Bethesda is one of the few third parties jumping headfirst to give major support to new technologies and platforms. For instance, they have been a leading third party supporter of Nintendo’s Switch, and they have also led the charge on supporting the nascent VR format.

We already know that their Nintendo Switch gambles have paid off, and that their Switch games have done well for them, but what about VR? How have their VR projects fared? According to Bethesda’s VP Pete Hines, they’ve done very well.

“We were really pleased with how the three of those turned out on their various platforms,” said Hines in an interview with Upload VR. “We’re aware of all the, ‘Well, what else is Skyrim coming out on?’ jokes, but that version [VR] was a really good version of that game. DOOM VFR, Fallout 4 VR, we’re just really pleased with how all of those performed and were received. We’re going to continue to look at VR like we do at all platforms in terms of what’s a good fit for that platform and seeing what we’ve got and can it work.”

“They’ve done really well,” Hines continued. “Skyrim rocketed right to the top on PSVR and stayed there, when we released Fallout 4 VR on Steam it shot to the top and stayed there. When we released Skyrim VR on PC it did too, DOOM VFR has done really well. When it comes to any install base more is always better, but yeah, they did well.”

This is good to hear- as I said, Bethesda is one of the few third parties who have actually taken supporting VR seriously, pushing actual meaningful and substantial AAA content to the format rather than just bite sized “experiences” or tech demos- so it’s good to see that their gambles are paying off.

Bethesda Softworks’ Fallout 4 VR was quite the epic undertaking for the developer and as you’d expect, it didn’t ship without issues. Thankfully, the company is working to address these as evidenced in a new update that improves performance and options for quality along with V.A.T.S. and scope support. Rendering issues with sky objects, flickering lighting, SteamVR controller models and much more have also been fixed with this recent patch.

As per a Reddit post, update 1.1.24.0 is currently available to try on Steam via the platform’s beta program. Simply right-click on Fallout 4 VR in your library, choose Properties, select Betas and download update 1.1.24.0. This allows Bethesda to work out any kinks with the update before releasing it for all users on Steam.

You can check out the full patch notes below and see what’s in store. Fallout 4 VR is currently only available for HTC Vive via Steam. There’s no word yet on whether it will come to other platforms or VR headsets in the future.

New Features

• Added the following options to VR Settings:
• Adjust overall world scale to improve issues relating to height
• Invert Pip-Boy map scrolling
• “Minimal Power Armor HUD
• “Fixed Pip-Boy Size”
• Added various performance and quality options. Some options will require a game restart.

Bug Fixes

• Scope support has been added
• Improved V.A.T.S. targeting
• Fixed crash occurring when transferring lots of items (e.g. “Transfer Junk” in Workshop)
• Fixed rendering issues with stars and other sky objects
• Fixed rendering issues that resulted in flickering lighting
• Fixed rendering issue with the SteamVR controller models
• Fixed notes sometimes having invisible text or being upside down
• Fixed rendering issue with blurry hands and weapons when moving in Direct Movement mode
• Fixed precipitation occlusion
• Adjusted Pip-Boy and Power Armor HUD visuals
• Menus that pause the game will no longer move with the HMD
• Fixed issue with scrolling through crafting requirements when there were more than 5 requirements
• Fixed an issue where log Holotapes wouldn’t play in Projected Pip-Boy mode
• Fixed Pip-Boy and HUD color settings not saving after restart
• Fixed the Blitz perk sometimes putting the player in unintended locations
• Fixed the orientation of the player model when using the Barber or Facial Reconstruction NPCs.
• Fixed the player occasionally not being in the right location when starting a new game
• Fixed occasional crash fix when saving and loading
• Fixed compass orientation while in Power Armor
• Various other minor fixes and improvements
• Deprecated Fallout4VRCustom.ini. Custom options should be placed in Fallout4Custom.ini

Hello Neighbor

Have you ever wanted to play a stealth game where your neighbor was the enemy, probably wanted to kill you and had an adaptive AI to prevent you from trying the same trick twice? Hello Neighbor is probably your best bet. It’s an intriguing mix of survival and stealth as you explore numerous different ways to infiltrate your neighbor’s home. Recent updates have diversified the gameplay even further with the ability to double jump and escape the neighbor should you be caught. The real question is whether Hello Neighbor will finally hit its December 8^th release date and not suffer another delay. It arrives for Xbox One, PC and Mac OS.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Nintendo has been continuously scoring home runs this year, offering a good to great Switch title almost every month since launch. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 from Monolith Soft joins that club and it’s certainly a momentous title to close the year with. Along with a massive open world that should – if it’s anything like previous titles – offer hundreds of hours of gameplay, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 has a new story. Set on the backs of Titans, a scavenger named Rex discovers a Blade known as Pyra and must take her to Elysium, a paradise of sorts. There are colourful characters to meet along the way, different Blades to acquire, abilities to learn, combos to create and beautiful areas to explore. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is out on December 1^st for the Nintendo Switch.

Resident Evil 7: End of Zoe/Not A Hero

It’s hard to believe that this year began with an excellent title like Resident Evil 7 and to cap that off, we’ll be receiving not one but two DLC on December 12^th. Not A Hero is the free DLC focusing on Chris Redfield and his hunt for Lucas Baker after the main story while End of Zoe is a paid DLC pack that sees Zoe meeting up with a stranger named Joe. It’s also the same day that Resident Evil 7: Gold Edition launches so you can experience all previously released DLC along with the new additions in one great package.

Okami HD

After many, many moons, Capcom is finally fulfilling my wish of seeing Okami on PC. The fact that this is Okami HD, a remaster of the classic action adventure Zelda-like title, and it’s also coming to PS4 and Xbox One doesn’t hurt either. If you’ve never played Okami, it follows the tale of Amaterasu, who must stop the eight headed demon Orochi from conquering the land. More than just a higher resolution and widescreen support, Okami HD offers the chance to revisit one of the most underrated video games of the PS2 era. It releases on December 12^th.

Battlefield 1: Turning Tides

December marks the release of Battlefield 1’s next DLC Turning Tides. Or at least, it’s the first stage of the content release which will include battles on land, sea and air along with two new maps – Cape Helles and Achi Baba – out this month (an additional two maps arrive next month). You can expect six new weapons like the M1917 Trench Carbine, Type 38 Arisaka and the M1917 MG among other weapons. New vehicles, a new faction, a new Operation and the Conquest Assault mode where players must take back and hold areas occupied by defenders will also be coming. The first wave of content will arrive on December 11^th 2017 for Xbox One, PS4 and PC players while the second wave is out in January 2018.

Destiny 2: Curse of Osiris

Despite every single indication that this will be another bland DLC for Bungie’s Destiny 2, Curse of Osiris at least offers…some new story. Essentially, you’ll be looking for Osiris, the legendary Warlock, and attempting to battle the Vex’s next big evil plan. This involves heading to Mercury and The Infinite Forest, which offers random arrangements of levels and time periods, along with forging new weapons. There’s even something called a raid lair to add on to the Leviathan and which should hopefully be more fulfilling. Destiny 2: Curse of Osiris is out on December 5^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

DOOM VFR

After bringing DOOM to the Nintendo Switch by some miracle, Bethesda Softworks is now gearing up for DOOM VFR. This is the virtual reality version of the game but it still maintains the demon slaying, bone-tearing, arm-ripping action that defined the original. While we’re not sure how the fast-paced experience will translate to virtual reality – where the less insane movement, the better – but it certainly has us intrigued. DOOM VFR will be coming to PlayStation VR and HTC Vive via Steam on December 1^st.

Fallout 4 VR

More Fallout 4? Yes, there’s more Fallout 4 and this time, it’s heading to HTC Vive. The controversial first person shooter/RPG has seen a number of updates, DLC, the Creation Club with its lame add-ons and so on. But this time, we get to do it all in virtual reality. The highlight of Fallout 4 VR is the fact that this isn’t just a slice of the game. It’s the entire experience and for what it’s worth, early impressions seem favourable if not outright excited. Still, if you want something to justify that VR purchase that isn’t called DOOM VFR, then Fallout 4 VR will be available on December 12^th via Steam.

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (Xbox One)

One of the most eagerly anticipated Xbox One exclusives isn’t even from Microsoft, nor did it start out as an Xbox title. We’re talking about PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, the 100 person Last Man Standing title that’s swept the world with 22 million copies sold on Steam. From its humble roots on Early Access, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds has shattered a number of records on Steam and version 1.0 is currently in the testing phase. That version will release in late December for PC users but Xbox One players can look forward to playing it through Xbox Game Preview on December 12^th.

Final Fantasy 15: Episode Ignis

So it’s not exactly meant to be the meatiest content releasing for a game in December but Final Fantasy 15: Episode Ignis does look pretty fun. Releasing on December 13^th, the DLC will focus on Ignis as he temporarily teams up with Ravus Nox Fleuret aka Luna’s brother in order to secure the safety of both Noctis and Luna. Ignis’s abilities are pretty interesting as he throws spell dagger and can target numerous enemies at once. The story should also help fill in some awkward holes – like how Ignis was blinded and what other events occurred in Altissia while Leviathan was stomping around.

If you’ve been unsure in the past about picking up the HTC Vive in the past – even if it does retail for $600 now instead of $800 – then Bethesda might have the solution. It’s announced that all HTC Vive units will receive Fallout 4 VR for free starting from October 2nd.

That being said, the game itself is out in December so you won’t be able to play it right away. It will still retail for $60 separately. To find out how long the offer will last, head here.

Vive Studios Joel Breton released a statement on Fallout 4 VR being included, noting that, “The promise of a game with near endless content, including hundreds of locations, characters, and quests, fully playable in VR, is something that we have been focused on providing for the VR gaming community

“We are now thrilled to provide this incredible game to new Vive owners and eagerly look forward to game’s launch on Vive this December.”

Fallout 4 VR was first properly showcased at E3 2017 and Bethesda has been hyping up how big the game really is. Instead of a small slice of the game in VR, the entire base game is playable instead.

In terms of scope, it truly is something we’ve never seen before. Of course, Bethesda has other VR projects in development – Skyrim VR releases on November 17th while DOOM VFR releases on December 1st.

While many will cry themselves hoarse over the directions Bethesda has taken over the past few years, whether it’s re-releasing The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim for the Nintendo Switch or bringing Fallout 4, Skyrim and DOOM into virtual reality, such complaints won’t affect how the company does things.

Bethesda PR and marketing in-charge Pete Hines said that the publisher is aware of its fanbase and all the criticisms and complaints that come with it. However, he asserted to GamesRadar that these wouldn’t define what Bethesda does.

“We’re aware of it, but we’re not going to let it define what we do. Ultimately, we’re going to try and do the things that we think are the best for the games that we’re making, because that’s, honestly, all I can really control.”

Hines recalls speaking to Todd Howard, director of Fallout 4 and Skyrim, several years ago at E3. “I went to Todd a couple of E3s ago and said ‘everybody’s going to ask us about The Elder Scrolls 6. You have to help me, you have to help me come out and say what the studio’s path is, and when The Elder Scrolls 6 is coming, to try and manage expectations’.”

He then stated that even as fans want The Elder Scrolls 6 and don’t like having Skyrim VR or DOOM VFR, the development teams at Bethesda “aren’t just a vending machine where you press for the soda and they just go back and forth – they want to be able to stretch their legs creatively, or try a new idea, or do something different and not just fall into the same pattern.”

Using Guerrilla Games’ Horizon: Zero Dawn as an example, Hines noted that, “I think you see a lot of developers do that, and quite honestly, if we didn’t have folks break from it then you don’t get Horizon Zero Dawn. Like, how unbelievable is that game? And if [Guerrilla] just stayed on that path for what they were known for, you’d never get that game. I think that’s true of a lot of studios, right? You don’t get The Last of Us if [Naughty Dog] just kept churning out Uncharted games.”

Of course, there are various other projects that Bethesda has in the works that we’re not aware of and probably won’t find out about until they’re ready. But given how Fallout 4 launched in 2015 and Skyrim first launched in 2011, it’s obvious that fans will be craving what’s next, especially given the advancements that other open world developers seem to be making.

What are your thoughts on Hines’ views though? Let us know in the comments below.

Bethesda Softworks has finally dated the VR adaptations of games showcased at E3 2017, namely The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim VR, Fallout 4 VR and DOOM VR.

Skyrim VR will release first on November 17th for PlayStation VR. It will head to HTC in 2018 though. DOOM VR can be experienced on the Vive and PlayStation VR on December 1st. Finally, Fallout 4 VR will be available for the Vive on December 12th. Sadly, it doesn’t seem to be heading to other VR platforms just yet.

Content-wise, all three games are identical to their base games with different movement options (the ability to teleport instead of walking, for example) and support for motion controls.

More information and gameplay from each title should emerge out of QuakeCon which takes place on August 24th to 27th. It will be interesting to see what other big announcements Bethesda and id Software make, especially with Quake Champions recently heading to Steam Early Access.

Bethesda Softworks has spent no small amount of time telling us how great Fallout 4 in VR would be. However, AMD corporate VP Roy Taylor is going a step further and proclaiming that Fallout 4 will be “the Mario, the Sonic the Hedgehog” of the VR industry.

Speaking at the VR World Congress (via MCVUK), Taylor said that the game will be a “ground-breaking VR title” and that, “It will change the way we think about VR. It will be an industry changer.”

Taylor also discussed some of the bigger obstacles facing the VR industry, particularly wires. “They’re an inhibitor to what should be giving great freedom of movement. One of the most important things we do next is get rid of those pesky wires. I’m very pleased to tell you that AMD has come up with a solution.”

AMD is partnering with Nitero, which manufactures chips for wireless VR, to offer multi-gigabit transmission for stereoscopic video at previously unheard of latencies. Sadly, it looks like it will be available in next gen VR headsets.

As for Fallout 4 VR, expect it to release on HTC Vive later this year.

The VR version of Fallout 4 is currently slated to release this year and will be available on the floor at E3 2017 for the general public to try out. And it seems the experience will be downright “incredible” according to Bethesda VP of PR and marketing Pete Hines.

Speaking to Hip Hop Gamer, Hines said that he spoke to director Todd Howard, with the latter noting that, “Fallout 4 VR is the most incredible thing you’ve ever seen in your life. You can’t even imagine what it’s like playing in VR and how realistic it looks with everywhere you turn your head.” The VR version encompasses the entirety of Fallout 4 and is the “craziest thing you’ve ever seen” according to Howard.

Hines later talked about VR gaming growing in popularity though he did make sure to state that, “I personally don’t believe it’s ever going to be a thing where, ‘Oh I don’t play other things; I only play on VR.'”

Fallout 4 VR will be out this year for HTC Vive and PC.