Many players have received Doom: The Dark Ages ahead of its release date, with details on bosses, cut scenes, and skins now out in the wild.
Bethesda’s medieval-themed sequel to Doom Eternal is mere days away, and after reviews went live last week, it seems some ordinary players have already got access to the game.
The third instalment in developer id Software’s modern Doom trilogy, titled Doom: The Dark Ages, is set to be released worldwide on Thursday, May 15 acrossXbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC.
Or, at least, that was the original plan. As highlighted by several players on Reddit, some have received their copies early, with details now circulating online.
‘Hey dudes, I got lucky and got the [Collector’s Edition on] the 8th and just finished this amazing game, what a trip,’ one user posted. ‘This will have spoilers, so it’s up to you if you want to get spoiled.’
Another Reddit user in the US, who posted a picture of the opening menu screen, also received their physical copy in advance after pre-ordering from Walmart. An early access period is set to start tonight (May 12) for those who pre-ordered the premium edition, so it’s possible retailers have prematurely sent them out to try and hit that window.
While we won’t cover the specific details here, ‘spoilers’ have started to crop online, including images of the new enemy demons, late-game bosses, and unlockable skins.
Screenshots from cut scenes have also leaked, so if you’re one of the three people who are emotionally invested in Doom’s narrative, browse the internet with some caution from now on.
These early copies have also outed a quirk with the physical version. According to reports, the physical disc of Doom: The Dark Ages on PlayStation 5 ‘contains nothing but the data necessary to trigger a download of the game from the internet’.
A report on Polish outlet ppe.pl verified the issue, adding: ‘This means PlayStation 5 owners hoping to step into the Doom Slayer’s boots should be prepared to download over 80 GB – the full size of the game.’
The physical PlayStation 5 version of Indiana Jones And The Great Circle also required an internet connection to download the game despite it being a single-player experience, in what, between Microsoft ports and Game-Key cards on the Nintendo Switch 2, is becoming a growing trend.
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