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Bethesda: Doom reveal meant to quell negative Id Software chatter
Id Software's upcoming Doom reboot was revealed last week at QuakeCon 2014, though the event's livestream cut out during the presentation. As Bethesda's VP of PR and Marketing Pete Hines told PC Gamer, Doom isn't exactly ready to show off, so the developers at id Software were reluctant to offer images of the game up freely for the rest of the world to pick at. "We're working with them to say, 'How does this work? What do we want to show?'" Hines said. "And they're like, 'Look, we don't want a stream to go up for a game that isn't at the point where we would formally show it to the world, and now that thing is getting picked apart, and digested, and gone through frame-by-frame and getting nitpicked to death, when normally we wouldn't be showing this to anybody at all.'"
Railguns at the ready, Quake Live hits Steam 'soon'
Free-to-play shooter Quake Live is coming to Steam "soon," some four years after it first hit browsers. Bethesda Softworks Vice-President Pete Hines announced the news at Quakecon yesterday, though he didn't put a date on the Steam release. Meanwhile on the game's website, id Software revealed the Steam version supports subscriptions to the Quake Live premium service, which among other perks offers access to all the arenas and gametypes. Players can also choose to port their Quake Live account over to the Steam account. After releasing a standalone client earlier this year, id Software has more changes in store for its on-railguns shooter. The developer also revealed plans for an update that it claims will bring about "some big gameplay changes" for the first time in the game's history. The update, among other tweaks, is due to drop ahead of the Steam release. "We want to ensure that FPS fans who check out the game on Steam have more fun in their first match than the current gameplay systems allow," wrote web programmer Mike Rubits. "We're not talking too much about specific changes yet, especially since the changes need to be taken as one whole package in order to be effective, but we will be iterating internally over the next few weeks to see what works." [Image: Bethedsa Softworks]
The Elder Scrolls Online coming to Steam today
Starting later today, The Elder Scrolls Online Standard and Imperial Editions will be available to download on Steam. This announcement was made to kick off QuakeCon 2014 in Dallas, Texas, where Zenimax Online will be hosting a panel entitled "The Future of The Elder Scrolls Online." The presentation will begin on Friday at 6:00 p.m. EDT and can also be viewed on Bethesda's Twitch.tv channel for those not able to attend. [Source: Bethesda press release]
Trade blood for The Evil Within swag at QuakeCon
Quakecon attendees, don't forget to make sure your blood is topped off to participate in the American Red Cross blood drive for an official The Evil Within chill pack. "The Good Within Blood Drive" will take place at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas (the same location as the convention) on Friday, July 18 and Saturday, July 19. Those seeking to participate in the exsanguination can sign up in the Topaz room. You must be at least 17 years old and meet certain other requirements. QuakeCon 2014 will take place July 17 - 20 and participants can now enjoy the exclusive DOOM reveal with light-headed joy. [Image: Shutterstock]
Quakecon pins exclusive Doom reveal for July 17
Quakecon attendees will get an exclusive first look at the new Doom when it's debuted at the Dallas convention on July 17. Then, through the power of smartphones, everyone else will get a not-so-exclusive second look in the days following. Snarkiness aside, the Doom reveal will be the major draw for what is a packed Zenimax convention. Other highlights include a Zenimax Online Studios panel on the future of Elder Scrolls Online, and a "Designing the Perfect Game" panel in which the panelists will design a game concept to be judged by Obsidian CEO Feargus Urquhart. Attendees will also be able to get their hands on Mikami horror The Evil Within and take part in a tournament for melee-heavy multiplayer game Battlecry. Check out the full schedule here.
Doom gets a dark teaser as QuakeCon looms
Doom is entering the CG teaser phase of its modern resurrection. Bethesda and id Software intend to show the game off at their QuakeCon event in July, but have already put out a new trailer to convey the shooter's hellish mood. It's so dark, even Youtube wants to improve the lighting. The grotesque cyberdemon glimpsed in close-up could be the least mysterious thing about the game, which started life in the media as "Doom 4" in 2008. Unverified rumors point to a troubled development until recently, when the game returned (or was restarted) - simply as Doom - alongside the announcement of an upcoming beta for PC, Xbox One and PS4. Entry to the beta is attached to another revamp of a classic shooter, Wolfenstein: The New Order. We'll put rumors aside, though, and see Doom's latest form – and perhaps hear the unsettling howl from a Baron of Hell – at QuakeCon, which takes place on July 17 - 20 at the Hilton Anatole hotel in Dallas, Texas.
QuakeCon 2014 first-round registration opens March 5
Bethesda announced that it will begin selling QuakeCon 2014 passes next week, revealing a number of premium packages for early-bird buyers looking to secure event access and bring-your-own-computer (BYOC) seating. On March 5, attendees can purchase a $175 QuakeCon 2014 bundle that includes reserved-access seating for all panels, events, and presentations, along with a bonus t-shirt, lanyard, and signed print. A $150 package that includes two t-shirts, a headset, and other goodies goes on sale March 19. Additional premium packages will be available for purchase on April 2 and April 16. All packages are limited in quantity but optional, as general admission is free. QuakeCon 2014 will take place at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas, between July 17 and July 20. [Image: Bethesda]
Quakecon 2014 nails in July dates, Carmack offers to give talk
Quakecon, North America's LAN party extraordinaire, is taking place a couple of weeks earlier than usual in 2014. Organizers announced the Bring-Your-Own-Computer event will be held from July 17 to July 20 at the regular venue of the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas. It'll be the first Quakecon since John Carmack left id Software, the company he co-founded, to work full-time at Oculus VR. That doesn't mean Carmack's traditional keynote address is a write-off, as the veteran programmer tweeted he's offered to give the talk - it's now up to organizers to accept his offer. Carmack or no, because the event's happening a wee bit earlier there's no time to dawdle over booking a hotel room - a $160 per night special rate is available now. Admission to the event itself remains free.
