With rumors of a new Fallout, sequels to Bethesda’s biggest hits, and some VR news, the Bethesda E3 2017 press conference is looking to impress. Let’s see what Bethesda has in store!
2017 Press Conference
Before we start with specifics, it’s important to note that all the content displayed here will be releasing in 2017. While not everything has a clear release date, all of the games and DLC’s were promised to release this calendar year.
DOOM VFR
Bethesda’s press conference was seen through the eyes of an amusement park, as we journeyed through each Bethesda IP. First up was DOOM, and while we didn’t get any news on DLC or expansions for the 2016 title, we did get the announcement of DOOM VFR.
The gameplay shown was a nice mix of puzzle elements with a healthy dose of classic DOOM action. The game uses a teleport mechanic to move around the level, all while blasting demons back into hell. In my opinion, DOOM is a bit fast for VR, so I wouldn’t doubt it if reports of motion sickness accompanied the launch. Hopefully Bethesda will utilize the horror elements of DOOM‘s story to bring a memorable VR experience.
Fallout 4 VR
Finishing off the duo of VR announcements, we got our first good look at Fallout 4 VR, a project that was teased last year. It looks like Bethesda has really tried to utilize VR features and expand upon Fallout 4‘s base mechanics. Town creation and decoration looks simplified with a “point and click” style of set up.
If anything, the idea of playing exploring the entirety of Fallout 4 in VR is a tantalizing one. The perspective of VR should add a bit of excitement to seemingly normal encounters. Long story short, you might be more terrified of Deathclaws than you already were.
Fallout and Skyrim Creation Club
New community and third party developed mods for Fallout 4 and Skyrim will appear in the form of “Creation Club”, a new service that Bethesda announced. While not much is clear, it seems that players will be able to choose form an assortment of approved mods that can be purchased for credits. Unlike user-created mods, the “Creation Club” content will not affect save data, achievements and trophies, or weaken the stability of the game.
It’ll be interesting to see how Bethesda works out the “credit” system, as their previous attempts at paid mods were met with horrendous response from the community.
Elder Scrolls Legends: Heroes of Skyrim
Next, we got a nice sizzle reel for The Elder Scrolls Legends, the competitive card game similar to Hearthstone. The main focus for Elder Scrolls Legends was on the new Skyrim inspired expansion, Heroes of Skyrim. The expansion is set to launch on June 29th, along with some extra features. They mentioned gameplay modes like “Chaos Arena”, Dark Brotherhood story content, and in-game tournaments.
I don’t keep up to date with The Elder Scrolls Legends, so I’m not 100% sure if the additional modes are brand new content. At the very least, Heroes of Skyrim was a first time appearance.
Dishonored 2: Death of the Outsider
Fans of the stealth action game Dishonored 2 received some excitement in the form of Death of the Outsider. This new DLC functions as a stand alone product, but should not be considered as “Dishonored 3”. The trailer featured a stylish assassin with a robotic eye, vowing to “kill the Outsider”, as he rescues a companion.
Quake Champions
We got some more footage of Quake Champions, the online multiplayer shooter that’s in beta currently. They approached this title with the eSports angle, citing the Quake World Championship which will be running at QuakeCon later this year.
Expect more news at that conference as well.
The Evil Within 2
As Bethesda closed out the conference, we got a peek at two new sequels arriving this year. The Evil Within 2 will be releasing on October 13th. The lengthy trailer was dripping with style and appears to be quite spooky. I was a big fan of the original game’s art direction, hopefully they’ll amp up the combat this time around.
Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus
Bethesda closed their show with another lengthy trailer, this time showcasing the new Wolfenstein sequel. There’s quite a bit to unpack here, with our protagonist BJ’s love interest expecting twins. Faced with a complete nazi takeover, BJ refuses to raise his children in a world infested with nazi scum.
Wolfenstein has proven to be an excellent shooter in both visual fidelity and narrative strength. I look forward to kicking in some stupid nazi faces when the game launches on October 27th. Kill all the nazis, and then kill ’em again.
That wraps up Bethesda! Stay tuned to A 90s Kid for all your E3 coverage, and don’t forget to check out our Youtube channel!
