By Fletcher Wilkinson 
The first hands-on previews for DOOM: The Dark Ages – Revelations have officially arrived giving Xbox players their best look yet at the upcoming expansion before it launches on July 7, 2026.
Following the successful release of DOOM: The Dark Ages earlier this year, ID Software is preparing to expand the brutal medieval shooter with an all-new story campaign that’s expected to offer between 10 and 12 hours of gameplay. Early impressions suggest Revelations isn’t just more of the same either, with larger environments, fresh mechanics and a more exploration-focused structure.
Unlike a traditional DLC that simply adds a handful of missions, Revelations appears to significantly expand the overall experience.
Players will explore six brand-new locations, including a large central hub that connects multiple areas together. According to early previews, the expansion encourages revisiting previous areas after unlocking new abilities, giving the campaign a structure that feels more like a Metroidvania than previous DOOM games.
That means secrets, optional paths and hidden upgrades should play a much bigger role than before.
One of the biggest additions is the Chain Spear, a brand-new weapon that also doubles as a traversal tool.
Rather than simply being used in combat, the Chain Spear allows players to quickly move around arenas, reach previously inaccessible locations and solve environmental challenges while exploring the world.
Combined with the Doom Slayer’s already fast-paced movement, the new mechanics appear to add even more mobility to combat encounters.
Early preview impressions have been overwhelmingly positive.
(We) recommend you complete the base Dark Ages campaign before jumping into Revelations, as it has a higher base difficulty than the core campaign. It has six levels total – five plus the Purgatory hub – that you’ll do plenty of backtracking through. But it won’t be for nothing; these spaces are designed metroidvania-style, so you’ll be able to access new areas within them as you earn and upgrade abilities during the course of play.
The Chain Spear has multiple movement abilities to help you soar across the arena, with these used during exploration as well. As you complete the Base Game, the progression in the End Game sees you completing tasks in the world like Slayer Trials, Puzzles, Classic Levels, and more.
I could tell just how much bigger and broader Revelations was going with its map design and structure. With a total of six new levels, as well as an enormous hub world that also acts as its own level, Revelations isn’t just looking to tread old ground.
DOOM: The Dark Ages – Revelations launches on July 7, 2026 for Xbox Series X|S and PC.
The expansion supports Xbox Play Anywhere, allowing you to seamlessly continue their progress across Xbox and PC.
Revelations is available separately or as part of both the Premium Edition and Premium Upgrade for DOOM: The Dark Ages.
Jordan Campbell