Bethesda Softworks, known for its prominent role in the creation of iconic series such as The Elder Scrolls and Fallout, has reportedly turned down multiple proposals from Obsidian Entertainment for further spin-offs in these franchises.
This information comes primarily from Chris Avellone, a co-founder and former chief creative officer at Obsidian, who shared details about the studio’s attempts to expand its involvement in these beloved series.
Obsidian Entertainment, which gained acclaim for its work on 2010’s Fallout: New Vegas, had approached Bethesda with ideas for additional Fallout titles and Elder Scrolls spin-offs. Fallout: New Vegas stands as the only title that Obsidian has developed in the Fallout series.
Despite its success and fan following, Bethesda hasn’t greenlit any further collaboration on Fallout projects. Avellone revealed that the studio “repeatedly” asked Bethesda about creating more titles, hinting at a desire to contribute more significantly to these worlds.
The studio’s propositions offered previously included an Elder Scrolls game designed to bridge the gap between major Bethesda releases, similar to what Fallout: New Vegas achieved between Fallout 3 and Fallout 4. Avellone’s vision took a page out of Call of Duty’s book, where different studios alternated releases.
He suggested that Bethesda could focus on major releases while Obsidian worked on spin-offs, possibly exploring alternate timelines or divergent storylines within the Elder Scrolls universe. One concept envisioned a game set in an alternate Elder Scrolls world where the hero failed to save the day in a previous title, offering a fresh perspective and new adventures in the familiar setting.
Avellone felt such an approach could be mutually beneficial, providing fans with more content while maintaining the core integrity of Bethesda’s worlds. Unfortunately, Bethesda wasn’t having it.
This is true. One of the Elder Scrolls proposals (which I pitched) was intended to serve the same function as FNV did between F3 and F4, to provide more adventures in the setting during the years before the next Bethesda release. https://t.co/7yJNkn8cUY
— Chris Avellone (@ChrisAvellone) December 18, 2023
Avellone cited the mixed reception of Fallout: New Vegas, particularly its technical performance at launch, as a likely reason for Bethesda’s reluctance. He also noted that the development of The Elder Scrolls Online, which has become a successful and long-running MMORPG, might have influenced Bethesda’s decision to focus on their in-house projects rather than outsourcing to Obsidian.
Bethesda’s protective stance regarding The Elder Scrolls and Fallout is understandable. Although the studio’s standing within the gaming industry have suffered in recent years after back-to-back duds in Fallout 76 and Starfield, it remains a marquee studio, especially now that it’s owned by Microsoft.
Preferring to work on its biggest and best-selling properties instead of outsourcing them to other studios might be just its way of making sure it has full control over what’s going on.
However, this might change after Todd Howard steps down, presumably once The Elder Scrolls VI is released at some point in the future.
As for Obsidian, the studio remains committed to working its magic by alternating small-time and big-budget titles like The Outer Worlds, Grounded, and Pentiment, in recent years. It’s currently working on the Xbox-exclusive RPG, Avowed, set for release in 2024. Ironically, many have referred to Avowed as a TES-like game. But, it remains to be seen if it can live up to the said expectations, especially after the recent comments about its graphics.
In the meantime, Bethesda is promising big things for Starfield as it makes fans wait for the next The Elder Scrolls and Fallout games.
