Microsoft’s next big game, Doom: The Dark Ages, launches May 15 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. If you’re eager to play the game as soon as possible, developer Bethesda has now published the exact global launch times and confirmed preloading details.
Preloading
Preloading for Doom: The Dark Ages begins May 11 at midnight UTC. The game requires at least 100GB of storage, so it’s beefy and you may need to clear up some space before installing.
Unlock Times
Doom: The Dark Ages officially launches on May 15, but people who pay more for the $100 Premium Edition can start playing on May 13. The Dark Ages is included with Game Pass Ultimate, and subscribers can spend $35 on a Premium upgrade pack to play two days early and get other perks.
Here are the unlock times for America and England, while you can check out the full graphic below to find out when The Dark Ages launches in other parts of the world.
Los Angeles
- Early access: May 12, 5 PM PDT
- Full launch: May 14, 5 PM PDT
New York
- Early access: May 12, 8 PM EDT
- Full launch: May 14, 8 PM EDT
London
- Early access: May 13, 1 AM BST
- Full launch: May 15, 1 AM BST
The Dark Ages is developed by Bethesda’s id Software and is the third game in the newest series that began with 2016’s Doom and continued with 2020’s Doom Eternal. Although the series is now owned by Microsoft, the company is releasing The Dark Ages on PS5 as part of its new multiplatform release strategy.
Microsoft is also selling a Dark Ages-inspired Xbox controller and Xbox Series X wrap.
GameSpot’s Doom: The Dark Ages review scored the game an 8/10. Reviewer Alessandro Barbosa said, “Doom: The Dark Ages reinvents and reins in with equal measure, taking the series in a bold new direction without straying from its captivating roots.”
