Key Highlights:
- DOOM: The Dark Ages Revelations Chain Spear introduces new combat and movement abilities when the DLC launches on 7 July 2026.
- The expansion adds a 10 to 12-hour campaign, new arenas, and major Ripatorium content.
- Id Software says the weapon blends The Dark Ages’ heavier combat with movement inspired by DOOM Eternal.
Id Software has shared an in-depth look at the DOOM: The Dark Ages Revelations Chain Spear, revealing how the new weapon transforms combat in the game’s first major expansion ahead of its launch on 7 July 2026.
According to Xbox Wire, Revelations delivers around 10 to 12 hours of demon-slaying content, combining a new story campaign with endgame challenges, fresh Ripatorium content, and the debut of the Chain Spear, a weapon designed to offer players more speed and mobility without abandoning the heavier combat style introduced in DOOM: The Dark Ages.
Game Director and id Software Studio Co-Director Hugo Martin described the expansion as the culmination of decades of DOOM’s combat design:
“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.”
The Chain Spear replaces the Slayer’s shield early in the campaign after it is destroyed. Although players will eventually be able to switch freely between both pieces of equipment, the DLC initially encourages learning the new weapon before combining the two during later encounters.
Unlike the shield, the Chain Spear offers multiple attack styles, each supported by its own skill tree. Players can stab enemies at close range, throw it as a powerful ranged attack, slam it into the ground, or unleash wide slashing attacks capable of breaking armour, defeating weaker demons for resources, and parrying incoming attacks.
Its biggest addition, however, is movement. The spear can function as a grappling hook, pulling the Slayer towards enemies or across the environment while allowing any weapon to remain equipped in the other hand. Another new ability, Orbit, lets players circle airborne enemies while remaining tethered to them, creating fresh opportunities to attack from different angles during combat.
Martin compared the targeting system behind Orbit to the lock-on mechanic introduced in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, giving players greater control while moving through fast-paced battles.
Beyond the new weapon, Revelations expands the game’s overall scope. Around 60% of the DLC focuses on its story campaign, while the remaining 40% centres on endgame content. Players can revisit earlier areas with additional objectives, puzzles, and hidden secrets before taking on an Uber Boss and a series of Master Arenas designed to test complete mastery of both the shield and Chain Spear.
The expansion also introduces a large interconnected hub featuring exploration inspired by Metroidvania games, alongside recreated levels from the original DOOM rendered with modern visuals.
I think the Chain Spear is more than just another weapon. Everything shown so far suggests it’s designed to reshape how players approach combat, blending the grounded, defensive style of DOOM: The Dark Ages with the faster movement that made DOOM Eternal so popular. If that balance works as intended, Revelations could feel like a natural evolution rather than simply an extra chapter.