Summary
- Doom: The Dark Ages is now available on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
- The boomer shooter's early reception is overwhelmingly positive, as underlined by its 96% reviewer recommendation rate on OpenCritic.
- At least five more titles are coming to Xbox Game Pass in May 2025.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate has added Doom: The Dark Ages to its content catalog. This is the 53rd new title to reach Microsoft's subscription service since the start of the year, as well as the eighth new Xbox Game Pass release in May.
Id Software and Bethesda originally announced Doom: The Dark Ages during the June 2024 Xbox Games Showcase. The latest installment in the long-running boomer shooter franchise has been in development since around 2021 and has had its release date set since January 2025.
Xbox Game Pass Adds 2018 Game With 'Very Positive' Reviews
The seventh title to join Xbox Game Pass in May 2025 is a 2018 action adventure with 'Very Positive' Steam reviews and widely beloved co-op.
Doom: The Dark Ages was treated to a rolling release, starting in the late evening hours of May 14 (ET) and continuing into the early morning of May 15 (CET). Like any other game made by a Microsoft-owned company, the frantic first-person shooter is a day-one Xbox Game Pass release, available via the Ultimate and PC tiers of the service. Doom: The Dark Ages also comes with Xbox Cloud Gaming support, allowing XGP Ultimate members to stream it via a supported device.
Upcoming Xbox Game Pass Games: Release Calendar
|
Game |
Game Pass Tier(s) |
Platform(s) |
Date |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
DOOM: The Dark Ages |
Ultimate, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
May 15 |
Day-one release. |
|
Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo |
Ultimate, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
May 16 |
Day-one release. |
|
Firefighting Simulator: The Squad |
Ultimate, PC, Standard |
Cloud, Console, PC |
May 20 |
|
|
Police Simulator: Patrol Officers |
Ultimate, PC, Standard |
Cloud, Console, PC |
May 20 |
|
|
To A T |
Ultimate, PC |
PC, Series X/S |
May 28 |
Day-one release. |
|
Spray Paint Simulator |
Ultimate, PC |
Console, PC |
May 29 |
Day-one release. |
|
The Alters |
Ultimate, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
Jun 13 |
Day-one release. |
|
FBC: Firebreak |
Ultimate, PC |
PC, Series X/S |
Jun 17 |
Day-one release. |
|
Rematch |
Ultimate, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
Jun 19 |
Day-one release. |
|
Against the Storm |
Ultimate |
Console |
Jun 26 |
Day-one (console) release. Available on PC Game Pass since October 2021. |
|
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 |
Ultimate, PC |
Console, PC |
Jul 11 |
Day-one release. |
|
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers |
Ultimate, PC |
PC, Series X/S |
Jul 24 |
Day-one release. |
|
Gears of War: Reloaded |
Ultimate, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
Aug 26 |
Day-one release. |
Doom: The Dark Ages Is Getting Rave Reviews
The game's early reception has been overwhelmingly positive, as highlighted by its "Mighty" rating on OpenCritic, derived from an average score of 86 and a near-perfect 96% recommendation rate. Many reviewers praised Doom: The Dark Ages for its addition of the Shield Saw and the accompanying parry system, which serves as a fresh twist on the series' trademark brutality and fast-paced action. The game was also lauded for its customization options, exploration-encouraging level design, high replay value, and various quality-of-life features, including point-of-no-return indicators and granular difficulty settings. Doom: The Dark Ages also holds "Very Positive" reviews on Steam right now, based on over 4,300 player impressions.
When Will Doom: The Dark Ages Come to Xbox Game Pass Standard?
Doom: The Dark Ages is not expected to join the Xbox Game Pass Standard catalog before late 2025 and may not arrive until 2026. When Microsoft restructured its subscription tiers in September 2024, the company indicated that the timing of XGP Standard additions relative to their day-one releases on the Ultimate tier would be determined on a case-by-case basis. However, most delays are expected to range between six and twelve months. Based on that guidance, Doom: The Dark Ages is projected to be added to Xbox Game Pass Standard between November 2025 and May 2026.
At least five more titles are coming to Xbox Game Pass in May 2025. The first of those is Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo, a distinctive-looking indie that will debut on the service tomorrow, May 16. Firefighting Simulator: The Squad and Police Simulator: Patrol Officers are then scheduled to arrive four days later, followed by To A T on May 28. Lastly, Spray Paint Simulator has recently been confirmed for May 29. Except for the two public service simulation games, all of these upcoming titles are day-one releases.
