At the inaugural Bethesda E3 Showcase, Pete Hines (Global VP of PR & Marketing) took to the stage to show off what Bethesda has planned for the coming year. Hines started the show by stating that Bethesda has some of the best fans in the world who are smart, loyal, and share Bethesda’s passion for games.
DOOM
Not surprisingly, Hines started off with talking about the 1993 id Software classic DOOM, the game “that forever changed gaming” and defined first person shooters and deathmatch for starters. It is one of the most important and influential games and was recently inducted into the Video Game Hall of Fame – and rightly so.
The new DOOM game, which we got a very brief peek at last week, will use the new idTek 6 engine and takes the first person shooter to the next level. Marty Stratton, Executive Producer of id Software, came out and reminisced about what made the original DOOM so awesome. It had a simple premise, made us feel fast, smart, and powerful. Of course, the foundation of any DOOM experience is combat centered around three things: badass demons, big f***ing guns, and moving really, REALLY fast. He then showed off some gameplay footage of the upcoming game on a level that takes place at a massive UAC research facility on Mars.
Can you say wow? The gameplay with next-gen graphics really embodies the DOOM experience with intense shotgun action, ripping hearts out of demons, ripping heads in half, ripping off legs, demons with shoulder mounted machine guns, total blood and gore, and that chainsaw! Those melee finishers sure are something else.
Stratton went on to say that DOOM is more than just the single player experience, and gamers can expect fast paced, arena style multiplayer taking place anywhere from UAC stations to the depths of hell. Three modes he mentioned were Domination, Freeze Tag, and Clan Arenas. From the multiplayer trailer, it looks like you can even play as the demons.
But it doesn’t stop there. id Software wanted to provide more, allow gamers to do more. Enter DOOM Snapmap. Every player regardless of ability or experience can build and instantly share their own experiences – from co-op modes to deathmatch modes and everything in between. DOOM Snapmap is a custom design tool built in utility that allows gamers to build their own DOOM levels. With a drag and drop, snap together interface, players can even edit game logic to modify game modes – regardless of platform.
DOOM will be available in Spring 2016 for the Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
Hines came back on stage and briefly spoke about Bethesda’s new digital platform – Bethesda.net – which will power DOOM Snapmap, and will be the new portal for everything Bethesda.
Battlecry
Next up is Battlecry Studios who started off by announcing that worldwide alpha access to the Battlecry beta is now up at battlecrythegame.com – sign up before June 18, and you’ll get priority beta access.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgAcL5yk8uo
Dishonored 2
Arkane Studios took to the stage next and talked about how they have always wanted to create games that rely on simulation and not scripted choices, and thus Dishonored was born with it’s unique blend of first person, art style, and steam punk. They then introduced Dishonored 2, you can check out the trailer below then read the rest of our coverage on the upcoming sequel.
Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited
The team from Zenimax Online Studios wasn’t in attendance due to the recent launch of the game on consoles, but gave us a sneak peek of what’s being added to the RPG down the road.
The Elder Scrolls Legends
The first new game that Bethesda introduced is a new strategy card game which brings world of Elder Scrolls to mobile. It will be free to play on PC and iOS later this year, no mention was made as to if it was eventually coming to Android or not.
Fallout 4
The moment everyone was waiting for – Bethesda Game Studios Game Director, Todd Howard came out and started talking about how entertainment is an essential part of our lives, games can do what no other form of entertainment can. The give us a true wonder of discovery, pride of accomplishing something in a game. And of course, nothing is as good as Fallout. Bethesda has worked on Fallout for over 10 years and started on Fallout 4 right after releasing Fallout 3 in 2009. For the last four years, they’ve been working very hard on the latest installment in the franchise.
The Fallout world that existed before the bombs fell is where Fallout 4 begins – on a beautiful Saturday morning with the threat of nuclear war looming. A new character creation mode has been developed for the game, simply sculpt your character by placing your cursor over any area of face and making the desired modifications, it’s an entirely dynamic system. In Fallout 4, you can play as a female as well. Whoever you leave the character creation menu as is the character you play. They’ve even gone so far as to generate a baby based on the couple you make.
After the bombs fall, you emerge 200 years later as the sole survivor of Vault 111 in an enormous, dynamic world. You can create any type of character you want, go anywhere you want, do whatever you want. Player freedom is the number one goal. Dialogue is dynamic, and you can play in third person or first person. And of course, you do get the dog from the launch trailer as your companion. Players can command dog by pointing and activating places/items in the game – everything from stay to grab that (wrench). As suspected, the game will take place in the massive ruins of downtown Boston.
Bethesda has also added a new Pip-Boy, a layered armor system. holo tapes you can listen to, and some you can even game with (Game Tapes) which featured versions of Donkey Kong and Missile Command. The moment that really got everyone in attendance excited: Bethesda has made a real Pip-Boy which comes with the Collector’s Edition. Put your phone in it, download an app and gamers will have a fully functioning Pip-Boy that acts as a second screen experience. Of course you don’t need the Pip-Boy to run the app, but why would you want to run it without?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5H7Qq8quKg
The second new game that Bethesda announced is Fallout Shelter. Another mobile game, it allows you to make your own vault and manage it as the Overseer of the vault in a SimCity/FTL type experience. Dwellers have full stats, can level up, get new items, weapons, and you can even send them off into the wasteland for mini-adventures. Fallout Shelter is available now for iOS, and Hines took to Twitter late last night to indicate that details on the Android version would be coming soon.
Back to Fallout 4. Another new feature is that while playing, your character can rebuild your home and encampment by finding and scrapping items in the world and use them to build the way you want. It works in real time and as your settlement grows, people will arrive. You’ll have to provide power and other basics, and will be able to build your own terminals, build defenses, and more.
When modifying items, the game will tell you which components you need, and what items in the world give you those components, giving you multiple options for building and upgrading your items. Every item has purpose, with over 50 base weapons, there are over 700 modifications for those weapons. You’ll be able to turn a laser pistol into a focused laser rifle, or many other options. You’ll even be able to modify your own power armor. Bethesda has focused heavily from day one to make combat feel great. First person, third person, or use VATs to slow down time and choose your target, you’ll be able to play the way you want.
Fallout 4 is slated to release on November 10, 2015. Yes, this year!
In case you missed it, you can watch the entire Bethesda E3 showcase below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KApp699WdE
What do you think about the Bethesda announcements? Let us know in the comments below, or on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook and stay tuned for the rest of our E3 2015 coverage.
Last Updated on November 27, 2018.
