^{Image: Bethesda Game Studios}

Id Software returns to the Doom franchise with a prequel releasing next year.

Id Software’s iconic first-person shooter franchise Doom returns next year with a twist. During this week’s packed Xbox Games Showcase, the developer unveiled Doom: The Dark Ages, a prequel to Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal set during a massive war between the Sentinels and the demonic forces of hell.

Watch the trailer below:

The Doomguy gets medieval in Doom: The Dark Ages

Even after wrapping up the Doom Slayer’s story neatly in Doom Eternal, Id Software isn’t ready to hang the franchise up just yet. Doom: The Dark Ages is a medieval fantasy-inspired prequel that explores the Doom Slayer’s origins with the Sentinels, back when he joined their ranks to combat the demons of hell.

Here’s how Bethesda describes the game:

Vile forces push a kingdom to the brink. Fangs gnashing, their fury is emboldened by the flames of Hell’s own malevolence. No mortal blade cuts their masses down. No bulwark stays their advance. No army dares match them in the battlefield. But you will. You are the super weapon primed to destroy evil. For when Hell is at the gates, the DOOM Slayer answers.

Doom: The Dark Ages is a single player action shooter much like its predecessors, only with a few changes to combat - namely, new weapons like the Flail and Shield Saw. Despite its far-flung setting, the iconic Super Shotgun will also return to the Doomguy’s arsenal. Other demons from previous Doom games will return, though they’ll feature barbaric new looks to fit this medieval setting. You’ll also get to pilot a skyscraper-sized mech called the Atlan and ride a Mecha Dragon.

Despite technically being a first-party game, Doom: The Dark Ages is getting a multiplatform release. The game launches on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PC in 2025. Check out more announcements and trailers from Xbox Games Showcase 2024 here.

Doom: The Dark Ages puts a medieval fantasy spin on the iconic shooter