Bethesda
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Fallout 5 Confirmed, But Bethesda’s Reveal Left Fans Cold — And Honestly, Fair Enough
Bethesda Softworks director Todd Howard confirmed that Fallout 5 is in pre-production and being developed on the Creation Engine 3, alongside remasters of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas. However, the lack of concrete details, release windows, or visual assets for any of these projects, with The Elder Scrolls VI taking priority, has left fans underwhelmed. Howard's attempt to engage with the community via Reddit also received mixed reactions, with many expressing skepticism due to past announcements.
Inside the Vault: Join the Fallout 76 XBOX Series Public Test Server
Fallout 76 is launching its first Public Test Server (PTS) for Xbox Series X and S, allowing players to test upcoming updates before they go live. The PTS will feature targeted 60 FPS gameplay, 4K resolution on Xbox Series X, and Variable Refresh Rate support. Players can join via the Xbox Insider Hub app if they own Fallout 76 or have access through Game Pass.
Former Bethsoft devs claim Microsoft changed the company and mishandled recent layoffs
Former Bethesda developers claim that Microsoft's ownership has led to significant changes in company culture, including the introduction of annual layoffs. They allege that Microsoft mishandled the recent reduction in force, ignoring employee proposals and impacting morale and institutional knowledge.
UK software sales chart for the week ending August 22, 2026 – Pokemon Pokopia, Tomodachi Life, and Mario Kart in the top 5
The UK software sales chart for the week ending August 22, 2026, shows EA Sports FC 26 reclaiming the top spot. Nintendo titles remain strong, with Pokemon Pokopia and Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream at #2 and #3, and Mario Kart World at #5. Mortal Shell II entered the top 5 at #4.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion – I Spent 44 Hours in 4 Days Playing it in Bethesda's Basement
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is remembered as a defining game of the HD Era and a key title for the Xbox 360. The author reflects on their extensive playtime and hopes the upcoming The Elder Scrolls VI can recapture similar magic.
The Elder Scrolls 6 will keep Skyrim's famous cheese physics – now Bethesda needs to give me a reason to care
The Elder Scrolls 6 will continue to use Bethesda's Creation Engine, the same engine that powered Skyrim and its famous physics for objects like cheese. The author argues that while the engine allows for complex object persistence, Bethesda has not fully leveraged its physics capabilities in vanilla gameplay. They suggest that future Bethesda titles should utilize the engine's potential for more interactive puzzles and gameplay mechanics.
Respawn Monday #13: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Long Weekend — Too Much Gaming | Video Games Reviews, News, & Guides
The author has spent over 20 hours in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, praising its immersive mechanics like managing hunger and cleanliness, and the reactive NPCs. The game's writing and voice acting contribute to a compelling experience, with quests offering surprising depth beyond simple objectives. The game's approach to fast travel and grounded mechanics are highlighted as evolutions for open-world RPGs, with a comparison drawn to Bethesda's design.
MMO Week in Review: Way too early access
This week's MMO news covers the early access launch of Stars Reach, which some consider premature. Other highlights include a look at Guild Wars 3's Kodan, Daybreak's acquisition of Cold Iron Studios, new content for EverQuest Legends, and an analysis of the survival game Stormforge. The article also touches on various other MMO updates, rumors, and industry discussions.
Fallout dev Tim Cain says we should pay more attention to bad games: '[Publishers] often don't learn from failure because they only look at the games that sold well'
Fallout co-creator Tim Cain argues that both publishers and players should pay more attention to poorly received games to learn from failures. He suggests that analyzing unsuccessful titles, not just bestsellers or notorious flops, can provide valuable insights into game design and market trends. Cain believes this approach is crucial for industry growth and avoiding repeated mistakes.
Dishonored was a last-ditch effort by Arkane Studios after years of fruitless contract work, according to the game's co-creator: 'I think we had four months of money left'
Dishonored co-creator Harvey Smith revealed that the game was a last-ditch effort for Arkane Studios, which was facing financial collapse with only four months of funds remaining. The studio had been taking on various contract work, but ultimately decided to focus on their passion project, which became a critical and commercial success. This experience solidified Smith's belief in pursuing creative passion, a principle he is applying to his new studio, Black Pony Immersive.
"Do questions like that create a self-fulfilling prophecy?”: Dishonored director Harvey Smith on the fear of asking if immersive sims are dead
Dishonored director Harvey Smith, alongside fellow leads Ben Horne and Ricardo Bare, discusses the current state and future of immersive sims. Smith questions whether the constant questioning of the genre's viability creates a self-fulfilling prophecy, while Horne emphasizes focusing on creative vision rather than chasing trends. They acknowledge the success of titles like BioShock and Deus Ex, and Smith pushes back against the notion that first-person games don't sell.
Fallout 76 is launching The Slasher and legacy seasons on September 15
Fallout 76 is introducing a new content structure starting September 15 with 'The Slasher' event, which includes hunting clues, fighting fanatics, and a chance to earn unique Power Armor. The update also brings improvements for Xbox, unique weapon crafting, and 'Legacy Seasons' allowing players to revisit and earn rewards from past seasons.
Fallout 76's new Slasher update is "a first of its kind"
Fallout 76 is launching a new multi-week horror-themed event called 'The Slasher' on September 15, 2024, which will gradually introduce new elements and challenges. Alongside this event, the game will reintroduce its second-ever season, 'Armor Ace,' as a legacy season, allowing players to earn previously missed rewards.
Morrowind-inspired RPG whose devs gave up waiting for The Elder Scrolls 6 launches to 86% positive Steam rating:…
The Lantern of the Laughless Saint, an RPG heavily inspired by Morrowind developed by NerveLabs, has launched into early access on PC with an 86% positive Steam rating. The game emphasizes exploration and esoteric lore, with developers humorously referencing their impatience for The Elder Scrolls 6 and Bethesda's Todd Howard. Despite some expected performance issues in its beta state, players are praising its nostalgic feel.
"We chose the worst time in history" – Harvey Smith on starting his own studio after Arkane
Former Arkane Studios director Harvey Smith has co-founded a new studio called Black Pony Immersive with Ben Horne, aiming to create immersive sim games. Smith acknowledges the challenging timing for starting a new studio due to the current game business landscape but expresses a desire to build games their way, focusing on player-driven experiences and creative tools. The studio has already reunited several former Arkane colleagues and is working on its first project.
"Without us, Bethesda games aren’t Bethesda games": Rallies against Microsoft layoffs at Elder Scrolls studio continue, with unionised devs' morale "on the upswing"
Unionized developers at Bethesda Softworks continue to rally against Microsoft's recent layoffs, which have impacted staff across Xbox Game Studios. Developers express concern over the company's handling of the reductions in force and the effect on game development timelines for titles like The Elder Scrolls 6. Despite low morale regarding work, there is optimism about the ongoing union organizing efforts.
Games Inbox: How much disruption will GTA 6 launch cause?
Readers discuss the potential disruption caused by the Grand Theft Auto 6 launch, comparing it to Pokémon Go and anticipating media coverage. Other topics include the success of recent Star Wars games, competition between publishers like Activision and EA, the Amiga retro scene, the high cost of Star Citizen, concerns about Bethesda's game development quality post-layoffs, and the secrecy surrounding Nintendo's Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake.
Bethesda Layoffs Were Rare Before Acquisition by Microsoft, Says Developer
A lead character artist at Bethesda, Alex Nguyen, stated that layoffs were rare at the studio before its acquisition by Microsoft. Since the acquisition, however, the studio has experienced yearly layoffs, impacting employees on the ground rather than just management. This shift has led to protests and concerns about employee morale and the impact on game development.
Fallout 4 Patch Updates the Creation Kit, Fixes Various Bugs Including Steam Deck Crash
Bethesda has released a new patch for Fallout 4 that includes an update to the Creation Kit and addresses various bugs and crashes, including one specific to the Steam Deck. The patch aims to improve the overall stability and user experience for the game.
Fallout co-creator says turn-based and real-time RPGs both have "loud vocal advocates" who won't play anything else, so devs can't please everyone
Fallout co-creator Tim Cain discussed the ongoing debate between turn-based and real-time combat in RPGs, noting that both have dedicated fanbases who often refuse to play games with the other system. He suggested that while real-time combat offers faster pacing and player reaction, turn-based combat allows for more tactical depth. Cain also advised developers to choose the combat system that best suits their game's perspective, recommending real-time for first-person RPGs and turn-based for isometric party-based titles.
