QuakeCon, id Software's free annual mega-LAN party and face-shooting celebration, is to return to Dallas, Texas this year on August 2-5. What exactly there will be to do there has yet to be revealed, but expect talks, tournaments, playing unreleased games, and the sorts of shenanigans you'd expect from a hall filled with several thousand geeks.

Once again, QuakeCon will be held at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas. You can scoop a discount room rate of $154 per night of you make reservations by calling the hotel on 1-800-445-8667 and mentioning QuakeCon 2012.

"QuakeCon offers nonstop fun and entertainment for those that don't bring their own computers," id's sister company Bethesda said in the announcement. "Bethesda Softworks will offer the first chance anywhere for gamers to get their hands on upcoming titles, and the world's leading technology companies will be on hand to demonstrate their latest hardware and software. Every day of QuakeCon is packed with contests, entertainment, announcements, panel discussions, and parties!"

Prey 2 and Dishonored are both slated to launch some time this year, so they might be playable at QuakeCon. Then there are the mysterious projects recent Bethesda acquisitions MachineGames and Tango Gameworks are working on.

If we all cross our fingers and wish hard enough, maybe this will be the year we finally hear some news on Doom 4.