for id Software to have all of its attention focused on this one project at the moment.

Where Does Doom: The Dark Ages Go From Here?

• The next game could be a direct sequel to Doom: The Dark Ages.
• id Software could also choose to make the next entry a direct sequel to Doom Eternal.

When thinking about where the future of Doom lies, these two options are the most likely scenarios for developers to choose. The big kicker is that, if Doom: The Dark Ages proves to be a huge hit, then steering away from the fun new features in a potential Doom Eternal sequel could be upsetting. Doom: The Dark Ages is bringing a treasure trove of exciting new mechanics and weapons to the franchise, and it would likely be a mistake to turn away from that completely in a Doom Eternal follow-up.

However, there is also the risk of Doom: The Dark Ages' medieval setting overstaying its welcome if it happens not to be as compelling as the world of Doom and Doom Eternal. A direct sequel to Doom Eternal could also help push the franchise forward instead of staying in prequel territory.

Confirmed Weapons Coming to Doom: The Dark Ages

• Sawed-Off Shotgun
• Serrated Sawblade Boomerang Shield
• Railgun that shoots ground skull bullets
• Plasma Rifle
• Chain Flail
• Mech Suit
• Cyber Dragon

Doom: The Dark Ages Continues a Year of Strong Releases

2025 is on track to be one of the best years the gaming industry has ever seen, and Doom: The Dark Ages is promising a fun, action-packed experience that brings something completely new to the long-running franchise. The legacy of Doom is impressive, and as the series continues to evolve, it will be fascinating to see where the next game takes players.

Once the title launches in May, Doom: The Dark Ages marks a new era for the series, and it could potentially push the franchise in a brand-new direction moving forward. This remains to be seen, but it wouldn't be surprising if the next Doom game also opted for a medieval slash fest.

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DOOM: The Dark Ages

FPS

Systems

Released

May 15, 2025

ESRB

m

Developer(s)

id Software

Publisher(s)

Bethesda Softworks

See at Steam