fbpx

E3 2018: Bethesda Press Conference Roundup!

Microsoft stole the show with a whopping 18 exclusives and 15 world premieres during its press conference earlier, and Bethesda isn’t about to get outdone. While there weren’t quite as many titles on show, those unveiled were of the heavy hitter status, alongside a handful of pleasant surprises.

Get ready, Bethesda fans – here we go.

Advertisement ▼

Rage 2

Rage. Is. Back. Following the open-world chaos found in its predecessor, Rage 2 comes back even wilder and bigger than ever before! Taking on the role of Walker, the last Ranger of the Wasteland, the game is very reminiscent of Mad Max with its vehicle war mechanics, and a mix of Fallout and Doom where shooting action is concerned.

A treat for all FPS players, there’s a wide arsenal of weapons to choose from, ranging from fire bullets to electric shots, alongside a cast of colourful characters. It does look like fun, albeit messy, but at least the breaking of the fourth wall is indicative of the series’ perchance to not take themselves too seriously. Fun rules, after all, and we can’t wait for when Spring 2019 rolls around.

Fallout 76

The most anticipated game from Bethesda since the release of their teaser trailer last week. We finally get to see more about the world of Fallout 76. Set as a prequel to all the other Fallout games, 76 features all-new rendering, lighting, and landscape technology to bring the beautiful West Virginia landscape to your screens. The game locations, stories and even creatures are inspired by the local folklore and history. Bethesda is promising a world that is four times larger than any they have built so far, with 16 times the amount of details.

And, following the new trend, Fallout 76 is an shared online multiplayer experience. Team up with up to 3 other friends to go out and conquer the nuclear wasteland on reclamation day. The “softcore survival” game as Bethesda calls it, is populated by players across multiple servers to prevent overcrowding. “It’s a nuclear wasteland, not an amusement park.” Of course, you are able to play the game solo, if you would prefer to do so.

There will be 6 distinct regions for players to explore, and as a first, there are multiple nuclear missile sites present across the map. All of these missile sites are accessible by players, and can be controlled by obtaining all the missile codes. Launching a nuclear missile would change the landscape and induce a nuclear fallout to a small area. This can be a chance to roam the fallout and obtain some rare items, but if you are not careful, you can be killed by the radiation as well.

Bethesda ensures that there would be 100% dedicated servers, operating to perpetuity, to support Fallout 76. There would also be a BETA (Break-it Early Test Application, LOL) for Fallout 76 later this year.

https://youtu.be/fwOYEsnm1i4

Fallout 76 will be launched November 14, 2018, with a Power Armour Edition available. The latter gives you a wearable T-51 Power Armour Helmet, complete with a working headlamp and voice modulator.

Apart from Fallout 76, the free mobile game Fallout Shelter is also now available on PS4 and Nintendo Switch.

Prey: Mooncrash

The all-new Story Mode, New Game +, and Survival Mode sound great, but what’s even better is the Typhon Hunter, where a player faces off against five other Mimic gamers, who of course, can disguise themselves as everyday objects. Teamwork, resilience, and high tolerance for jumpscares are necessary to claim victory, so do keep a lookout for an out-of-place roll of toilet paper, or perhaps that suspicious chair that’s sitting in the corner. As per the Prey franchise, playing by your own rules is the best way to go.

Prey: Mooncrash DLC is available now for US$20, while Typhon Hunter comes later this summer.

The Elder Scrolls: Legends

A strategy card game based on the wonderous world of The Elder Scrolls, Legends is similar to Hearthstone in terms of gameplay, with one distinguishing trait: a colour-based system for building decks. There’s a challenge set in the system, in which players are given a hand of cards, and pushed into a “solve in one turn situation” – pass the stage, however, and the sweet sense of immense gratification rushes in. With availability on Switch, Xbox One, and PS4, Legends make for a versatile game, with a treat in store: download the game for free on PC, mobile, and tablet, and progress can be carried over to console versions. Sweet.

The Elder Scrolls: Online – Summerset

The world of Tamriel is rich with lore, and the Summerset expansion seeks to keep up the trend. Retelling the times of the losing and reclaiming of one’s souls, to the salvation of Morrowind and the Clockwork God, it allows players to create their own narrative, which focuses on werewolves and Argonians. Sorry, ain’t nobody got time for the mainstream heroes.

Elder Scrolls Blades

Elder Scrolls heads over to mobile devices, in the form of Elder Scrolls Blades! Designed to reflect the playing experience of the long-standing series, the console quality is set to be carried over, alongside procedural generated levels. To complement the mobile gaming element, it can be played in both portrait and landscape mode that sees the players visiting their friends’ homes in the town-building mode – but perhaps the best part of everything is the sweet, sweet price of nothing: the game is launching for free in Fall 2018, with pre-orders being available for both iOS and Android devices. In the meantime, PC players may register their interest for early access at playblades.com – which means everyone’s got a chance at it!

Quake Champions

Expressing an continued commitment towards esports, Quake Champions features a host of different champions that players can take control of in the game, and the various skills they each possess. There’s the promise to continually update content, to which Bethesda promises to not stop until they’ve delivered a game that’s fun for everyone. It’s quite the ambitious dream, and more information is expected to come forth during QuakeCon in August 2018. But why wait till then when you can download the free-to-play version that’s slated to launch this week (June 11-17, 2018). Take control of your heroes and bring devastation upon your enemies – which can still carry over even after the trial weekend ends.

Wolfenstein Youngblood

“It’s do-or-die, sis.” Wolfenstein Youngblood follows the story of BJ’s twin daughters, whose expertise seems to lie with sniping and close combat individually. Set in the 1980s, Paris, the game sports breathtaking visuals, as well as action and gunfire aplenty. It’s also slated for a release on the Switch, which means players can now fight on the go, and wreck havoc upon their enemies. It really is do-or-die, it seems!

Wolfenstein Cyberpilot

Building upon the Wolfenstein wave is Wolfenstein Cyberpilot, a VR iteration that puts players in the shoes of a hacker to take over Nazi pilots – with one purpose in mind: to bring the message of ‘F**k Nazis” to every platform. Hell yeah.

We can expect to see more Nazi killing in 2019 for both titles.

DOOM Eternal

Doomguy is back, with twice as many badass demons in a hellish rendition of Earth. Featuring a fiery post-apocalyptic landscape on the outskirts of a skeleton-scattered city, DOOM Eternal promises a more action-packed adventure, in this direct sequel to the 2016 game reboot. It’s slated for a debut at Quakecon in August 2018, where a more in-depth experience awaits.

Future titles

As its first original franchise in 25 years, Bethesda finally, finally announced Starfield, a long-rumoured sci-fi adventure game that we have yet to know anything about, but hey, at least it’s real.

To round off the event, the team dropped the ultimate bombshell in the form of Elder Scrolls VI. From the looks of things, the development seems to be very rough, which means it’d probably be a long way coming before we get to see some actual gameplay. Considering the fans’ repeated wishes for this to be a reality, however, this is certainly worth all the hype.


With the end of Bethesda’s press conference marks the closing of day two of press conferences. It’s been a good run, especially with the arrival of both highly-anticipated and brand-new titles like Fallout 76, Doom Eternal, and Starfield. Square Enix will be in the forerunning for the next session, followed by Ubisoft and Sony, which means the gaming party is just about to heat up, so do stay tuned once again for your daily dose of E3 updates!

Oh, and here’s a nifty, tongue-in-cheek surprise, courtesy of game director, Howard Todd:

Access all of our E3 2018 coverage here!