[06.15.15] Everything you need to know from the 2015 Xbox Media Briefing [E3 2015]

Microsoft

It has been quite the week leading up to E3 2015 with a steady stream of incredible reveals, leaving you wondering, “What exactly will there be to announce at E3?” From the “Fallout 4” reveal, the return of rhythm gaming, and YouTube taking on Twitch; the gaming industry is charging full speed into its biggest week of the year. Fortunately, the fun hasn’t stopped. After a great E3 kick-off courtesy of Bethesda, Microsoft starts off the console wars with their incredible lineup of announcements, and here is everything you needed to know about the 2015 Xbox Media Briefing, live from E3 2015 on Monday, June 15.

The conference begins kicks off with a montage of games, including Tomb Raider, Halo, Forza, Gears of War, and many other games. Bonnie Ross, Studio Head at 343 Studios, welcomes everyone to the conference. She starts off with, none other than, “Halo 5 Guardians.”

A new reveal trailer plays, featuring voice-overs from many characters. It introduces the storyline from many different angles, including Master Chief’s, Buck’s, and even the Covenant. It then moves into a gameplay demo. The player is playing as part of the ONI team, fighting off the covenant. Taking the role of Spartan Locke, they gather intel on the area, finding Master Chief’s assault rifle. Lots of explosions, running through the facility – everything is very much “Halo,” just prettier. The player shows off the ability to command other team members to attack a covenant ship followed by the Spartan’s new unique abilities.

Some new characters are shown, including a soldier version of the Promethean race and the gameplay demo ends. It then returns to a montage of game highlights, including a brief glimpse at the new bosses. The launch date of Oct 27, 2015 flashes on the screen and Josh Holmes takes the stage.

Holmes says this is the most ambitious “Halo” game yet. A massive, two story campaign and multiplayer maps 4 times the size of anything previous. “Halo 5” multiplayer goes by a new name – “War Zone.” The multiplayer demo will be on the show floor this week and looks to be a much larger scale team game, 24-player possibilities.

Now it’s time for an Xbox Exclusive World Premier. From Keiji Inafune and the makers of “Metroid Prime,” a unique looking adventure game. A desert environment is shown and the protagonists has a robot dog following it around. It has a very Pixar-like style. The female protagonist and her dog face off against some robot spiders, and the dog detonates himself to save the girl. All that is left is a crystal power core, which she then places in another dormant robot, bringing it to life. She possibly indicates it’s the same “dog” she just had, but in a new body. The title “Recore” is revealed with a Spring 2016 launch window. It will likely be an Xbox exclusive

Phil Spencer takes the stage, confirming that “Recore” will be an exclusive, new, first-party franchise for Xbox One. He discusses the vision for Xbox One and how Xbox continues to invest in delivering the best experience for Xbox gamers. He’s also wearing a shirt under his jacket which is just barely visible. He then reveals Xbox One has backwards compatibility! Something that wasn’t previously thought possible, now available Natively on the Xbox One. It’s part of the vision for creating the largest game library on Xbox One.

Mike Ybarra, Head of Platform Engineering, shows off backwards compatibility, including over 100 titles coming this holiday. It will support both digital downloads – which should automatically start showing up soon – as well as retail games. He then plays “Mass Effect” on Xbox One, showing that the game plays like the Xbox 360, but will utilize Xbox One features – such as screenshots or game streaming and DVR. It’s available immediately for preview members and will be available this holiday for others.

Spencer returns to the stage to talk about the “Xbox Elite Wireless Controller” coming this fall. It will have “swappable” components and “limitless customization,” essentially creating the ultimate first-party “pro” controller designed for Xbox One and Windows 10. It’s absolutely beautiful.

Todd Howard, Bethesda Game Studio’s head, takes the stage, yes on Xbox’s conference. Howard is discussing “Fallout 4,” possibly hinting at exclusive content? He’s discussing the importance of freedom in the game and is revealing more gameplay content. He goes over much of the information revealed at Bethesda’s conference, just more summarized. He also reveals a new weapon, a type of musket, and more survivors are discovered. It gives off a very “Walking Dead” kind of vibe… only futuristic and with powersuits. Howard calls it the “most ambitious game-world we have ever created” while a montage of action sequences and environments are shown off. Howard than teases a big announcement, revealing that PC Mods can be shared and played, for free, on Xbox One.

Peter Moore, COO of EA, takes the stage, mentioning his happiness with backwards compatibility and then talking about EA Access, the $5/month service only on Xbox One which gives you early access, and many games for a low price. Like always, EA titles will be released early for members and games in the vault will be rotated and can be played unlimited, and players will get discounts. All of this is repeat news. Moore announces that “Titanfall” is coming at the start of summer, “Dragon Age: Inquisition” will come later this fall. This week, All Xbox Live Gold members get free access to EA Access, only have to download the free app.

Moore than announces “Plants Vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2.” He promises “this will be the funniest, craziest, most over the top shooter experience you’ve ever played.” After revealing it’s coming next spring, a trailer begins. It looks like the zombies have taken over and the game will now be in “Zomburbia.” A multitude of new plant and zombie characters are revealed, although the entire trailer is CGI. This time around, it looks like the plants are coming to the zombies’ house to invade.

A teaser for “Forza 6” begins, and the new GT is lowered onto the stage form the ceiling. Henry Ford III takes the stage with Dan Greenwald of Turn 10, introducing a trailer for “Forza 6.” The game looks beautiful as ever. There will now be 24-car multiplayer and it’s coming Sep 15.

Another world premier begins, from Bandai Namco and From Software, Inc. A dark and dreary environment with lots of monstrous characters is shown, and it looks like a new “Dark Souls” game is coming. A massive titan guard with a giant sword is shown, and “Dark Souls 3” flashes, with an “early 2016” release window. It will not be an exclusive

A premier trailer for “Tom Clancy’s: The Division” is shown, re-hyping what is already known about the game. It shows off, what appears to be, lots of in-engine graphics and the game looks great. It appears to take place in the heart of New York City and will require lots of teamwork. There’s plenty of explosions and awesome guns, as is expected from a Tom Clancy game.

Laurent Detoc, president of Ubisoft Americas, takes the stage to talk more about it. He reveals that it does take place in New York, and will feature a variety of special operatives. He then reminisces on Ghost Recon’s initial launch on the first day of Xbox Live launching. He reveals that the beta will be exclusive to Xbox One, before moving on to “Rainbow Six Siege.”

Detoc emphases the destructible environments of “Rainbow Six Siege” and reveals that “Rainbow Six Vegas” and “Vegas 2” will come free with “Rainbow Six Siege,” all playable on the Xbox One (thanks to the backwards compatibility). A gameplay trailer then begins for “Siege.” Again, it’s nothing revolutionary for the game, but does appear to be mostly in-engine, as well. It actually feels very similar to “The Division,” but in a less post-apocalyptic environment.

An Xbox One and Windows 10 exclusive from Motiga is revealed, and it appears to be the long-forgotten “Gigantic.” The trailer reveals a variety of characters as well as gameplay features. It’s an arena shooter which appears to focus on battling large “guardians.” The beta will launch this August and will be free to play, like the game.

A montage of indie games begins, including a momentary tease of the also-forgotten “Cuphead.” It shows off some other original titles and some already-released titles, like “Goat Simulator.” It’s likely this is a lead in for the ID@Xbox program. Logo at the end of the trailer confirms.

Chris Charla, Director of ID@Xbox, takes the stage to discuss the program. Over 1000 indie developers have been making games for the ID@Xbox program, and it’s “really only the start.” Steve Gaynor of Fullbright takes the stage to discuss and preview Tacoma, coming 2016. Derek Bradley, from Aurora44, is next to discuss “Ashen,” a survival game and Xbox console exclusive. It looks like it will have a lot of emphases on exploration, puzzle-solving, and a dash of horror. Sherida Halatoe, of tiger & squid, enters to discuss “Beyond Eyes.” It’s a very unique experience, coming first to Xbox One and PC. It also appears to be a unique exploration/adventure game, and it releases this summer. Chad and Jared Moldenhauer of MDHR take the stage to discuss “Cuphead” – finally, it’s returning! They talk about their vision for a classic 1930’s cartoon that controls like a classic, 16-bit platformer. As a trailer plays, one thing is obvious – they nailed the style they were going for. The game looks incredible and the gameplay looks extremely fun and challenging, as would be expect from both the era’s the game takes influence from. It’s coming 2016 exclusively to Xbox One.

Charla takes back over announcing an early release program, similar to what’s on PC. The hook is that the games are required to give a free demo first, so you can decide whether or not you want to pay in. Starting today, both ”The Long Dark” and “Elite Dangerous” are available today for Xbox One Game Preview.

Charla hands off to Dean Hall, the creator of “Day-Z” to introduce a new IP coming to PC and Xbox One. It will make use of Xbox One Game Preview and PC access, and players will “be able to shape the destiny” of the game. The game takes place in space, but not much is revealed, other than the name “Ion.” It has a “Gravity” vibe to it.

Brian Horton, Game Director of Crystal Dynamics, demos the world premier gameplay of “Rise of the Tomb Raider” coming holiday 2015. A very beaten and tattered Lara lights her way through a cave with her signature torch… which is then blown out by a snowstorm. Suddenly she’s wearing full winter climbing gear and working her way up a mountain. The climbing mechanics are very familiar, only now she has Jonah tethered to her. Ice starts falling and she makes a leap across the cavern. She’s taking lots of risks while climbing, but makes her way to the top. She loses her grip and falls, saved by Jonah. He struggles to pull her back up and she swings over to the ice to regain her grip. The ice gives way, but she narrowly makes it to the top as an avalanche begins. She tells Jonah to return to shelter and continues her ascent. Non-stop action spliced with quick time events, it’s all very familiar – and very welcome to return. A montage of various game shots is tagged with a “Xbox Exclusive” banner, possibly indicating it’s no longer a “timed release” but a full exclusive? Then the hard release date of Nov 10, 2015 is finally revealed.

Another Xbox One exclusive begins, and it looks like a collection of games from “Rare” as Banjo and Conker both made an appearance, among others. “Perfect Dark, “Viva Pinata,” and Battle Toads” are just a few of the 30 games included in this 10,000 gamerscore collection. “Rare Replay” available August 4, 2015. Craig Duncan, Studio Head at Rare, takes the stage to announce this exclusive collection in celebration of the 15th anniversary of the studio.

He’s also announcing a new title from the company, “by far the most ambitious game Rare has ever created.” It begins in first person with Rare’s signature cartoony graphics. It takes place on an island, complete with tropical birds and… pirate skeletons. A sea shanty begins playing and a character runs out onto a beach where a pirate ship is waiting. Many characters have, what appears to be, gamertags over their heads, indicating what could possibly be a pirate themed MMO? “Sea of Thieves” is the title, no release date indicated.

Another Xbox One and Windows 10 exclusive trailer begins, which looks very much like “Fable.” It has the same art style and appears to be an RPG. It will be free to play on both Xbox One and Windows 10, and likes to use the word “legends” a lot. “Fable Legends,” it is.

Kudo Tsunoda, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Studios, takes the stage to talk more about the title. The game will run seamlessly between the two platforms. Anything bought will transfer between the two, and the game will also feature cross-play between PC and Consoles.

He then announces a new partnership with Valve VR, making Windows 10 the best platform with VR gaming. He mentions the previous announcement that an Xbox One controller will be included in with every Oculous Rift. It sounds like Microsoft is trying to lock down the VR market, including their previously announced HoloLens. He then introduces Lydia Winters, Brand Director from Mojang.

As she discusses the history of the studio, “Minecraft” is displayed behind her. She talks about Minecon 2015 and hints and an announcement there. She then introduces Michael Saxs Persson from Microsoft studios, to reveal a new version of Minecraft on the HoloLens. They play a live demo, and she is able to join in from her Surface. Persson then moves the game world onto a table and he can overlook the world in a type of “god mode.” He can follow around Winters throughout the world from the recessed perspective. It’s like playing with a real miniature model of your “Minecraft” world. He can also manipulate the world to discover what is underneath and map it for the other player. The whole environment can be controlled with gestures and even voice commands. Persson is able to detonate some TNT and Pigs by saying “lightning strike,” causing the TNT to explode and the pigs to turn into zombie pigmen.

Rod Fergusson, Co-Creator of ”Gears of War” and Studio Head at The Coalition, takes the stage to announce the “Gears of War Ultimate Edition.” It’s an HD remake of the original “Gears of War,” complete with multiplayer. The multiplayer beta begins today, exclusively on Xbox One.

He then begins revealing a new “Gears of War” game with a gameplay demo. New COG soldiers are shown off traversing a very dark environment. A storm is destroying the city they are exploring, literally crumbling the environment around them. The new character is referred to as “JD.” They enter a building and there is a new monster revealed. Something gooey and glowy, which JD is advised not to touch. He does anyway, and his flashlight is shorted out. Fortunately, he’s glowing – possibly imulsion? This form extends well beyond the room they were in and all over the outside environment. They follow it into a courtyard where more glowing pods (don’t touch!) are at. As they try to exit the courtyard, another new enemy type is revealed. It’s somehow similar, yet different to the locust. As JD becomes overwhelmed, the trailer cuts to a close. It’s “Gears 4,” coming Holiday 2016.

Phil Spencer returns, now revealing the shirt he was hiding was a Rare Shirt. Could this be another Rare announcement or is he just celebrating their accomplishments? He discusses and recaps all of the new experiences revealed today and reasserts the commitment Microsoft has to the community and Xbox Live. He then hints that here are “more surprises in store this week.” There will be reveals on the Xbox Daily Show, including “Quantum Break,” “Scalebound,” “Crackdown,” a new Xbox One interface, and new first-party games. He wraps up the conference (no more Rare, looks like it was just a celebration) by thanking everyone. The conference ends with another game montage, recapping everything revealed today.

[06.15.15] Everything you need to know from the 2015 Bethesda Press Conference [E3 2015]

Bethesda Game Studios

It has been quite the week leading up to E3 2015 with a steady stream of incredible reveals, leaving you wondering, “What exactly will there be to announce at E3?” From the “Fallout 4” reveal, the return of rhythm gaming, and YouTube taking on Twitch; the gaming industry is charging full speed into its biggest week of the year. Fortunately, the fun hasn’t stopped. Bethesda kicks off E3 as the first developer conference, the first conference this year period, and their first E3 appearance ever. Now that “Fallout 4” is already out of the bag, what else can we expect? Here is everything you needed to know about the 2015 Bethesda Press Conference, live from E3 2015 on Sunday, June 14.

The conference launches with a brief montage of Bethesda’s hits, including “Dishonored,” “Fallout,” “Skyrim,” “Doom,” and some others – likely a hint as what’s to come. Following the video, Vice President of PR and Marketing, Pete Hines, takes the stage with some Skyrim Music. He takes a moment to thank everyone who is in attendance and thank everyone who’s worked at Bethesda for all their hard work. Now it’s time for the details.

Hines hypes the audience with a discussion on the original “Doom.” The first big announcement comes with that talk of a brand new “Doom” game. Hines introduces Marty Stratton, Executive producer at id software, to talk about the new game. This new title will be built on the idtech 6 engine and looks for great influence from the original “Doom” games. Stratton promises “Badass demons, big effing guns, and moving really, really fast” – otherwise known as the keys of a great “Doom” game.

The trailer starts with a first-person perspective of a soldier putting on a helmet and entering a futuristic-looking-yet-very-industrial-and-firey factory. Stratton indicated that you’ve been “activated on Mars to kill demons.” Enemies start popping up from everywhere and anywhere while the soldier goes to down with a shotgun. Things become even more close-quarters with a bloody punch, followed by the soldier ripping off a demon’s leg and smashing his head in to blood and brain matter. Everything he shoots burst into pieces. Demons explode in to bits and pieces while barrels explode into sparks and a fiery blaze. He then enters a room with massacred soldiers and picks up a sawed-off double barrel shotgun from one. This is equally effective in its smattering capabilities. After destroying many more demons through bullets and punching, the soldier picks up a new rifle that shoots bursts of lasers. He then comes up on an enemy from behind and rips his jaw off of his head. Finally, things slow down as he interacts with a few screens. He then picks up a hologram device which brings back the violence, likely revealing what happened to the slaughtered soldiers. Upon discovering the actual victim of the hologram, he rips off the arm and uses it to open a security door. More things are shot and then a chainsaw is found, embedded in a victim. It brutally slices enemies in multiple different sections, showering the screen with blood. He then runs up to a demon, embedding his thumbs into the eye sockets of the enemy, and rips his skull in half. Immediately afterwards, a new enemy flies over, lands on the soldier, and starts ripping your arms off right in front of you. It then cuts to a “Doom” logo and ends the single-player reveal.

Stratton returns to the stage, mentioning the importance of single player, and initiating a discussion on multiplayer. It will be fast-paced and true to many of the classic FPS. A brief multiplayer trailer plays, showing off many other weapons, including a rocket launcher and jetpack with guns. There are also power-ups, plenty of blood, and plenty of explosions. It also appears as if you can play as both soldiers and demons. Stratton closes out the multiplayer tease by promising more information on multiplayer in the coming months.

That still isn’t it. “We wanted to provide more, and allow our fans to do more. What if every player, regardless of platform or past experience, had the ability to build and instantly share their creations?” It then shows multiple user-created game modes, including a horde-style game mode and custom multiplayer slayer-style games. Stratton reveals “Doom Snapmap,” a feature that allows players to easily create and share custom maps, gameplay, and even how the game operates.

To top it off, the conference returns to single player and explores “hell.” Although it’s not industrial, there is still plenty of fire everywhere. There’s also lots of demons running around and, again, brutally being blasted into pieces. This time, it’s more about showcasing the details of the experience, such as the minimal HUD and a weapon-selection wheel which drastically slows down the gameplay while you pick your weapon of choice – similar to “Mass Effect.” The preview shows off the wide variety of weapons in the arsenal, but also makes the enemies seem… relatively incompetent, perhaps relying on sheer numbers and power rather than smarts. It then comes across a classic mini-boss who takes a lot of damage without going down. The enemy is finally defeated by ripping out his own heart and feeding it to him. More explosions, brutal executions, and the return of the fan-favorite rocket launcher. An enemy shows off his stealth capabilities and the demon that made the final kill in the first trailer returns, this time being blasted out of the air easily, with a shotgun, while he floated on a jetpack. There’s a brief peek at a huge boss and the teaser ends with a cut to the “Doom” logo again.

Hines makes a return to the stage and announces a new digital platform called “Bethesda.net,” which will be the home for all Bethesda games as “one seamless experience.” This will support things like “Doom Snapmap” and is already being used to support “Elder Scrolls Online.” It will also have forums, news, and other features.

Battlecry Studios is now taking the stage, via a pre-recorded video, as design director Lucas Davis talk about their self-titled debut, “Battlecry.” It’s an online action game focused on team-based combat and intense tactical warfare. It has an art style somewhat reminiscent of “No More Heroes.” The alpha has already been underway, but you can sign up for the global beta now at battlecrythegame.com. If you sign up before June 18, and you’ll receive priority access and a special in-game reward. It follows with a trailer which emphasizes its cartoony style. It also shows off the classes, such as gadgeter and infiltrator, and their differing abilities. It will be playable is playable at E3.

Arkane Studios flashes on the screen, followed by Harvey Smith and Raphael Colantonio, Co-Creative Directors, taking the stage. Colantonio is wearing a “Dishonored” t-shirt under his jacket, likely indicating the reveal that is about to take place. After jokingly starting off in French, they briefly talk about the history of the studio and how great of an experience “Dishonored” has been, followed by a thanks to the fans. A trailer begins, showing a skull falling into the water and a very Dishonored-esk locale. The protagonist, referred to as “Emily,” is shown working her way into the apparent villain’s fortress, which shapeshifts as she enters. She freezes times and shoots off an explosive crossbow weapon. She then gets into a sword fight with one of the robot enemies. As the villain thinks he has her beat, his robot henchmen falls into a trap placed by Emily. He then escapes and the logo for “Dishonored 2” appears. You can play as Corvo or Emily, the new character, each with their own unique style. Like the previous game, you can play how you choose: guns blazing or without ever firing a weapon. They briefly state that it will be coming to PC, Xbox One, and PS4 before saying more details will be coming soon. No release date was mentioned. Until then, “Dishonored Definitive Edition” will be released on Xbox One and PlayStation 4, including all of the original content, DLC, and enhanced graphics – standard fair for these “definitive editions.” It also indicates it will be a while before we see the sequel.

Next up is a brief, pre-recorded video update on the recently launched “Elder Scrolls Online.” It includes a few new locations, Imperial City and Orsinium – a real of the orcs. The trailer is largely just wide-angle shots of the new environments with various quick close-ups of random actions which aren’t really important to the gameplay, such as a character taking a drink and an animal roaring.

Hines returns again to introduce an all new game based on the “Elder Scrolls” universe. Building upon the legacy of “Skyrim” and “Elder Scrolls Online,” “Elder Scrolls Legends” is a strategy card game that will be coming to PC and iPad later this year. The trailer was completely CG, but showed off various races form the universe which will likely be key elements in the game. It will also be free-to-play.

Joking that the conference is over, Hines beckons the crowd to groan and scream for more “Fallout” information. He then introduces Todd Howard, Bethesda game director. Howard discusses his origins at Bethesda, beginning 21 years ago, and how E3 wasn’t even a thing. He then discusses the unique opportunity games have, delivering content in a way no other media can.

“Fallout” flashes on the screen and Howard mentions that development for “Fallout 4” began in 2009, immediately after “Fallout 3,” coinciding with “Skyrim” development. A ton of concept art is shown, ranging from environments and vehicles to characters. Howard shows the level of detail with which each texture in the game was created. The dog is also shown along with various spaceships and armor – many things which were shown in the reveal trailer.

Howard announces that “Fallout 4” begins prior to the nuclear war, something completely different for the “Fallout” series. It begins with a man looking into a mirror, talking to his wife, and he reveals that this is the character creation screen. You simply drag and drop, add and adjust elements, and sculpt anything directly on the face without using sliders. You can also swap places and edit the wife, dictating which character – male or female – you play as, based off of which character you leave the mirror as. Howard also reveals that, if you sculpt both characters, the game even creates a baby based off of the parents.

After leaving the mirror, you walk into the kitchen and talk to a robot, Cosworth. You check the fridge – stocked with Nuka Cola, of course – and find some Sugar Bombs on the table. The doorbell rings and a Vault-Tech representative is at the door, attempting to sell you, what else, but a vault. This leads to you customizing your stats, such as intelligence, luck, and strength. You shut the door in his face before he can even finish talking and you hear a baby cry. Cosworth says “Mr. Howard,” followed by a reveal that they have recorded over 1,000 of the most popular names to include in the dialogue.

We then hear a baby crying – the baby that should be created based off of the parents’ likenesses, and then the TV reports nuclear strikes in New York and Pennsylvania. Everyone leaves the house in a panic, running towards the recently acquired vault. You emerge 200 years later as the sole survivor of Vault 111. As your character exits the vault, he’s overwhelmed by light and color. The environment is so much more vibrant than any other “Fallout” game, courtesy of the next-gen version of Bethesda’s creation engine.

The demo flips between both first and third-person views. Codsworth shows up and apparently recognizes you – likely be voice, which is, by the way, new for “Fallout” as well. You’re given four dialogue options represented by the action buttons on the controller. Dialogue is completely dynamic, meaning you can end the conversation at any point, by walking away or even shooting the person in the face. The player then finds the dog shown in the trailer. After petting him, the dog decides to follow along. You can give him commands by pointing towards the environment. Everything is determined based off of context, such as fetching a nearby item. The player shoots some mole rats, before popping into the VATS system, which makes its return in the classic style. This includes “bullet time” slow-mo shots and, of course, the hit selection.

Next, the video cuts through various environments from the game, featuring all sorts of different areas of Boston. Much of this was in the reveal trailer. There are also more shots of the dog and the main charater.

Howard says “Now to the cool stuff,” and shows a “photo from the future” of the invention of the Pip Boy. It then shows the new version in “Fallout 4,” beginning from where you find it when you leave the vault. He mentions that they put a lot of work into the system, making it more entertaining since the player spends a lot of time looking at it. The Pip-Boy even has games within the game that you can play. He then reveals a real life version of the Pip Boy and announces it comes with the collector’s edition. The “Fallout 4 Pip-Boy Edition” will fit your phone and has an app with it that will create a second screen experience for the game. It has the same interface as the in-game Pip-Boy. The app will be available for iOS and Android, even for those who don’t order the collector’s editon.

Howard announces they’ve made something else for phones as well, a “totally new game.” It’s an FTL and XCOM-inspired 2D game where you can build your own vault, called “Fallout Shelter.” The vault has its own inhabitants you control, who can level up and be given their own unique gear before being sent out to retrieve resources. You get rewarded with loot in lunchboxes and can even build in-vault relationships. The game will be completely free, requires no internet connection, and won’t have any paywall timers. When you build something, it’s instantly built. If you wish, you can purchase lunchboxes of loot, though. Best of all, the game is available now, although only on iOS.

The discussion returns to “Fallout 4” where Howard shows off the ability to rebuild parts of the world. You can use scrap material from elsewhere to assemble anything you want. The player is shown building a two-floor hut and placing furniture inside of it. He also creates a dog house, generators, and lights. Traders will show up with which you can trade food you’ve grown, extra water, or even excess generators. You can also set up gun turrets, which is useful as your village will be acted by raiders. All of this is completely optional, though.

The crafting system, however, carries over to other parts of the game. You can construct scopes for a gun, gathering the parts from various items throughout the worlds – such as an alarm clock or duct tape. Weapons will have over 700 modifications available, including bayonets and different barrels. You can even modify your own power armor. There is a montage of action sequences, some involving the dog, and it looks like your power armor can be modified to have a jetpack. There are helicopters, a fight-club type environment, and plenty of wasteland to explore. The reveal caps with a date announcement, “Fallout 4” is coming Nov 10, 2015.

Hines returns, thanking everyone and bringing the conference to a close.

[06.09.15] Microsoft unveils new console, controller, and wireless adapter

Microsoft

The Electronic Entertainment Expo is still roughly a week away, but that hasn’t stopped the countless stream of exciting reveals. From “Fallout 4” to “Lego Worlds,” it begs the question, “What exactly is left to reveal at E3 this year?” Well, that question just became even more difficult to answer. Early this morning, on June 9, Major Nelson revealed that Microsoft has a new console, new controller, and new wireless adapter coming later this year.

First off is the new console. With fans begging for more storage space to be included inside the Xbox One, Microsoft finally listened. Coming June 16, the Xbox One will begin shipping to retailers with a 1TB internal hard drive. This edition of the Xbox One has a new matte finish for the console and will include “The Master Chief Collection” for a limited time. Beginning immediately, all 500GB models will receive a permanent price drop to $349 in preparation for the 1TB model to launch at a $399 price point. That means, for only $50 more, you can get twice the storage space, a $60 game, a unique console, and the brand new Xbox One controller as well.

While the new controller looks almost identical to the original incarnation, it actually has a slew of updates coming. The only visible one comes in the form of a 3.5mm stereo jack. This will allow users to directly plug headsets into the controller. It will also allow users to custom mix the headset volume, mic monitoring, and voice and game audio balance through the Xbox One settings menu. From a gaming standpoint, the bumpers on the controller have been fine-tuned. Most exciting of all, the new controllers will be able to wirelessly receive firmware updates, eliminating the painstaking process of manually connecting each controller via USB cable to receive an update. The new controller will be available for $64.99 in traditional black and a silver and black version of the Xbox One Special Edition Covert Forces wireless controller.

For those who enjoy the Xbox One controller but want to migrate some of their gaming experience to the PC, Microsoft has news for you too. Beginning this Fall, the Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows will launch, allowing users to wirelessly connect their Xbox One Controller to any Windows 10 PC, laptop, or tablet. While this may sound limiting, keep in mind everyone with a copy of Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 will be receiving a free upgrade to Windows 10 when it launches July 29 (even those with unlicensed copies!). The Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows will launch at a standalone $24.99 price point and will be bundled with an Xbox One Wireless Controller for $79.95, saving you about $10 if you purchase them together.

Will all of this being announced now, this should hopefully mean Microsoft has something very exciting up their sleeves for E3 next week.

Via Xbox Wire

[06.05.15] Bethesda drops ‘Fallout 4’ official trailer, game already on sale

Bethesda

Everyone knew it was coming. It’s been rumored, it’s been leaked, and it’s been teased. It’s been a while since we’ve entered – or left – the vaults and explored the decaying remains of our vibrant society, so really, it was owed to us. Yet somehow, when that countdown timer reached zero, the anticipated excitement everyone had was finally meet with actual, real hard confirmation. At 9:00am CDST on Jun 3, it happened. Bethesda released the awe-inspiring official trailer for “Fallout 4.”

The trailer was exciting for many, many reasons. Immediately apparent was the visual upgrades the game is receiving. Now, this was a given with the new generation of consoles and the drastic improvements in computers, but that doesn’t make it any less exciting. The game is stunningly beautiful and everything really pops. In comparison, the older games actually look somewhat washed out. Instead, “Fallout 4” has a graphical styling which matches its quirky personality.

The rumored Massachusetts setting can officially be confirmed as well, thanks to the trailer. Visible were a modified version of the Bunker Hill Monument as well as a dilapidated and fortified Fenway Park. All things considered, the city is actually in relatively good condition. What exactly this entails is unknown at this point. Either the city was a decent distance away from a blast zone or the citizens have done an exceptional job at rebuilding. Either way, it provides a very unique take on Boston and the East Coast.

We also get a look at a lot of vintage Fallout infused throughout the trailer. Vault Boy, the iconic mascot of Vault-Tech, makes a brief cameo in his bobble head form. The Power Armor also makes an appearance, along with a bunch of Nuka Cola memorabilia and a Nuka Cola machine. We even get a quick glimpse at the Pip-Boy during the very end of the trailer. Much like everything else Fallout-related, none of this is really a huge surprise.

What is surprising is that the game is already available on sale or the PC. Not on sale as in download and play it now, but on sale as in a reduced price, that is. With a promo code (23PERC-ENTOFF-48HOUR), you can get a nice discount on the unreleased game over at GreenMan Gaming for a very limited time. Of course, you’re going to have to wait quite a while to actually experience the game.

Still, when it finally comes, the new setting will be an exciting change of pace. The trailer clearly shows that Bethesda has again absolutely nailed the atmosphere with “Fallout 4.” Not to mention the new visuals will aid the atmosphere and just be all-around appealing. The release date is still unknown, but many are hopeful for a late release in 2015. The one thing that can be sure, however, is that nobody can wait for their chance to get their hands on the crew of Vault 111.

[06.02.15] ‘Fallout 4’ officially (almost) announced

Bethesda

Rumors have been swirling around a new “Fallout” game for quite some time now, however things just got real. At about 9:30am on Jun 2, Bethesda Game Studio’s Twitter account dropped a teaser image saying “please stand by” on a black and white background in the style of an old movie production countdown… say the kind you might find on a movie reel used in the 1950s. The tweet also had a link attached which directs to http://fallout.bethesda.com. The website features the same image, animated with a ticking clock in the background and a countdown timer just below the “please stand by” which is set to expire tomorrow morning at 9:00am CDST, presumably revealing a grand announcement of the forthcoming “Fallout” sequel.

All of this is, of course, just speculation as Bethesda has yet to officially announce anything “Fallout” related. In an interview with “Rock, Paper, Shotgun” back in February, Bethesda game director Todd Howard stated, “We don’t have a timeframe for our next game announcement, but I think it’s gonna be a while.” However, hints at a new “Fallout” game have been dropped since as early as January of 2013. Everything combined with the fact that we haven’t seen a “Fallout” game since “Fallout: New Vegas” in 2010 seems to indicate that it’s about that time to return to the wasteland. If rumors hold true, that wasteland could be Boston, and it looks like we’ll be heading there soon.