Bethesda has gone big when it comes to DOOM: The Dark Ages, and has created a rather impressive “Slayeux Tapestry” exhibition, opened by Olivier “The Dutch Giant” Richters in full Doom armour.
The week-long exhibition called “Welcome to the Dark Ages” is viewable at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds. It was designed by illustrator Simon De Thuillières..
“It was a huge honour to reimagine the brutal saga of the DOOM Slayer through this medieval lens,” says illustrator Simon De Thuillières. “I take a lot of inspiration from videogames, so transforming the Slayer’s epic battles into a tapestry steeped in medieval style was both a challenge and a thrill. I can’t wait to hear what fans think of the blend of history and hellfire.”
As you can imagine, when you launch something this grand, you do the launch itself in a grand way. So world-renowned strongman (and star of recent Reacher series 3) Olivier Richters (also known as “The Dutch Giant”) opened it in full Doom Slayer armour.
“This collaboration is a thrilling fusion of art, history, and video game culture,” said Steve Merrett, Northern European Marketing and Communications Director for Bethesda. “With Welcome to the Dark Ages, we wanted to give fans a chance to step into the world of DOOM: The Dark Ages and see how deeply it draws from real-world medieval history. With the Slayeux Tapestry sitting alongside the incredible collection of historic arms and armour, there’s no better place to bring the Slayer’s brutal legacy to life than the Royal Armouries.”
Florence Symington, Director of Brand and Audiences for the Royal Armouries: “We’re absolutely delighted to be partnering with Bethesda and the DOOM team, hosting this innovative new exhibition amongst our historic collection of arms and armour. We are always seeking ways to share our expertise and reach more people than ever before. Welcome to the Dark Ages offers a rare and exciting opportunity to engage new audiences with the rich heritage, artistry and history of arms and armour. A
cross the exhibition, visitors will get a fascinating insight into how centuries-old craftsmanship has influenced the weaponry and design of DOOM: The Dark Ages. We’re excited to have the universe of DOOM sit alongside our collection here at the Royal Armouries.”
In our review of Doom: The Dark Ages, we said: “In all the ways that matter, Doom: The Dark Ages is a pure power fantasy, loading you up with outlandish weaponry and lethal powers and unleashing you on the horde. At no point did I hesitate to jump directly into the next fight, the next arena, the next encounter with a spider the size of a cottage with a gatling gun stuck to its arse. It threatens to lose its balance a little whenever it stands still for too long, but that’s kind of the point, and you won’t find a more satisfying, liberating, and downright therapeutic first person shooter experience anywhere else.”
Doom: The Dark Ages is coming to PC (Steam, Windows, and Battle Net), Xbox Series S|X, and PlayStation 5 on May 15th.
