Summary
Xbox is in a bit of a strange spot with its first-party studios. In theory, Xbox should be at the very top of the gaming industry right now, with Bethesda and Activision-Blizzard now under its umbrella. But there’sa lack of Xbox exclusiveslining the rest of 2024, and what was the company’s biggest pull this year –Indiana Jones and the Great Circle– has just confirmed that it’s coming to PlayStation in Spring 2025, just months after its launch on Xbox and PC. But there are still some huge Xbox games on the horizon, withDoom: The Dark AgesandGears of War: E-Daybeing two of the biggest.
Both announced during this year’s Xbox Showcase,Doom: The Dark AgesandGears of War: E-Daywill take players further back into their respective franchises than they’ve ever gone before. Both games are prequels set long before the events of the rest of the mainline series. And though the proof will be in the pudding,Doom: The Dark AgesandGears of War: E-Day’s novel approach could usher in a new age for Xbox’s first-party IP.
Doom: The Dark Ages and Gears of War: E-Day Could Start a Chain Reaction for Xbox
Doom: The Dark Ages and Gears of War: E-Day Are Prequels That Shake Things Up
While prequels aren’t inherently exciting, bothDoom: The Dark AgesandGears of War: E-Dayseem to be embracing their time periods in some significant ways, which will likely deliver experiences unlike anything fans have played in the series' past.Doom: The Dark Ageshas no shortage of examples of this. Set many years before the events of2016’sDoomreboot,Doom: The Dark Agesfollows the Doomslayer’s rise to legend status as he battles against the endless hordes of Hell for the first time.
Doom: The Dark Agesleans all the way into its prequel premise, replacing the series' usual Sci-Fi aesthetic with a more fantasy-inspired visual design. Rather than blast their way through Mars colonies and high-tech science labs, players will be gunning down demons in old stone castles and ancient ruins. This new setting brings with it a wealth of new weapons and enemy types, such as a bone-spitting machine gun and mechanical dragons, some of which appeared inDoom: The Dark Ages' reveal trailer.
While fans haven’t seen much fromGears of War: E-Day, its prequel setting is also promising a significant shake-up in terms of narrative and gameplay. Set during the titularEmergence Day, when the Locust first invaded humankind,Gears of War: E-Dayis set 14 years before the events of the first game in the franchise. This means that the weaponry players will use will likely be quite different, and that long-dead allies will be making a brief return.
Other Xbox Franchises That Could Use a Prequel
IfDoom: The Dark AgesandGears of War: E-Dayend up fulfilling their potential, and if they succeed both critically and commercially, then it seems likely that Xbox will want to repeat that formula for some of its other franchises, and are plenty of Xbox first-party series that deserve a prequel.
Halo
TheHalofranchise already has one of the most beloved prequels of all time withHalo Reach, but there’s always room for more, especially when the universe is as big asHalo’s. Another game set before the events ofthe originalHalotrilogyis something fans have wanted for years now, and there’s no shortage of possibilities for its story. A game revolving around ODSTs, the original batch of Spartans, or just a simple group of Marines encountering the Covenant for the first time would be a great backdrop for aHaloprequel.
The Elder Scrolls
TheElder Scrollsfranchise has an incredibly long-reaching timeline that spans thousands of years. The vast majority ofElder Scrollsgames take place between the Second and Fourth Eras, themselves containing multiple centuries each. It might be fun to get a full-lengthElder Scrollsprequel game set during the Merethic Era, possibly amid the Dragon War.
WHERE TO PLAY
BECOME THE SLAYER IN A MEDIEVAL WAR AGAINST HELLDOOM: The Dark Ages is the prequel to the critically acclaimed DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal that tells an epic cinematic story worthy of the DOOM Slayer’s legend. In this third installment of the modern DOOM series, players will step into the blood-stained boots of the DOOM Slayer, in this never-before-seen dark and sinister medieval war against Hell.
DOOM: The Dark Ages is a dark fantasy/sci-fi single-player experience that delivers the searing combat and over-the-top visuals of the incomparable DOOM franchise, powered by the latest idTech engine.REIGN IN HELLAs the super weapon of gods and kings, shred enemies with devastating favorites like the Super Shotgun while also wielding a variety of new bone-chewing weapons, including the versatile Shield Saw. Players will stand and fight on the demon-infested battlefields in the vicious, grounded combat the original DOOM is famous for.STAND AND FIGHTExperience an epic story of the DOOM Slayer’s rage in this cinematic and action-packed story. Bound to serve as the super weapon of gods and kings, the DOOM Slayer fends off demon hordes as their leader seeks to destroy the Slayer and become the only one that is feared. Witness the creation of a legend as the Slayer takes on all of Hell and turns the tide of the war.DISCOVER UNKNOWN REALMSIn his quest to crush the legions of Hell, the Slayer must take the fight to never-before-seen realms. Mystery, challenges, and rewards lurk in every shadow of ruined castles, epic battlefields, dark forests, ancient hellscapes, and worlds beyond. Armed with the viciously powerful Shield Saw, cut through a dark world of menace and secrets in id’s largest and most expansive levels to date.
