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‘Fallout 76’ will be free on Steam if you already bought it for PC
Bethesda is giving away free copies of Fallout 76 to gamers who already bought the game on Bethesda.net.
Google discounts its Stadia starter pack for the first time
With Doom Eternal launching today, Google is offering its first-ever discount on Stadia. For today only, you can get $30 off the Stadia Premiere Edition, making it $99 instead of $129. The bundle comes with everything you need to start playing, including a controller, Chromecast Ultra and three months of Stadia Pro.
'Doom Eternal' won't be true 4K on Stadia despite early promises
When Google unveiled Stadia, id Software proudly proclaimed that Doom Eternal would be a marquee title that ran in "true 4K" on the game streaming service. Flash forward a year, however, and that's no longer true. A launch data sheet for Doom Eternal has revealed that the Stadia version of the hellish first-person shooter will run at 1800p upscaled to 4K. That's still much higher-resolution than 1080p and will include perks like 60 frames per second and HDR, but it also means you won't get better performance than an Xbox One X player.
Bethesda games leave GeForce Now streaming service
Most Bethesda titles will no longer be part of NVIDIA's GeForce Now game streaming service. In a post on the NVIDIA forum, a staff member has announced that the platform has already started removing Bethesda Softworks titles from its library. They include major titles like Skyrim, several Fallout installments and the The Elder Scrolls 5. The only Bethesda game that's staying on the service is Wolfenstein: Youngblood -- GeForce Now will drop the other Wolfenstein installments, as well.
‘Fallout 76’ adds human NPCs on April 7th
Fallout 76's long-awaited Wastelanders update will launch on April 7th on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC, finally adding with it non-playable human characters to the game. The free DLC was initially supposed to come out last year, but Bethesda delayed it in October. On the same day, Fallout 76 will also become available on Steam.
'Doom' re-releases now support add-ons, quick saves and 60FPS
Bethesda's re-releases of the first two Doom games are about catch up to the originals in key areas -- and in a few ways, surpass them. The id Software titles are receiving updates that, among other things, introduce support for add-ons -- yes, even on mobile. This doesn't mean you can load in any old WAD file on consoles, but it will work for Android and PC players -- and everyone will get a mix of official and unofficial add-ons. The initial selection includes the two Final Doom mods (The Plutonia Experiment and TNT: Evilution), No Rest for the Living and John Romero's Sigil. Other packs will be available on a "regular basis."
'Fallout 76' hackers wiped out players' inventories
If you play Fallout 76 you might want to avoid public servers for a while. According to multiple posts on the game's Reddit forums -- and confirmed by publisher Bethesda -- hackers have attacked public servers and wiped out the inventories of more than a few players. A post from one of the Overseers warns that "Your weapons and armor, and any other inventory items are not safe." It also appears that Bethesda is unable to restore lost items, so if they're gone, they're gone for good.
After Math: Hoping against hope
In uncertain times like these, staying optimistic can be a real challenge. But whether you keep yourself centered with meditation, daily affirmations or sheer stubbornness, take a cue from this week in rose tinted headlines.
Bethesda hopes you'll pay $100 a year for private 'Fallout 76' worlds
Bethesda is betting that Fallout 76 fans are willing to pay extra for creature comforts -- so much so that they'll pay more than they did for the base game. The developer has launched a Fallout 1st subscription that offers a few exclusive conveniences and other perks for $100 per year, or $13 per month. Most notably, 1st members can create private worlds for them and up to seven other people. You don't have to worry that a troublemaker will come in and ruin your experience, in other words. Friends can join these worlds without a subscription, so you don't have to persuade your pals to sign up just to get some relative peace and quiet.
'Doom Eternal' is delayed to March 2020
DOOM Eternal's launch was slated for November 22nd -- but to add some polish, publisher Bethesda Softworks is pushing that date back to March 20, 2020. The developer, iD Software, will also add a new feature called Invasion Mode, which will allow players to enter others' campaigns as a playable demon. This new mode will be a free download available shortly after the game arrives.
'Fallout 76' will get a public test server in 2020
Fallout 76's software quality has been... not-so-stellar. Soon, though, you might have a way to help address issues before they create another fiasco. Bethesda now plans to introduce a Public Test Server sometime in 2020. It won't share more about how the PTS will work until the company has "figured out" the quirks, but it's safe to say that at least some everyday users will put these early releases through their paces days or weeks before they're broadly available.
Even the 'Fallout 76' collectibles have issues
It feels like the bad news smog around Fallout 76 will never fully dissipate. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a recall for wearable helmets because of a mold risk. The recall only impacts the red, Nuka Cola-themed T-51b Power Armor Collectible Helmet sold exclusively at GameStop, not the ones from Bethesda's own Fallout 76 Power Armor Edition.
'Doom 64' is reborn on Switch November 22nd
Bethesda and id Software aren't just marking the 25th anniversary of Doom by re-releasing the original games on modern platforms -- they're also offering the first game that many console players cut their teeth on. As part of its latest Direct presentation, Nintendo has revealed that Doom 64 is coming to the Switch on November 22nd. Yes, it's back on a Nintendo console more than two decades after its N64 debut. There aren't many details at this stage, but it's getting a conspicuous visual upgrade with higher-resolution, widescreen graphics that feel more appropriate for 2019 than 1997.
‘Doom Eternal’ multiplayer trailer highlights strategic gameplay
Id Software and Bethesda breathed new life into Doom with their 2016 entry into the gory FPS series, but fell short when it came to the game's multiplayer mode. "There was not a lot of Doom in our multiplayer in 2016, and players noticed that," said executive producer Marty Stratton at E3 2019. The explosive Battle Mode trailer for the sequel, Doom Eternal, proves the game's designers are rectifying that.
Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo agree to disclose loot box odds
Loot boxes have been a source of controversy in recent years. They offer gamers a way to snag virtual items, but because the rewards are typically randomized and players can buy them with real money, they've been called as a form of gambling. Some jurisdictions have banned them completely, and others have looked into them. The games industry is attempting to soothe those concerns. Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo have agreed to disclose the odds of obtaining highly-sought-after gear inside loot boxes.
Bethesda's 'Doom' re-releases will no longer need internet access
Bethesda's re-release of the first three Doom games didn't get the warmest reception, to put it mildly. The titles all required a BethesdaNet account (and thus an internet connection) to get started -- a frustration for a game series that started when home internet access was still a novelty. The publisher is putting things right, however. It's promising a fix that will make the BethesdaNet account optional, letting you slay demons whether or not you're online.
Original 'Doom' games hit PS4, Xbox One, Switch and mobile
Quakecon 2019 is underway and one of the first big announcements from the event is that the first three Doom games are now available on PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. You'll also be able to carry around the first two entries in the classic FPS series on your iOS or Android device too.
Quakecon's Steam sale offers steep discounts on 'Doom' and 'Wolfenstein'
QuakeCon is right around the corner, and Bethesda is determined to capitalize on the wave of good vibe for id Software's gaming legacy -- including, we'd add, the looming 25th anniversary of Doom II. To that end, it's launching a QuakeCon sale on Steam that runs until July 30th. There are steep discounts on recent id-associated titles like the 2016 Doom reboot (67 percent off), Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (also 67 percent off) and Rage 2 (50 percent off), not to mention classics like the Quake Collection (67 percent off) and the original Commander Keen series (50 percent off).
The final dispatch from E3 2019
Another E3 is over. The show gave us new consoles -- some powerful, others retro-inspired -- customizable controllers and many, many video games. Final Fantasy VII Remake? Yep. The upcoming Avengers game? Of course. A sequel to the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild? Oh yeah, that happened too. Did we mention there were loads of celebrity appearances, too, including Keanu Reeves, Jon Bernthal and Rob McElhenney? It was pretty wild. If, somehow, you missed all of the announcements and trailer-packed press conferences, fear not -- we've got a super-quick recap video to bring you up to speed. If, however, you prefer words to moving pictures, head here for all of our coverage from the show. We'll see you next year!
'Doom Eternal' is guns, gore and sophistication
The 2016 remake of Doom reinvigorated the series. It added new gameplay quirks and systems that rewarded your aggression as humanity's savior, the slayer. Depending on how you maneuvered and ended the lives of demons and other threats, you'd pick up health or ammunition. Doom (2016) made you a far more active hunter -- it was not a game where you could hide and wait out your enemies. So when it came to the sequel, Doom Eternal, the challenge was to build on this bold new play style. This has meant a lot of changes aimed at ramping up the urgency and franticness even further.
