Bethesda E3 2017: Doom VR, Evil Within and Wolfenstein sequels
The Elder Scrolls and Fallout developer gives us a better look at things we knew were in the pipeline and unveils sequels for Wolfenstein and Evil Within.
Just a few hours after Microsoft unveils the new Xbox, the E3 spotlight shifts to Bethesda.
This year, the company built a makeshift theme park called "Bethesdaland" with a ferris wheel and food inspired by the company's popular Fallout post-apocalyptic video game series. There were also drinks inspired by the shooting games Doom and Quake, and a star lounge made to make you feel like you're in the space horror game Prey.
The Doom of VR
At last year's E3 press conference, Bethesda announced that it would make a virtual reality version of its open-world study in post-apocalypse New England, Fallout 4 for the HTC Vive. It wowed us when we got to try it out in 2016. But since last year's show, details have been rather thin.
Twelve months on, at the 2017 E3 press conference, Bethesda again donned the headset to talk VR, announcing that we'd not only be getting Fallout 4 VR, but we'd also be able to shoot demons in space in a VR version of the genre-defining first-person shooter, Doom. Both titles will be out before the end of the year.
Creation Club
The company known for the Fallout and Elder Scrolls also announced the Creation Club, a community platform for custom game content for Fallout 4 and Skyrim. Those game series have a long history of user-driven mod content, and putting it at your fingertips is a natural fit for Bethesda. This summer, you'll be able to browse limitless new content in the platform on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. Speaking of Skyrim, Bethesda also said that the Nintendo Switch version, due out later this year, would include a Breath of the Wild Link outfit. The crowd went a little nuts at that one.
The Elder Scrolls: Legends
The Skyrim train just keeps rolling, as Bethesda unveiled new content for its upcoming digital card game, Elder Scrolls Legends. Based on the hugely popular Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, expect dragons, huge vaguely Nordic dudes and axes to invade the card game, hitting June 29.
Dishonored 2, too
The acclaimed stealth first-person shooter is back on September 15. A returning Daud, rather than series mainstays Corvo or Emily Caldwin, is the main character. Based on the short teaser, you're hunting down a being of immense magical power with a knife and a crossbow. Sounds fun.
Quake Champions
B.J. Blazkowicz, renowned Nazi killer, is coming to Bethesda's arena shooter, Quake Champions. With a renewed commitment to esports and $1 million on the line at the August Quake World Championship, Bethesda was keen to remind everyone that it's been doing this whole esports thing for a while.
Evil returns
The first of Bethesdaland's under construction areas (and its first strictly new announcement) was unveiled as a terrifying new installment in the Evil Within series. The sequel to Shinji Mikami's survival horror game debuted with a very creepy cinematic trailer and promises more of the same encroaching sense of dread and downright weirdness of the first. And wouldn't you know it, Evil Within 2 is out Friday, October 13.
Cats watching TV
The second announcement was a little weirder. Opening on an old-fashioned film of a young girl and her horrifying robot dog, it soon showed a cat in a spacesuit flicking through the channels to show such programs as the gameshow "German, or Else". From the first swastika, it could only be one thing: a new game in the Wolfenstein series (see the earlier mention of Nazi killer B.J. Blazkowicz).
Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus has a decidedly American Resistance flavour, with a small band of underground rebels working to destabilize the oppressive Nazi regime that took over the world. Oh, we should also mention, it's set in an alternate history version of the US where the outcome of WWII was kind of different.
You'll be able to enter the killin' Nazi business later this year. Danke schoen.
Bethesda's E3 invite contains lots of hints about what the company could show off.
Note: The stream may contain profanity, digital violence and other adult-oriented, NSFW content. Viewer discretion is advised.
For more on E3 2017, check out complete coverage on CNET and GameSpot.
Originally published June 10 at 8:00 a.m. PT.
Update, June 11 at 9:40 p.m. PT: Details from the press conference.
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