- Fallout: New Vegas from Obsidian Entertainment is one of the most popular games in the Fallout series, with many dubbing it the best of the IP.
- The developer wanted to make a similar spin-off for The Elder Scrolls series.
- Bethesda kept rejecting the pitch.
The Elder Scrolls and Fallout are Bethesda’s biggest IPs. With the studio announcing The Elder Scrolls 6 in 2018, many were excited by the prospect of a new game after nearly a decade, but a new revelation confirms that Obsidian Entertainment could have filled this gap if things had gone its way.
Despite multiple pitched spin-offs, Bethesda didn’t seem too thrilled about these projects.
Why it matters: Both Fallout and The Elder Scrolls have a history of success and are still considered benchmarks in their respective genres. So, Bethesda declining to capitalize on this opportunity seems like a major fiasco.
I thought it couldn't hurt to try and push a similar system to what Treyarch/Activision had going with Call of Duty at the time (but hopefully less rushed).
Bethesda could do a core release, then we'd release a TES title (in same world or a divergent timeline/era) before the…
— Chris Avellone (@ChrisAvellone) December 18, 2023
Chris Avellone, a former Obsidian Entertainment game designer known largely for his work on the Fallout games, made some bold claims in a rediscovered Tweet.
He asserted that his team approached Bethesda with numerous ideas for Fallout and The Elder Scrolls spin-offs. Despite the critical success of Fallout: New Vegas, none of the pitches were accepted.
The developer described a hybrid development system where Obsidian Entertainment would fill in the gaps between major Bethesda releases with their own spin-offs and takes on these IPs.
While the studio’s Fallout spin-off suffered from rushed development, it is still considered a solid RPG. Many even claim the developer outdid Bethesda in terms of RPG mechanics.
Therefore, we feel this was a huge wasted opportunity from Bethesda since the team behind Fallout: New Vegas could have delivered something special with The Elder Scrolls.
With all of this in the past, however, Bethesda is currently focused on The Elder Scrolls 6. Currently, in early development, the team is aiming for a new level of fantasy simulation with this RPG.
Obsidian Entertainment is also busy with its own ambitious project.
Avowed is a major release in Microsoft’s first-party pipeline for 2024, and looking at the trailer, we can’t help but imagine if this game will showcase the missed potential of an Elder Scrolls spin-off from the team.
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