Here’s a fun fact for gamers and comic fans alike: Doom: The Dark Ages’ Slayer takes a leaf out of Batman’s The Dark Knight, courtesy of Frank Miller. id Software recently announced that starting May 15, 2025, you can earn achievements for Doom: The Dark Ages, which marks its departure from our ever-growing Game Pass roster.
During a recent glimpse into Doom: The Dark Ages, we participated in a Q&A with id Software and uncovered some intriguing insights. Hugo Martin, the game’s creative director, spilled the beans on how the medieval-style Doom Slayer draws heavy inspiration from Frank Miller’s Dark Knight series, with hints at this concept brewing since the creation of Doom (2016).
It seems that the influence of Frank Miller’s iconic work has significantly shaped Doom: The Dark Ages, giving us a Slayer who is bulkier and more formidable. Amid Microsoft’s legal tussles with the FTC over acquiring Activision Blizzard, court documents leaked a project called Doom: Year One in development at Bethesda.
Hugo Martin confirmed that the codename was indeed a nod to Batman’s Year One, a comic he and Marty Stratton admired since 2016. The Dark Knight, as a whole, served as a major muse.
Martin was enthusiastic, sharing, “My all-time favorite comic, unsurprisingly shared by many, is Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight. It portrayed Batman as this massive, tank-like figure with an impressive, mighty arsenal. Everything about him was powerful and captivating. The idea was to craft a Slayer just like that—a strong, imposing version.”
He continued, “Doom Eternal and its expansions exhausted the speedy, acrobatic angle. We’re proud of what Doom (2016) achieved, and Doom Eternal holds its ground, too, but this new direction offers a refreshing power fantasy. It’s exciting to bring that to life—his every move packs a punch, quite literally.”
Martin also mentioned the desire to delve into a prequel, which was subtly planted in Doom (2016) through the Slayer’s Testaments and rich lore. They aspired to finally develop a game exploring that backstory.
“Visionaries like George Lucas set the standard for crafting layered histories for heroes in the ’80s,” Martin reflected. “When done well, and the fans are eager, sequels can explore these origins.”
“We dreamed about exploring the Slayer’s origins right from the start with the Slayer’s Testaments, nurturing this legend. Fingers crossed, we hoped to eventually narrate that story,” he added.
Are you pumped to dive into the skin of a Dark Knight-inspired Doom Slayer in this thrilling Xbox shooter? Share your excitement in the comments below!
