Bethesda opening a playtesting lab to the public

By Michael Rougeau May 3, 2013

Bethesda-playtest — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Bethesda announced yesterday on its official Bethesda Blog that a new playtesting lab in Dallas, Texas will soon be open to the gaming public. It doesn’t seem as if any previous experience is necessary, with a Bethesda blog post stating that gamers of varying skill levels will be considered for participation. The only requirement is that you are over 18 years old.

“Over the years, we’ve gained valuable experience from player feedback, and now we’re ready to take it to the next level,” the blog post reads. Chosen participants will report for their testing to the offices of Doom developer id Software. Bethesda doesn’t appear to be offering money for testers’ services; presumably, the hope is that the opportunity to play games before they are released and the promise of receiving “cool Bethesda swag” will be enough to lure gamers in.

It is unclear exactly which in-development title or titles the new playtesting initiative will focus on, but The Elder Scrolls Online MMORPG is a likely contender. Bethesda also teased last month that the studio has begun work on its “next major project.” The long gestating Doom 4 is always a possibility.

Those interested in participating can apply at playtest.bethsoft.com. Testing will begin “in the coming weeks and months,” according to Bethesda.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Apple

Michael Rougeau

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Mike Rougeau is a journalist and writer who lives in Los Angeles with his girlfriend and two dogs. He specializes in video…

Gaming

The best Doom Eternal mods

Doom Eternal DoEt Cel

While it wasn't the first FPS game ever made, the original Doom certainly set the standard for the genre for decades to follow. And yet, when the series went into hibernation, the genre moved away from the fast-paced, in-your-face, non-stop action that the series was built upon. Then, we got the reboot in 2016 that reminded everyone of what a shooter that was built to be pure, adrenaline-fueled, guitar-blasting, blood-soaked fun could be. The sequel, Doom Eternal, upped the complexity of the combat loop without damaging it.

Even with the DLC missions, there is just never enough Doom Eternal. That's where the modders come in. From upgrades to the graphics, new gameplay modes, balance changes, and more, we have pulled together the best mods you can download to keep the fight against the demonic hoards fresh. Check out all the mods listed below at nexusmods.com and show the creators some love.

Gaming

All Doom Eternal cheat codes and where to find them

best single player pc games doom eternal fire baron

Doom Eternal has a lot of collectibles scattered throughout its levels, despite being a fairly linear shooter. Cheat codes are easily the most entertaining of the bunch, though. Doom Eternal cheat codes let you do everything from gain infinite ammo to hear the roar of QuakeCon while you're playing, and in this guide, we're going to show you how to find all of them.

There are 14 cheat codes total, 11 of which are scattered throughout the levels. Another two are located in the Fortress of Doom, and the final cheat code is unlocked by fully upgrading your Praetor suit. If you're going for all the collectibles in Doom Eternal, make sure to go after the cheat codes first. Enabling a select few will make replaying levels infinitely easier.

Gaming

Bethesda donating $1 million toward coronavirus relief

how to stream bethesda e3 press conference live watch at 2016

Fallout and The Elder Scrolls publisher Bethesda Softworks is donating $1 million to international and local organizations that are providing coronavirus relief.

Bethesda is splitting the $1 million in aid three ways to help the wide range of people impacted by the pandemic. The largest amount, $500,000, is going to California-based charity Direct Relief, which provides health care workers with personal protective equipment, including masks, gloves, and respirators. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) will get $250,000, which will help it feed children and keep families safe. The remaining $250,000 will be split between local charities chosen by individual Bethesda studios so that the development teams can give back to their communities.