Is DOOM: The Dark Ages on Xbox Game Pass?
Yes, DOOM: The Dark Ages will be available to play on Xbox Game Pass once it comes out on May 15, 2025. Specifically, we know that it’s coming to PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, though whether it will be available on Xbox Game Pass Standard or not is unclear at the moment.
Yes, DOOM: The Dark Ages is headed to Game Pass
It’s been five long years since we last stepped into the Doom Slayer’s boots in 2020’s award-winning shooter DOOM Eternal, but you won’t have to wait much longer to do so again in the upcoming DOOM: The Dark Ages. Set far before the events of both DOOM Eternal and its predecessor DOOM (2016), The Dark Ages will tell “the epic cinematic origin story of the Doom Slayer’s rage” and complete the modern DOOM trilogy.
Scheduled to release on May 15, 2025 across Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5, The Dark Ages looks to be one of 2025’s best Xbox games and best PC games; its medieval theming brings a unique twist to a series that’s otherwise quite futuristic, and the introduction of mech piloting and dragon riding sequences brings some noteworthy variety to the brutal and fast-paced combat that DOOM is famous for. Windows Central Executive Editor Jez Corden recently got a chance to go hands-on with The Dark Ages, and firmly believes that it’s shaping up to be “a clear Game of the Year contender.”
It’s not a surprise, then, that interest in this new DOOM title is so high — or that many folks are hoping they’ll get to play it on Xbox or PC through Xbox Game Pass. The Microsoft service allows anyone subscribed to it to access hundreds of games for a monthly fee, and over the years, it’s grown to be extremely popular with gamers worldwide.
Luckily for Game Pass hopefuls, we know for certain that DOOM: The Dark Ages is coming to the program’s game library. This is because Microsoft acquired ZeniMax Media in 2021 — bringing Bethesda properties like DOOM under the Xbox umbrella — and because all new first-party Xbox games come to Game Pass on day one.
Note that while The Dark Ages has been confirmed for PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (Xbox, PC, and Xbox Cloud Gaming), though, it’s unclear if you’ll be able to play with the console-specific Xbox Game Pass Standard. The store page says it’s coming to Xbox Game Pass for Console — the tier that Standard replaced last year — but Standard often doesn’t get day one games anymore.
How else can you play DOOM: The Dark Ages?
DOOM: The Dark Ages will be available on Xbox Game Pass, but you don’t have to subscribe to the service to play it if you don’t want to. As with all games, you have the option of simply buying a permanent copy of the shooter instead; the Standard Edition has an MSRP of $69.99, but if you’re okay with playing on PC and Steam, you can get that version for just $63.99 at CDKeys. The Xbox and Windows one, meanwhile, is $65.99 at CDKeys.
There’s also the Premium Edition, which will let you play two days early on May 13 thanks to the Early Access it provides. On top of that, it also includes access to future campaign DLC, a “Divinity” skin pack for the Doom Slayer, his Atlas mech, and his mecha dragon mount, and digital copies of The Dark Ages’ soundtrack and artbook.
Unsurprisingly, it’s more expensive at $99.99, but CDKeys is here to save the day with some deals on this edition, too. Specifically, you can get the Steam version for $88.49 at CDKeys, while the Xbox and Windows copy is $91.09 at CDKeys.
