today, Bethesda has moved to reassure fans that its upcoming games Fallout 5 and Elder Scrolls VI are still in development.
Microsoft is downsizing its Xbox division in an absolutely massive way It left fans wondering if those who left would be enough to replicate the quality we’ve come to expect at the AAA level. DOOM studio id Software sent a note to fans On yesterday’s topic, now Bethesda has followed up.
Bethesda says it’s still working on Fallout 5 and The Elder Scrolls VI, along with new content for Starfield. The firm also announced that Obsidian’s Fallout project has been greenlit and fans Fallout 76 and The Elder Scrolls Online can also expect new content in the coming months.
I had the chance to speak with studio director Todd Howard about how Bethesda is navigating this unprecedented time in the gaming industry and what he hopes the studio will look like in the future.
“It is very difficult for our teams, very difficult.”
I asked Todd Howard how the studio is doing given the Xbox downsizing. Many Bethesda, Obsidian, id Software and other veterans of the Xboxosphere have been released over the past few weeks, exciting fans and industry insiders alike.
“I’ve been doing this for a long time, when you’ve worked with people, in some cases, for decades, and they’re no longer here, it’s really hard personally and it’s really hard for our teams.”
Howard went back to other difficult times in Bethesda’s tenure, noting that before Morrowind, it struggled to get a big hit in the ’90s. Also before the Xbox purchase, Bethesda was under pressure to produce mobile games and multiplayer service titles as tastes changed.
“If I think back and people hear me say this, Bethesda turns 40 this year. It’s been a tough time, I look at Bethesda 1.0 from ’86 to ’99. I was there for it. We had to change who we were and how we did some things at that time. Then we kind of became ZeniMax and changed a lot of things. studios … how do we support these franchises?
“I think we’re in another moment of change in how we support each other, with these games and what we do for our fans.”
Finding optimism in an uncertain gaming industry
I asked Todd Howard how he stays optimistic as the gaming industry changes. More and more young users are choosing Roblox over traditional gaming options, for example, as big companies come under increasing pressure to find megahits to stay afloat in the face of inflation, tariffs, memory crunches and other challenges.
“The wider industry, it’s not really an Xbox comment. You know, you see it happening in the gaming industry.” Todd explained. “So it’s a broader industry thing — setting the stage, figuring out how some things are going to work in the future.”
“Getting away from the video game industry, I look at who was nominated for Game of the Year last year. As someone in the industry, I was proud of the list, what was created and what was said about creativity. There was a time when a lot of games were kind of the same. Success?’ And so on. And so, from a kind of creative standpoint, to the content that’s made there. As a player, he was really good.”
Todd Howard said he doesn’t use social media at all, but he does read the comments Reddit to buy the plot of land. He said seeing the quality of the work Bethesda’s team has put together has fueled his optimism as he looks ahead to Fallout 5, The Elder Scrolls VI and more.
“I think it’s beneficial to be able to work (in the games industry), seeing what we do. So I’m around the team and I see the passion, I see how we’re getting better every week. Making games that we absolutely love. It’s easy for me to be optimistic when I look at work.”
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