DOOM Eternal, Elder Scrolls Online confirmed for next-gen with free upgrades

A number of developers have already announced plans to bring some of their current-generation games into the next generation, and today, Bethesda joined that list. Bethesda has announced that both The Elder Scrolls Online and DOOM Eternal will be coming to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X at some point in the future, and when they do, owners of either game on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 will be able to upgrade to them for free.

Bethesda hasn't announced when The Elder Scrolls Online and DOOM Eternal will launch on Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, only that they will. Furthermore, the company hasn't discussed the method by which existing players on current-generation consoles will be able to claim their free upgrades, leaving us entirely in the dark about the process.

Essentially, all Bethesda is saying today is that these two games will be getting next-generation versions and those who own current-gen versions won't have to buy them again. In a blog post on Bethesda's website, the company also says that both games will support backwards compatibility when Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 launch, so even if there's a delay between the new consoles and the next-gen versions of Elder Scrolls Online and DOOM Eternal, you should still be able to play your current-gen copy on the new hardware from day one.

Finally, the company suggests that it may make next-generation versions of other games in its catalogue, but it isn't ready to make any announcements on that front just yet. If it does decide to bring other games forward, the company says it's "committed to offer free upgrades for current generation console owners of existing Bethesda titles."

So, there you have it: Bethesda is going to offer free upgrades to games it brings forward into the next generation, and the first two are Elder Scrolls Online and DOOM Eternal. A number of other developers and publishers are putting together similar upgrade schemes, with 2K Games being one of the standouts with its current-gen and next-gen NBA 2K21 bundle packs that cost $100. In any case, we'll let you know when Bethesda announces more, so stay tuned.