DOOM: The Dark Ages Update 4 Hotfix 2 Tunes Combat and Fixes More Progression Bugs

DOOM: The Dark Ages received Update 4 Hotfix 2 on all platforms, according to the official Steam announcement. The patch adjusts combat balance, cleans up several Chain Spear problems, fixes progression blockers, and addresses a rare crash during Atlan gameplay.

The hotfix also changes how the Skullcrusher Ravager produces ammo and health drops, limits repeated use of the Tormentor upgrade against tougher enemies, and fixes a save-breaking issue connected to the Confessional Stone in Osseus. Players should still avoid re-entering the Classic Level Encounter in Chasm of Xal’Goroth more than once per loading into the level.

The complete Update 4 release notes remain available through the official Bethesda release notes.

DOOM: The Dark Ages Update 4 Hotfix 2 Patch Notes

This hotfix focuses on combat tuning and fixes for bosses, enemies, Ripatorium arenas, cinematics, UI behavior, level progression, and crashes. The known issue in Chasm of Xal’Goroth remains unresolved.

⚖️Balance Updates

Gameplay

Skullcrusher Ravager

• Updated damage required to trigger ammo and health drops from standard enemies
• Increased damage required to trigger ammo and health drops from Vagary enemies, Xal’Goroth the Imprisoned
• Decreased damage dealt to the Pain Elemental

Tormentor (Chain Spear Meathook Orbit Upgrade)

• Against Heavy demons, Superheavy demons, or the Henchman
  • Too many consecutive uses of Tormentor in a short period of time will apply diminishing returns on max time and angle for orbiting the target, eventually leading to the post-orbit lock-on being disabled as well
• Against Vagary enemies
  • Damage dealt is reduced while Tormentor is active

Dreadmace

• When Riposte upgrade is active (with 2nd Dreadmace swing available), the backhand swing will now play first

🗺️Levels

Osseus

• In the End Game Praetor Fight, updated late-encounter Cyberdemons spawn conditions and defense roles to make them more impactful

🐞Bug Fixes

Chain Spear

• Fixed an issue where attempting to initiate a Glory Strike or synced Execution against a demon while also attempting a second Spear slash would leave the player with no hands
• Fixed an issue where triggering “Haste” from any Spear ability upgrade caused the “Dash Pass” upgrade to become disabled

👹Bosses

Marok

• Fixed an issue where Marok wouldn’t properly target the player while attacking

Xal’Goroth the Imprisoned

• Fixed an issue where the player could fall through the floor when attempting to Glory Strike Xal’Goroth
• Fixed an issue where Holy Swarm Shield Rune daggers would not spawn when parrying projectiles

👿Enemies

• Fixed an issue where attempting to execute an Agaddon Brute Champion too close to a wall could cause the player to become stuck in the wall
• Fixed an issue in the Chasm of Xal’Goroth End Game Praetor Fight where the Acolyte Leader could teleport and become stuck inside an ice wall

🏟️Ripatorium

• Fixed an issue in Osseus arena where Archviles would rarely teleport outside the map near the water section
• Fixed an issue in Osseus where the player could clip inside the floor around the middle-left of the arena

📽️Cinematics

• Fixed an issue where the cinematic before Marok’s Phase 3 was missing the vignetting border VFX

🎰UI

• Fixed an issue where turning ‘OFF’ the Melee Pips visibility was not hiding the icons until a checkpoint was reloaded
• Fixed an issue where Slayers Club and Account Creation QR codes appeared blank after quitting to main menu
• Fixed an issue on PlayStation 5 where Slayers Club presented a ‘page can’t be displayed’ error when selected
• Fixed an issue where Shield Saw Teeth were removed from the Shield HUD element upon throwing the Shield
• New users will no longer see the bind reset dialog.

🗺️Levels

Hell’s Core

• Fixed an issue that allowed the player to use the flamethrower cart to easily kill the Revenant Leader
• Fixed an issue where picking up the Blue Skull Key before the checkpoint fired was causing the player to become trapped in the room upon reload/death

Chasm of Xal’Goroth

• Fixed an issue where attempting to mantle onto platform pieces that were returning to their original positions could cause the player to clip into the ceiling

Osseus

• Fixed an issue where pressing ‘Use’ at the location of the Confessional Stone in End Game could permanently break the player’s save if used

💥Crashes

• Fixed a rare crash that could occur during Atlan gameplay sequences

🧠Known Issue

🗺️Levels

• Chasm of Xal’Goroth (End Game) – when reentering the Classic Level Encounter, you can become perma locked in that location unable to exit
• Please refrain from re-entering the Classic Level Encounter more than one time per loading into Chasm of Xal’Goroth

A huge thank you to everyone who’s been submitting bug reports! 💞

Update 4 Hotfix 2 is now available, so players can jump back into the campaign and Ripatorium with these fixes in place. Share your thoughts on the hotfix in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, and Instagram.

Doom: The Dark Ages

Developed by id Software

A single-player first-person shooter and prequel to Doom (2016). Set in the dark medieval world of Argent D'Nur, players control the Doom Slayer in a grounded, weighty combat style that emphasizes strategic engagements over the acrobatic mobility of previous entries. The game introduces a Shield Saw for blocking and parrying, new melee weapons, and drivable vehicles including a cybernetic dragon and a massive mech. The narrative focuses on the Slayer's origin story with expanded cutscenes and character development.

• Genre: Shooter
• Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5
• Perspective: First person
• Modes: Single player
• Release: 2025-05-15
• Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
• Age Rating:
• IGDB Rating: 82.4/100
• Time to Beat:

  Main + Extras

  19.3h

  Completionist

  33.3h

PlayStation Store Xbox Store Steam Official Site