Will Doom: The Dark Ages have co-op or multiplayer?
Doom: The Dark Ages is on the horizon, and the big lingering question for many series fans is whether it’ll have any online multiplayer or co-op.
Many fans worldwide consider the modern Doom games to be the best FPS game series going. Taking the charm of the original games and adding a fresh coat of paint, both veterans and newcomers to the series can jump into the boots of the Doomguy to cause serious mayhem. While 2016’s Doom and its sequel Doom: Infinite don’t focus much on the story, that’s slated to change with Doom: The Dark Ages.
Doom can always be played alone, but some players prefer playing with or against friends. With the many multiplayer modes both modern Doom games feature, some may want to duke it out in maps based on the medieval setting of The Dark Ages. Unfortunately, that’s not looking to be possible in the series’ latest release.
Will there be co-op or multiplayer in Doom: The Dark Ages?
No, Doom: The Dark Ages won’t include any form of multiplayer, including co-op.
During a Q&A session after the January 23 Xbox Direct, Doom: The Dark Ages’ executive producer Marty Stratton stated that the game won’t have multiplayer. Stratton continued by saying that the developers are instead focusing on making the largest single-player campaign in the series.
He added that developers wanted to include features like the mech and dragon in previous entries but couldn’t because of the focus on multiplayer. Both features could potentially be overpowered, leading to an unfair experience in multiplayer. Fortunately, developers can now let loose for a strictly single-player experience. The core theme of the Doom games is the player becoming an unstoppable force, and PvP goes against that by requiring that things be at least somewhat balanced.
Doom: The Dark Ages is the first game after the reboot in 2016 to not include any form of multiplayer. 2016’s Doom had PvP multiplayer modes including TDM, Freeze Tag, Domination, and more. Doom Eternal’s multiplayer mode, titled Battlemode, was a PvP 2v1 deathmatch experience. Though it didn’t have the traditional multiplayer modes the prequel did.
All this isn’t to say that Doom: The Dark Ages won’t feature other characters. Instead of other players, the game’s campaign will feature other NPCs that players will fight alongside or against the player. Doom: The Dark Ages is promising to be the most ambitious single-player Doom experience to date. Things like flying on dragons and sitting inside giant mechs will certainly help achieve that.
When will Doom: The Dark Ages come out?
Doom: The Dark Ages is slated to come out on May 15, 2025, on Xbox Series S/X, PS5, and PC.
According to its many teasers, Doom: The Dark Ages will serve as a prequel to the other two games in the rebooted Doom series. Instead of being the battle-hardened veteran the other two games make him out to be, the Doom Slayer will be a fresh weapon of destruction.
True to its themes, The Dark Ages will have a medieval setting in a “never-before-seen” war against hell. Unlike the extremely fast-paced combat of the other two games, Doom: The Dark Ages aims to make the player character more grounded, held back by the dated iron armor and weapons of the time.
Hannan Mundia is a lifelong gamer. Don’t believe us? Just ask him. But don’t ask how many hours he’s spent playing. He’s been gaming since the age of three, and much of his live revolves around video games and the video game industry. Whether it’s a classic Legend of Zelda game from Nintendo, the newest Bethesda RPG, or something else entirely, you can bet that Hannan is ready and willing to play it.
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