In the beginning, I imagine – I’m younger than some couches – QuakeCon was a bit different: a LAN celebration of the genre id had created and continued to lead. Now it’s a press conference for new owners Bethesda, and a support group for an id creatively diminished after the failure of Rage. Also a LAN party, still. North America’s largest Bring-Your-Own-Computer event, this year scheduled for the weekend between July 17 and 20.
Unlike practically every other similar Con you might name, attendance to QuakeCon is still free thanks to the efforts of its volunteer staff: so somebody please thank them on your way around the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas.
The huge exhibitor floor isn’t filled yet – Bethesda are still advertising spots for games, hardware and merch companies. But the publishers are promising plenty of games presentations, contests, panel discussions and announcements in the adjoining rooms.
Bethesda will be showing off some of their new games.The Elder Scrolls Online will be released by then, if you can believe that, but we’ve still Wolfenstein, The Evil Within and whatever Arkane are working on – probably Prey 2and a Dishonored follow-up – to speculate about. Oh, and Doom 4, naturally.
Which of those games are you most intrigued by? I’d love to see a panel on a System Shock-like Prey sequel, myself, however unlikely.