DOOM: The Dark Ages Gets a New Cinematic Trailer — id Software Teases Expansive Worlds, Streamlined Progression, and Next-Gen Visual Enhancements

In a surprise Easter Sunday drop, Bethesda Softworks and id Software released the second official trailer for DOOM: The Dark Ages, offering a closer look at the game’s darker narrative focus and hinting at significant changes to gameplay design. Though the timing of the release was unconventional, the cinematic trailer quickly gained traction, amassing over half a million views within hours of going live on the official DOOM YouTube channel.

Unlike the reveal trailer shown earlier this year, this new cinematic piece is entirely focused on story, offering fans a glimpse into the lore-heavy direction id Software is pursuing for this installment. This shift aligns with comments previously made by the development team, who emphasized that DOOM: The Dark Ages would feature a stronger narrative foundation while retaining the adrenaline-fueled, fast-paced combat the franchise is known for.

From Linear Corridors to Expansive Battlefields

id Software’s Marty Stratton described the upcoming title as the most expansive DOOM game ever created—not an open-world in the traditional sense, but structured around large, semi-open sandbox zones that promote exploration and strategic combat.

"It's definitely not an open-world game, but it is the most expansive world we've ever built," Stratton said. "You really feel like you're on a battlefield. It goes from the typical linear DOOM to these large sandboxes where the exploration opens up, and you get multiple objectives that can be tackled in any order."

This new design structure allows players to take a more tactical approach to exploration and progression, with rewards tied to how deeply they engage with each zone.

Cleaner Progression Systems Inspired by DOOM Eternal

Another major evolution is how progression is handled. According to Hugo Martin, The Dark Ages benefits from lessons learned during the development of DOOM Eternal. In particular, the developers wanted to simplify the in-game economy to make upgrades and customization more intuitive for players.

“We’ve really streamlined the economy and the currencies,” said Martin. “If you have too many currencies and skill trees, you confuse the player. But speaking of the level design, we’re very proud of it. It’s some of the best work we’ve ever done.”

Progression is now tied more directly to exploration and combat milestones, rather than a multitude of overlapping upgrade trees. This aims to give players a more satisfying sense of growth without overwhelming them with micromanagement.

Platform Support and Next-Gen Features

DOOM: The Dark Ages is set to launch on May 15, 2025, and will be available across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. The PC version, in particular, is poised to push technical boundaries. It will support NVIDIA DLSS 4 Frame Generation, enabling smoother performance at higher resolutions, as well as path tracing, delivering a significant leap in visual fidelity.

Given that both DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal were ported to the Nintendo Switch, rumors are circulating that a Nintendo Switch 2 version is also in development. While not yet confirmed, this would align with Bethesda’s history of broad platform support and id Software’s ability to optimize its engine across hardware tiers.

A New Era for DOOM?

While the essence of DOOM—visceral combat, relentless enemies, and intense momentum—remains intact, The Dark Ages appears to represent a strategic reimagining of what the franchise can be. By weaving in a richer narrative, giving players more room to explore, and refining how power progression works, id Software seems to be aiming for a more mature and layered experience.

Whether the new direction will resonate with the series’ most hardcore fans remains to be seen, but it’s clear that The Dark Ages is more than just another sequel—it’s a bold attempt to evolve the franchise without losing its core identity.

What do you think about the new cinematic focus and expansive gameplay design? Does DOOM need a story, or do you prefer pure demon-slaying chaos? Let us know in the comments.