DOOM: The Dark Ages — Revelations DLC Launches July 7 With Chain Spear, 10-12 Hours of New Content

id Software is dropping the first major expansion for DOOM: The Dark Ages on July 7, and it sounds like the kind of DLC that justifies itself. Revelations clocks in at 10 to 12 hours, combines a six-level story campaign with a full endgame, and introduces a brand-new weapon — the Chain Spear — that fundamentally changes how the Slayer moves through the battlefield. Game Director Hugo Martin previewed everything at a recent press event.

At a Glance

Story — The Slayer Falls

Early in the expansion, the Slayer's shield is destroyed and he is cast into a merciless purgatory — wounded and betrayed. A mysterious new ally helps him claw his way out while confronting haunting truths about himself. The goal: ascend from the prison of his own mind, destroy an abomination of the gods, and set his followers on the path to freedom.

id Software describes the Slayer's look in Revelations as closer to Conan the Barbarian — rawer and more primal than the armored warrior of the base game. The tone leans into personal stakes more than the base game's large-scale war narrative.

The Chain Spear — Everything You Need to Know

The Chain Spear is the centerpiece of Revelations. When the shield breaks at the start of the campaign, the Slayer picks it up as a left-hand replacement. As you progress, you unlock the ability to swap freely between the shield and the spear — and some endgame skills actually reward alternating between both in combat.

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"It kind of plays like the culmination of 35 years of DOOM. It adds movement tech to Dark Ages combat, complete with a dash and grapple hook. We're going to make the tanky Dark Ages Slayer fly. You'll feel like a monster truck with a jet engine strapped to your back." — Hugo Martin, id Software Studio Co-Director & Game Director

Attack Modes & Skill Trees

Each attack mode has its own dedicated skill tree, giving the Chain Spear substantial depth to grow into over the campaign.

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"There is a ton of skill expression in the DLC, and it's all through the spear, so it's worth your time and investment." — Hugo Martin, id Software

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"There is a ton of freedom and weapon tech to discover here." — Hugo Martin, id Software

Movement Tech — The Slayer Takes Flight

The Chain Spear adds three major movement capabilities that dramatically change how you traverse and engage.

• ▶Grappling Hook: Launch the spear tip on its chain toward enemies or environmental anchor points, pulling the Slayer in fast
• ▶Orbit: Lock onto an airborne enemy, tether yourself to them via the chain, and rotate around them like a moon while unloading gunfire — Martin compared this to Z-targeting from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
• ▶Dash: Directional movement for evasion

Martin noted the grapple builds on the Super Shotgun Meat Hook from DOOM Eternal but with more precise control and the freedom to pair any gun in your right hand simultaneously.

Campaign Structure

Revelations splits its content into two roughly distinct halves:

Senior Community Lead Joshua Boyle confirmed that Revelations is larger than DOOM Eternal's two DLCs combined.

The endgame revisits campaign levels with added objectives, puzzles, and tougher encounters. The centerpiece is a large explorable hub with Metroidvania-style exploration — including classic DOOM (1993) levels recreated with modern visuals and materials. Expect the original geometry rendered at 2026 fidelity. It ends with an ultimate boss fight and Master Arenas that require true mastery of both the shield and the Chain Spear to clear.

All of the base game's difficulty sliders carry over, so the full expansion is accessible to players of any skill level.

Developer Background

New Enemies in Revelations

Martin's advice for dealing with them: "You got to kill them fast." The endgame escalates enemy density and demands you juggle the shield, spear, and a third gun simultaneously.

Platform Details

Free for All — Ripatorium 3.0

Whether or not you buy Revelations, every DOOM: The Dark Ages player gets the free Ripatorium 3.0 update on July 7.

Community Reaction

The Chain Spear reveal hit well. On Reddit's r/Doom and across gaming Twitter, the dominant reaction was "this is the Meat Hook successor we've been waiting for." The Orbit mechanic drew particular interest — circling a flying demon while unloading a BFG round is exactly the kind of power fantasy the community wanted.

The announcement that classic 1993 DOOM levels would appear in the endgame — rebuilt in current-gen visuals — sent longtime fans into overdrive. Several posts noted that id Software doing its own nostalgia callback beats any remake.

The one concern raised was the forced shield-less opening. Martin directly addressed it: the swap becomes available as you progress, and the spear's depth is designed to win players over through play rather than explanation.

Buying Guide

Math check: Base game ($23.09) + Revelations standalone ($19.99) = $43.08, which is more expensive than the Premium Edition Upgrade ($34.99) for existing players. If you're buying both, the upgrade is the better deal. Steam Summer Sale ends July 9 — after that, the base game returns to $69.99.

GamePeak Summary

Revelations looks like it earns the expansion label rather than wearing it. The Chain Spear adds genuine mechanical depth, the endgame content sounds substantial, and the classic DOOM level recreations are a smart piece of fan service that also serves as a design statement — id Software has 35 years of source material to pull from, and they're using it.

July 7 is the answer to whether this is the culmination Hugo Martin keeps describing.