DOOM: The Dark Ages promises “accurate hit detection” with help from cutting-edge ray tracing implementation
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id Software’s much-anticipated medieval-themed first-person shooter, DOOM: The Dark Ages, is shaping up to be one of the best-looking games of 2025. It’s powered by the latest version of the id Tech engine, featuring full path tracing and the newly announced DLSS 4 with support for Multi-Frame Generation. This support was announced by Nvidia at CES 2025 alongside its new GeForce GPUs, including the flagship RTX 5090.
And now, it has been revealed that the game will use ray tracing (RT) not only to enhance visuals but also to offer key gameplay improvements, such as better hit detection and the ability to distinguish materials in a bid to make the game more immersive. Additionally, the game is already running smoothly on the latest GeForce RTX 50 Series hardware.
DOOM: The Dark Ages goes all-in on RT and DLSS
This new information comes from Tweaktown, who were present at Nvidia’s Editor’s Day at CES 2025, where Nvidia unveiled a series of new and updated RTX technologies set to feature in upcoming PC games, including DOOM: The Dark Ages. The event also included a presentation from Bethesda and id Software, showcasing the game’s cutting-edge ray-traced visuals and how RT and DLSS will play a major role in shaping what you see on screen, from level creation to the environments and DOOM’s intense, fast-paced action.
Billy Khan, Director of Engine Technology at id Software, explained how ray tracing helped them achieve these visual and gameplay enhancements. He mentioned that, in the past, they struggled to provide accurate hit detection, but with ray tracing, they were able to overcome that challenge. Here’s what Billy Khan had to say:
“We can leverage it [ray tracing] for things we haven’t been able to do in the past, which is giving accurate hit detection”
“So when you fire your weapon, the [hit] detection would be able to tell if you’re hitting a pixel that is leather sitting next to a pixel that is metal”
“Before ray tracing, we couldn’t distinguish between two pixels very easily, and we would pick one or the other because the materials were too complex. Ray tracing can do this on a per-pixel basis and showcase if you’re hitting metal or even something that’s fur. It makes the game more immersive, and you get that direct feedback as the player.”
Billy Khan, Director of Engine Technology at id Software
Aside from DOOM: The Dark Ages, many other titles will launch with day-one DLSS 4 support, including Witcher IV, Black State, and Dune: Awakening. On the other hand, certain titles like the most anticipated action game of 2025, Black Myth: Wukong, are expected to receive a DLSS Multi-Frame Generation upgrade later this year.
With such a strong emphasis on RT and DLSS, it remains to be seen how these games will perform for AMD Radeon users, especially those interested in the RX 9070 series, which was recently rumored to cost up to $599. For now at least, anticipation for DOOM: The Dark Ages continues to grow.
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