Slaughter Mode, an endless wave-survival challenge, arrives in DOOM: The Dark Ages on Monday, November 16, 2026. Bethesda and id Software say it is a free update for owners of the Revelations DLC, and the official Bethesda announcement does not give a launch time or a platform list.
Table of Contents
Slaughter Mode release date, price and who gets it
| Question | What Bethesda has said |
|---|---|
| Release date | November 16, 2026 (no time of day given) |
| Price | Free for owners of the Revelations DLC; no extra cost |
| Who qualifies | Owners of the Revelations DLC, the DOOM: The Dark Ages Premium Edition or the Premium Upgrade |
| What it is | An endless, single-run combat challenge with escalating waves, bosses and arenas |
| Platforms | Not listed in the post; the base game is on PS5, Xbox Series and PC (see below) |
Slaughter Mode throws escalating waves, bosses and arenas at you in a single run. AI-generated illustration
What is Slaughter Mode in DOOM: The Dark Ages?
Bethesda describes Slaughter Mode as “relentless, escalating and unpredictable waves of demonic hordes.” Every run is randomized: you fight rounds of random encounters, bosses and arenas, and the difficulty climbs the further you get. The goal is a personal best score.
Clearing rounds earns Skulls, and Skulls unlock rewards. According to Bethesda, those include Slaughter Mode-only Slayer skins, weapon skins that work in all modes, and profile icons. You can also unlock tracks from Andrew Hulshult’s IDKFA soundtrack, which play in Slaughter Mode and in the Ripatorium. Weekly challenges add more chances to earn rewards.
How the Secure or Risk It checkpoints work
The main twist is a push-your-luck system. When you survive to a Round Checkpoint, you choose between two options:
- Secure: bank your current Skulls so that dying later cannot take them.
- Risk It: add to your Skull Multiplier so you earn more Skulls during the run, but if you are slain while Risk It is active, you lose all unsecured Skulls.
Death is not a full reset. Each Round Checkpoint you complete also unlocks a new starting point for future runs, so you can begin later encounters sooner next time.
At each Round Checkpoint you choose to Secure your Skulls or Risk It. AI-generated illustration
Is Slaughter Mode on Game Pass, and which platforms?
Bethesda’s post covers the mode, not the platforms. Gematsu’s write-up of the announcement notes that DOOM: The Dark Ages is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series and PC through Steam and the Microsoft Store, and that the base game is also on Game Pass. Neither source says whether the Revelations DLC itself is included with Game Pass, so check the DLC’s store page before assuming it is. Xbox Wire also published the announcement on November 12 with a new trailer.
If you have been tracking what else is arriving on Game Pass this month, see our list of every Game Pass addition during Xbox 25th Anniversary Week. For other Bethesda games you can tweak on PC, our Fallout 4 console commands guide covers caps, perk points and item IDs.
What’s next
Bethesda has not said what time Slaughter Mode goes live on November 16, so expect the update to appear in your store’s update list that day rather than at a set hour. We will update this post if Bethesda publishes patch notes, a start time or platform details.
Sources: Bethesda Slayers Club (November 12, 2026), Xbox Wire, Gematsu.
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Featured image: Bethesda Softworks / id Software
