It’s a nice day here in Dallas, Texas, one that has brought hundreds of gamers together to move among the crowd in unison. With plenty of games to see such as Dusk by New Blood, Shadow Warrior 2 as well as Strafe by Devolver Digital, DOOM (2016) on Vulkan API, and even The Elder Scrolls Legends for fans to enjoy. Among the group of vendors, exhibitors, and showings, Bethesda has once more brought the largest LAN party in North America together again. With games such as Dishonored 2, Fallout 4 VR, DOOM VR, and even Quake Champions on the way, the lineup is huge for fans to expect.

As the event opens, we are given a warm welcome by Tim Willits, a man that brings the event to life with Pete Hines. With much of this, we’ve learned that there will be upcoming panels, giveaways, and even more as the weekend gets underway. As a kickoff, we are introduced to many of the sponsors for the event such as AMD, Nvidia, id Software, and many more as the event begins to come to life.

The focus this year isn’t just at what makes QuakeCon live outside of the fans, but it’s also the fact that fans have come across the country to make this happen – the fans that serve as volunteers. With QuakeCon remaining as big as it is, we learn that it’s not just the fans and teh volunteers, but the vendors, the companies that want to get their product out. The community itself is what helps make this event live the way it does.

As the stage lights up Pete Hines, VP of PR & Marketing steps out onto the stage. As his opening speech begins, he welcomes in the volunteers for this year in order to recognize them for their hardwork they will do. With games coming up in the VR booths such as The Elder Scrolls: Legends, which is upcoming for PC, Android, MAC, and Linux. Guess what makes this even better? The best part? It’s going Open Beta for PC as of today. Yes, that’s right. All you have to do is head over to the website in order to play the game.

As this news breaks? Pete goes on to let us know that Prey will be getting a new trailer here at QuakeCon. Doing so we are given a glimpse of a screen opening up to display the future we will see. One that is grim, dark, and troubled as our protagnist walks out, pistol in hand, our character? Morgan warns us about what is happening – a nightmare that is happening – a place where their is no room for uncertainty, there is no room for mistakes – this is the reality and humanity is lost. To fix it? Someone must die in order to save humanity. As the trailer ends, Pete once more comes to stage to inform us of the that the QuakeCon Trials are once more live. This includes Fallout Shelter on PC, Dishonored, DOOM, and even the Elder Scrolls: Legend.

With DOOM having released this year, they have announced that DOOM’s Eye on the Prize, which just reuqires attendees to wear a DOOM shirt. That’s all- it’s that easy. With DOOM also being the big game, the SnapMap Jam also gets underway starting Friday and Saturday between 12-4pm. With it being a big title, there’s prizes to win. With this news? Attendee’s will also be getting this free in order to enjoy the new content. This also comes with news of sales that include games up to 60% off for fans that don’t have them.

This news also comes with what donations people make by purchasing games through Amazon or partners will go to partners of theirs. With this news ending, Marty Stratton takes to the stage in order to talk about what’s going on with id Softwares latest work on DOOM. With DOOM being a critical acclaim by the press, the fans, and more. They recognize both forums and critics, but also the development team for the games success. As he discusses this, he also recognizes the fans love and passion for what they have worked on. He takes note the game has been getting a good size amount of new and additional content as it comes out. Some of this includes the new multiplayer DLC 01 called “Unto the Evil” releasing today and will be playable by those who have been waiting for it. The pack includes new maps Cataclysm, Offering, and itual. All Hell themed maps. One is a new weapon called the new Kinetic Mine and the AUC EMG pistol and the new Demon titled “The Harvester”, which many will remember fro the base game.

The screen dims, we get a look at Dishonored 2, giving us a look at a world much different than the one we had gotten to know. With whales in the water and a boat headed to shore titled the “Dreadful Wale”, we’ve gotten a glimpse of what has happened to the world. With the future of the city gturning grim, we once more get to learn we will be under taking the roles of Corvo for this mission view in the world set before us. His future is grim, dark, but memorable as he once more gives glimpse of his skills as an assassin using his weapons and his teleport entitled “Blink”. We’ve also gotten a glimpse at his capabilities as a figther. This includes abilities such as possession, his ability to take over the enemy, but also his ability to sneak past his foes. As his assination target comes into play, we learn that Corbo remains as a master assassin in a world that is grim, a world that is dark, and quite easily troubled. With slow time remaining possible, his chance to be as deadly as ever remains true. His enemies? Set aflame with his incendiary bolts before being taken out by Corvo.

Like before, the verticality in the world plays a major role as Corvo displays his need to continue his status in the world. To right wrongs, and to fix what has troubled the world around him. His combat prowess is deadlier than ever as he takes out his target Paolo, as he assists his new group – the Overseers, which players can side with. Dishonored 2 will be out November 11th. As the gameplay comes to an end – Pete Hines reminds us that the imgarey that people take with the cameras and phones is not allowed. As he finishes Raphael Colantonio and Ricardo Bare come to the stage to tell us about their upcoming title – Prey.

For those new to the game, it is a much different take on the title we knew before. Prey this time takes place on a Space Station titled Talis 1, one where a new project has gone underway, but as it does? Something has gone wrong: Aliens have invaded. These Aliens are hunting our main protagonist. With the game being open world, we’ve learned that the game will take the approaches we’ve never seen before, which doesn’t change much from the direction we could have imagined. The beauty of it? The world is deadly, it is alive, but it is also barren of the world where we wanted. A lockdown has occured, which leaves our protagonist fighting enemies such as weapons, but we’ve learned that weapons are rare, they aren’t as easily obtainable as one would hope.

This gives the element of ideology that the world of it exists. We’ve learned players will grab new abilities called Neuromods. This will allow players to upgrade their character to fit their playstyle as they do. The upgrades can be made by human while some can be directly learned from the aliens themselves. With weapons such as the Gloo Gun being capable of being around, we’ve learned the game will make it so that the player can freeze enemies in place, use an alien power, and even turn ourselves into things such as coffee cups with the Mimic ability. The Gluu gun itself can also be made for players to create their own path as they explore the world around them. With enemies around the corner, players will have to be readily aware for combat with weapons such as the shotgun, which can bring players down to fighting for survivability. With a weapon and ability wheel at their disposal, fans can easily get underway with what they are doing. A weapon titled the recicyling charge, players can gather ingredients to craft what they need. This also can open up paths they will need in order to explore the world around them.

Prey in this era will change heavily from the one we knew, and even become its own entity for players to enjoy. It will be a game that sets into a genre that fans of Bioshock, Dishonored, and even System Shock will enjoy quite a bit. Especially with items being fabricated for their use. Prey is a promising glimpse of open exploration of freedom as the demo takes us forth into outer space, where players can see a place to explore – an open world scifi experience that requires awareness of O2 and their supplies to keep alive. Abilities can be upgraded for players to use, making them more effective, more powerful, and even attract the attention of deadly enemies. This will be a game that will be a must have for PC, Xbox One, and PS4 owners when it launches in 2017.

About the Writer:

Dustin is our native console gamer, PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the boarders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, Anime, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. You can find him over on Twitter, Google+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.