Last year, Bethesda Softworks, or just Bethesda as they are more popularly known, took E3 by storm when they pulled the curtains off of Fallout 4 and announced its existence and eventual release later in the same year. So this year, the expectations were high as Bethesda announced another press conference for E3 2016 and the company did not disappoint as they showcased several new titles such as Dishonored 2, a remastered version of the beloved Skyrim, and the return of some classic franchises including Quake and Prey.
Quake Champions
Bethesda started off their E3 presentation with a whopper of an announcement as the company unveiled, with a cinematic trailer, Quake Champions, a new competitive arena-style first-person shooter designed to cater to players of all skill levels. It’s being developed by iD software, creators of the franchise, and the makers of this year’s critically acclaimed reboot of Doom. According to iD Software, Quake Champions is designed with e-sports in mind as the publisher promised support for future tournaments and competitions. It will will feature a unique and diverse cast of warriors each with different attributes and abilities. Not much else was revealed about the game including release date or platform availability but the developers did promise that the game will run at 120Hz with an unlocked frame rate.
Skyrim Remaster
Another one of Bethesda’s beloved franchises is the Elder Scrolls franchise and one of its most celebrated entries is 2011’s Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. So much so that at this year’s E3, the company announced that Skyrim would be getting a Remastered version, simply called Skyrim Special Edition, to be released for the Xbox One, PS4, and PC. The remastered version of Skyrim will come with dramatically improved graphics and visual effects. Additionally, the console version of the Special Edition will come with support for the game’s multitude of PC mods. Skyrim Special Edition will launch on October 28 for all platforms and PC players who have either all the add-ons for the original Skyrim or the game’s Legendary Edition will be able to get the Special Edition for free when it comes out.
Prey
After originally revealing Prey 2 back in 2011, Bethesda has since cancelled development for a Prey sequel and it was thought that the franchise was on its way out. But at their presentation at this year’s E3, Bethesda officially unveiled a new game in the franchise simply called Prey. According to Bethesda, the new game is neither a sequel nor a reboot but instead is a reimagining of the IP. The CG trailer shown at the presentation revealed that players will be taking on the role of Morgan Yu as he awakens on the Talos 1 in the year 2032 where he must find out what has happened while he tries to fight and survive the aliens that have invaded the space station. Prey is set for release sometime in 2017 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Dishonored 2
Back in 2012, Bethesda released a completely new franchise entitled Dishonored and it was met with a lot of praise from both critics and players alike. Four years later, Bethesda is finally releasing the game’s sequel and at this year’s E3, the company revealed some of the game’s details as well as a new gameplay trailer showing off the game’s new protagonist. In Dishonored 2, set 15 years after the first game, players take on the role of Emily Kaldwin, a usurped empress looking to discover and unravel the conspiracy that led to her banishment from Dunwall. The game will feature all new powers and abilities for Emily as well as a new city called Karnaca. Dishonored 2 is scheduled to come out November 11, 2016, for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
