The Doom franchise is one of the most iconic names in gaming history. It is all about fast-paced action, over-the-top gore, and legendary demon-slaying mayhem. With the upcoming release of Doom: The Dark Ages, while fans are excited, they are also asking a practical question: Will they need an internet connection to play this strictly single-player game? It’s a valid concern in today’s world of always-online DRM, surprise logins, and live-service elements creeping into even solo adventures. So, what’s the reality? More details on this are shared below.
This question exists for good reason. Back in the day, when you picked up a single-player game, it was almost guaranteed you could play it offline, no strings attached. But in today’s gaming landscape, things aren’t so simple. Even titles that are purely solo experiences often come bundled with DRM, random online checks, or mandatory launcher logins that require an active internet connection, at least at launch. So now, when a new game like Doom: The Dark Ages is scheduled for a release on May 15, 2025, many are rightfully cautious and want to know upfront if they’ll need to be connected online to rip through some demons.
Can you play Doom: The Dark Ages Offline without an Internet Connection?
Well, here’s where things get a bit tricky and unfortunate. Doom: The Dark Ages comes with Denuvo Anti-Tamper DRM, and that’s where the offline play question gets a murky answer. If you are new to the gaming scene and do not know about Denuvo, it is known for requiring an initial online connection to verify game ownership, especially at launch. While it doesn’t necessarily mean the game will always be online, it does mean that a pure offline experience may not be possible right out of the box. In many past cases, games with Denuvo have required players to connect at least once, sometimes even every time they boot up, just to validate the license, even if the game itself doesn’t have any online features.
Why is Denuvo not preferred?
This kind of DRM is primarily meant to curb piracy, but it often comes at the cost of convenience for legitimate players who just want to play solo, unplugged from the internet. Denuvo DRM has also earned a pretty bad reputation in the gaming community for being intrusive and unnecessary, especially for single-player games. One of the biggest complaints is its impact on game performance. Beyond performance, it also limits player freedom: needing to be online just to launch a game you own doesn’t sit well with those who want to game while travelling, living in areas with unstable connection, or simply to avoid connectivity issues.
Well, as of now, there has been no official word from id Software or Bethesda clarifying the specifics of Denuvo’s implementation for this game. So, for the time being, all we can do is speculate. Based on the presence of Denuvo, it is expected that you’ll need an active internet connection to play Doom: The Dark Ages, at least while logging in. We’ll know for sure how restrictive it is once the game launches on May 15.
Well, that is all we have to share on the details of DRM implementation in Doom: The Dark Ages. We hope this was helpful. Remember that at DigiStatement, we vowed to bring you the latest information along with helpful guides on popular games. So, don’t forget to follow us. Also, click here to find out if multiplayer mode will also be available in the game.
