Bethesda is back…and it didn’t have much to show off this year.
Most of what it did show were either games that we knew about or updates for pre-existing titles, so there wasn’t too much to be surprised over. That said, all it needed to show was Doom Eternal and offer a release date, which it did; so while the event was relatively lackluster, that reveal was no-doubt a beautiful, gory win.
As for everything else? Well, here is the good, bad and ugly of Bethesda’s E3 2019 event:
The Good
The Elder Scrolls: Blades
Announced during E3 2018, The Elder Scrolls: Blades is finally coming out for mobile platforms tonight.
It also happens to be free, so if you happen to like The Elder Scrolls, then you lose nothing by taking a swing at this.
Oh, it’s also set to come to the Nintendo Switch in the Fall, and your progress can be transferred, so that’s definitely something to look forward to.
Ghostwire: Tokyo
After establishing itself as one of the go-to studios for horror titles, Tango Gameworks is pivoting and delving into action-adventure.
Don’t let that fool you though — Ghostwire: Tokyo is definitely spooky, featuring a Tokyo whose citizens have started to suddenly disappear due to the work of a “strange, new evil.”
Your job? Use a host of spectral abilities to figure out what’s going on.
It’s certainly an intriguing premise, and it’s definitely a nice change of pace to be placed in a horror-filled setting and not be forced to run from everything.
Unfortunately, there’s no release window just yet.
The Bad
Whether it was confusing announcements or lazy releases, it’s clear that this wasn’t Bethesda at its best.
Fallout 76
Fallout 76 had a tumultuous first year, but it looks like Bethesda is looking to turn things around during its second.
Coming this year is Wastelanders, a free expansion that brings a plethora of new additions to the game, including dialogue trees and NPCs; as well as Nuclear Winter, a 52-player battle royale mode.
Honestly, I don’t have much to say about the battle royale addition because the mode is low-hanging fruit, but how ridiculous is it that we’re finally getting Fallout staples after a year? The game explains it by saying that everyone’s work in the Appalachian Wasteland has encouraged NPCs to repopulate the area, but I don’t buy it.
It’s great that those who stuck around can finally play the game they envisioned when rumors of a Fallout MMO first emerged, but this is all stuff that should have been in from the onset.
Better late than never, I suppose.
Too Much Focus On Smartphones
What does The Elder Scrolls: Blades, Commander Keen and The Elder Scrolls: Legends have in common?
They’re mobile games!
Regardless of whether you love mobile games or not, one has to wonder why Bethesda spent so much time during its conference discussing them. You’re at a conference populated by people with high-end PCs and/or current-gen consoles, and this is what you bring? This is what you build up hype for?
Orion
It seems Bethesda is investing in streaming tech and decided E3 would be a great place to announced it.
Why?
Again, you’re at a conference filled with people with high-end PCs and/or current-gen consoles, so what do you do? Showcase something most people don’t really care about? Bold move.
The worst part about this is that the showcase assumes the streamer would be in areas with high bandwidth. What happens when someone uses the tech in the middle of nowhere? I don’t know, and Bethesda probably doesn’t know either.
The Ugly
Doom Eternal
What can I say? Hideous demons. Non-stop action. Endless gore.
This is what fans have come to expect from the Doom franchise, and Doom Eternal has delivered in spades. And if that isn’t enough, the multiplayer, Battlemode, looks equally brutal, allowing one slayer to go up against two demons with different abilities.
Pre-orders will include the “Rip and Tear Pack,” which includes the “Doot Revenant Skin,” “Throwback Shotgun Weapon Skin,” and “Bonus Campaign Master Level.”
On top of that a Deluxe Edition featuring a “Year One Pass” (includes two downloadable contents), “Demonic Slayer Skin,” and the “Classic Weaposn Sound Pack” will also be available, while a Collector’s Edition will double down on those goodies by further adding an exclusive Steelbook designed by Mondo, “The Gift of Argent Power” 11×17-inch lithograph, lore book by id Software and wearable Doom Slayer helmet.
Doom Eternal is due out for the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and PC on Nov. 22.
Finale
That’s it for the good, bad and ugly of Bethesda’s E3 event. What were your favorite (and least favorite) parts of the event? Do you think Bethesda did a good job overall? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
- This article was updated on July 30th, 2021
