It’s official, Bethesda is bringing the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim to the Nintendo Switch with a host of new features. Or well, something like that. The core gameplay appears to be the same, but there are a couple important tweaks that lend the game an undeniable Nintendo vibe.
First up, you’ll now be able to use compatible Amiibo to unlock in-game rewards like a full outfit that turns the Dragonborn into a different sort of hero. Spoiler alert, it turns you into Link. Yeah that one, the one from Zelda.
Further, Skyrim will now feature full-on motion controls, compatible with actions like firing a bow — also like a certain Hylian hero — and smashing dragons. So what else did we find out about the Switch release of now-venerable Skyrim? Precious little.
Previously, we learned that Skyrim would be hitting the Nintendo Switch just after the console’s initial announcement. There’s still a lot we don’t know about the forthcoming release, including some important details.
For one, it’s unclear whether or not the Switch version of Skyrim will feature all the bells and whistles released in the most recent Skyrim remaster, or if it will have any support for mods. We can assume the content released in the expansions for Skyrim will be included in the Switch version, but it’s unlikely we’ll see anything new beyond some Nintendo-themed add-ons.
Bethesda also announced a few games alongside some big changes to its mod community for Skyrim and Fallout 4, but there’s no confirmation that those changes will trickle down to the Switch version.
More likely, you’ll see “mods” added to your game via collectable Amiibo figurines. It’s not much, and there are certainly details we’d like to see in the future — like a definite release date and performance specs — but the upcoming Skyrim release illustrates the strength of the Nintendo Switch as a versatile gaming platform.
Digital Trends will continue bringing you the latest news from E3 throughout the week.
Acer’s Predator Atlas 8 finally has a US release date and price, several months after the company first showed off the handheld in May. The highlight is the Intel Arc G3 Extreme chip inside, which has been adopted by only a couple of other consoles besides the Atlas 8. This version will go on sale exclusively at Best Buy on November 1 for $1,299.99.
Acer originally said the Atlas 8 would arrive in North America in October, but left pricing open at the time. The launch came amid the ongoing DRAM crunch, which has made memory more expensive across the PC industry and complicated pricing for hardware makers.
Gaming laptops and I have a complicated relationship. One of my first gaming rigs was an Acer Predator that was already outdated when I bought it. I was a broke college kid, and that was the best I could afford. So trying out high-end gaming laptops is always fun. But ASUS' ROG Zephyrus G14 is a lot more than a laptop that can run AAA games. It is portable, so you're not lugging around a 2.5kg machine everywhere you go. It is built well, none of that plastic chassis, and can even function as a normal laptop outside of just gaming.
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.