Five years on from the release of Doom Eternal, developer id Software is hard at work making the series' next instalment, Doom: The Dark Ages, bigger and better than its predecessors, and according to them, nowhere is that work more apparent than in the size of its world.
In an interview conducted by PC Gamer at a recent preview event, studio chief Marty Stratton spoke about the team's approach to creating The Dark Ages' game world, specifically noting the sheer scale of it. "It's the biggest for us ever, for sure," he explains. "It's a dramatic expansion for our world. And what's amazing is you get a glimpse of it. It takes you to some unbelievable locations."
In a separate interview, creative director Hugo Martin acknowledges that the game world is at times akin to a "sandbox," and a core part of the game's progression is exploring that world. "[The levels] fold back in on themselves. You're constantly unlocking the space, and through exploration, you're gonna be able to make yourself more powerful," he explains. "Exploration is a huge part of the game. I would say it's a more expanded, linear experience with a greater emphasis on exploration."
Following 2016's Doom and 2020's Doom Eternal, expectations for The Dark Ages are, understandably high. But with a few months to go until the game's release, Stratton doesn't seem to be feeling any pre-release nerves. "I can't wait for people to get there," he says, of the game's world, "because you just walk around and the exploration part is not only great for finding those upgrades and the secrets and all that kind of stuff, but the world that you're exploring is like nothing we've done before."
Whether or not this upward trajectory continues into the future remains to be seen. The Dark Ages will not be the end of the series, according to Martin, though that will likely depend on how this year's instalment fares upon release.
