The Electronic Entertainment Expo kicks off today, with hundreds of game companies attending the event, showing attendees just what kind of new software (and hardware) it has planned for the coming year. However, one company that’s already gotten off on the right foot is Bethesda, who hosted a special presentation Sunday night to showcase its forthcoming sequels – all of which should be huge sellers.
The focal point for the company was Fallout 4, a post-nuclear open-world adventure where a sole survivor has to face impeccable odds as he (or she) attempts to build a new life for themselves. The follow-up to the best-selling Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas is expected to release on November 10 for Xbox One, PC and PlayStation 4, and pre-orders have already gone through the roof, especially with the forthcoming release of a special “Pip-Boy” edition that comes with a smartphone-compatible holder – something the fans have been greatly clamoring for. The trailer is below.
That wasn’t all that Bethesda had in its arsenal, though. It also showed off its latest first-person shooter Doom, a follow-up to its iconic 1993 PC shooter. Like that game, it takes place on both the planet of Mars and in the dominion of Hell, where the player must use a variety of weapons, from a chainsaw to a double-barreled shotgun, to hold off a vicious demon army. The game, set to release in spring 2016, should be a huge hit with fans, offering a single player campaign with plenty of blood-splattering opportunities, along with solid multiplayer options and the ability to share community options through an upcoming channel called Doom SnapMap.
Bethesda’s best-selling Elder Scrolls brand also got some attention during the show, as the company introduced new add-ons for its just-released The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4, including Orsinium and Imperial City. A release date wasn’t provided yet, but should be available soon.
A new Elder Scrolls title called Legends was also unveiled, set to release for iPad and PC later this year. Although plot details weren’t revealed, the game is set to combine the “rich lore and exiting worlds in The Elder Scrolls series.”
Finally, Bethesda also put focus on another brand, the Dishonored series, which focuses on a former soldier named Corvo who finds himself caught in a mystery when a woman he was protecting is murdered by sinister forces. The original game, which debuted on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 a couple of years ago, will return to Xbox One and PlayStation 4 this fall with a new Definitive Edition, and an announced sequel, Dishonored 2, should arrive to retail sometime next year.
Even though it has a heavy reliance on mostly familiar brands, Bethesda is playing a strong fan service here, whether players prefer the strategic, open-world approach of Fallout or the visceral, non-stop action of Doom.
Bethesda has a big year ahead – and nostalgia is definitely playing a factor.
