Bethesda Softworks is launching Bethesda.net, its new online hub for the publisher's growing roster of games.
At Bethesda's press conference at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles, the publisher announced Bethesda.net, which will become the new home for all content, modifications and updates for Bethesda's most popular games. These include "Fallout," "Doom," "Elder Scrolls Online," "Dishonored," "The Evil Within," "Quake" and "Battlecry."
For the most part, the website is completely bare bones for now. Its source code also reveals pretty much nothing.
Bethesda.net, pronounced Bethesda Net, is not to be confused with Bethesdanet.com, a website for a Christian community church where followers can access sermons and other services.
The online hub was announced alongside the new Snapmap for "Doom," a map creation tool that allows gamers to customize the game as they please, share their maps with other gamers and play other people's custom maps. But more than just a regular map editor, Snapmap is an advanced custom creation tool that lets players create entire modes and develop their own in-game rules, such as change the objectives and the behavior of their enemies.
Bethesda also took to E3 to unveil "Doom 4," which appears to be an exciting addition to the 12-year-old Doom franchise after "Doom 3" received lukewarm response from gamers looking for more action. At E3, the public was given a glimpse of the upcoming sci-fi horror first-person shooter, and it appears that Id Software, developer of Doom, is back on track, with an expected release for "Doom 4" set for early next year.
Also announced at the press conference is "Fallout Shelter," Bethesda's first game designed for the iPad. "Fallout Shelter," which is more like a cross between "Fallout 4" and "The Sims," allows gamers to build their own Vault and take charge of everything, from naming the residents of the Vault to defending its residents from raiders.
"Fallout Shelter" is up for release on the Apple App Store immediately and will be free to anyone who wants to play it. There are a few in-game purchases to increase one's loot, but they are not necessary. Otherwise, gamers don't need to pay anything to play the game. As of press time, "Fallout Shelter" is still unavailable on the App Store, but the wait shouldn't take that long.
