Doom: The Dark Ages Is Battle.Net's Next Non-Activision Blizzard Game

Doom: The Dark Ages will be available on PC through Battle.net, Blizzard has announced, making id Software's upcoming shooter only the second non-Activision Blizzard title to be offered on Blizzard's platform.

Buying Doom: The Dark Ages on Battle.net doesn't mean being locked into Blizzard's digital ecosystem. Instead, buying the game on Battle.net and linking an Xbox account also grants access to the game on Xbox consoles and the Xbox app for Windows PCs at no extra cost, an extension of Xbox's "Play Anywhere" initiative where buying certain games on Xbox or PC grants access to both the console and PC versions.

Battle.net was once exclusively home to Blizzard's own franchises like World of Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo. In 2017, Bungie's Destiny 2 became the first non-Blizzard (but still Activision-published) game to be offered on Battle.net, followed by other Activision titles like yearly installments of Call of Duty and even Crash Bandicoot 4 in 2020. Destiny 2, meanwhile, would later be removed from Battle.net in 2020, as it's no longer published by Activision.

In February, Obsidian's new first-person RPG Avowed became the first non-Activision Blizzard game to be offered on Battle.net. Obsidian is owned by Microsoft, which acquired Activision Blizzard in 2023. Doom: The Dark Ages developer id Software was acquired by Microsoft as part of its acquisition of ZeniMax Media in 2021. Microsoft has not stated whether all of its future first-party PC titles will also see release on Battle.net, but Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4, an Activision title, will be available on Battle.net later this year. Doom: The Dark Ages, Avowed, and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 are also all available for purchase on Steam. Meanwhile, numerous Blizzard titles, including Diablo 4, the Blizzard Arcade Collection, and others have become available on Xbox Game Pass.

Doom: The Dark Ages releases May 15 and serves as a prequel to id's two most recent entries in the demon-slaying franchise, exploring the origins of the legendary Doom Slayer as he battles the armies of hell in a medieval-styled world that is a far cry from the sci-fi setting the series is typically known for. While melee weapons and a chainsaw shield will bring some new flair to Doom's signature FPS gameplay, players can still expect plenty of ranged weaponry to blast demons apart with, alongside the ability to pilot a cybernetic dragon and a giant Pacific Rim-esque mech. Despite now being a Microsoft franchise, Doom: The Dark Ages will be available on PlayStation 5 as well as Xbox Series X|S and PC.

For more, check out our Doom: The Dark Ages preorder guide. If you're looking to buy it on PC, Fanatical has it discounted to $58.79 ahead of release.

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