Bethesda’s first surprise of its E3 2018 press conference came when it announced Doom Eternal, the sequel to 2016’s reboot of the iconic first-person shooter franchise.

The teaser trailer had all the Doom trappings, giving it away before the title came on screen: Fire, destruction, demons, and more fire. When the developers at Id Software got on stage to briefly discuss the sequel, they said the trailer actually showed Earth, “Hell on Earth.” 2016’s Doom took place on Mars. While the distinction may not matter much, it’s neat (and terrifying) that the fiery demons have hitched a ride to our home planet.

The Doom Slayer — Doom‘s protagonist — will be stronger this time around, which suggests more powerful weapons and perhaps more versatile melee moves. It sounds like you will need that extra power, as the demons have not only arrived on Earth, but they multiplied. Doom Eternal will have twice as many demon types. That is good news considering that one of Doom‘s shortcomings was the relatively small group of demons to destroy. One of the new demons appears to be some sort of a massive worm.

While Bethesda didn’t show any gameplay footage, it promised a full reveal at QuakeCon, the annual conference featuring games under the ZeniMax Studios umbrella. At least we won’t have to wait too long. QuakeCon kicks off on August 9 in Dallas. Registration for the event begins on June 29, and attendance is free.

The Doom franchise is known as one of the two that popularized the first-person shooter (the other being Id Software’s other major franchise, Wolfenstein). The first game launched in 1993 and was followed up by two successful sequels throughout the next decade. The series took a prolonged hiatus before the reboot launched in 2016 to much fanfare and critical acclaim. Doom perfectly blended old-school shooter ideas with fast and fluid mechanics made possible by current generation consoles.

Bethesda didn’t reveal a launch window or which platforms Doom Eternal will play on. Considering Doom was ported rather successfully to Nintendo Switch, it certainly seems possible Doom Eternal could launch on PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Switch at the jump.

Let’s just hope the multiplayer is better in Doom Eternal.

Updated on June 26: Added registration link for QuakeCon.

Related Posts

Your charging cable might get a workout if you try ‘Charchery’

The concept is as simple as it is destructive: you plug your charger into the phone to nock an arrow, and you physically yank it out to fire. It is undeniably clever, bizarre, and almost certainly a terrible idea for the longevity of your hardware.

Your Fable reboot preview is here, open world Albion looks gloriously chaotic

The hook is familiar, your choices matter, people notice, and consequences linger. The difference is scale. This is a fully open world take, with townsfolk on routines who respond to what you do, even when you think no one’s watching. It’s still chasing that mix of heroics, petty crime, and dry British humor, only with modern action RPG muscle.

Nintendo’s latest product wants to cheer you up with random quips

Nintendo first teased the Talking Flower during a Nintendo Direct showcase last September. The company has now shared more details about the product, and confirmed when it will officially go on sale. Based on the flowers in the Super Mario Bros. Wonder game, the Talking Flower is exactly what its name suggests: a potted flower that speaks around twice per hour, delivering lines like "Sometimes it's nice to space out" or "Bowser and his buds can't get us here, right?"