The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
News, coverage and analysis tracking The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim across the outlets.
Bethesda's last Skyrim concept artist has been laid off after "almost 18 years of dedication to The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and Starfield" amid Xbox cuts: "It has been my honor"Ray Lederer, the last concept artist from the original Skyrim team at Bethesda Softworks, has been laid off after nearly 18 years. His tenure included work on The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and Starfield. This layoff is part of broader restructuring and cuts within Xbox's gaming division.
'I find myself in the novel position of looking for a job' — 27-year Bethesda veteran who designed Skyrim's humanoid races and a Microsoft dev behind Xbox backwards compatibility have been laid offXbox has undergone a significant restructuring, leading to the layoff of thousands of employees, including industry veterans Christiane Meister from Bethesda Game Studios and Kevin LaChapelle from Xbox. Meister, who designed races for The Elder Scrolls series, and LaChapelle, a lead developer for Xbox's backward compatibility, are now seeking new employment. This wave of layoffs also affected studios like Compulsion Games and Ninja Theory.
Black Flag Resynced blows every other Assassin's Creed - and very nearly The Witcher 3 - out of the Steam watersAssassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Resynced has achieved a series-high concurrent player count of nearly 100,000 on Steam, surpassing other recent Assassin's Creed titles like Odyssey and Shadows. While it fell slightly short of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's peak, its performance is notable for a single-player game, especially considering the current hot weather. The article also briefly mentions Skyrim's launch numbers and highlights the appeal of open-world and pirate-themed games.
"We are the best allies to game devs": Skyrim modder shows solidarity with laid off Bethesda workers by draping union logos across TamrielA Skyrim modder named Elianora has created a mod called 'United Front' to show solidarity with recently laid-off Bethesda workers. The mod adds union logos to shields and banners within the game, encouraging players to raise awareness for the 'Save Our Devs March' organized by the OneBGS union. This action aims to send a message to Microsoft regarding the recent layoffs affecting Bethesda and other Xbox-owned studios.
Even The Elder Scrolls 6 is affected by Xbox layoffs, say Bethesda employees, as "key" people are let go and morale bottoms outBethesda Game Studios employees report that recent Xbox layoffs have significantly impacted development on The Elder Scrolls 6, with over 50 staff, including key personnel, being let go. This has led to low morale and concerns about increased crunch and delays for the highly anticipated title. The layoffs also affect other studios like id Software, potentially reducing their roles to support.
The Elder Scrolls 6 will be lucky to be out by 2028 says insiderAn insider claims that The Elder Scrolls 6, announced in 2018, is still at least two to three years away and may not launch until 2028 or later, partly due to recent Xbox layoffs impacting Bethesda Game Studios. This potential 10-year development cycle from announcement to release highlights management issues and a significant gap since the last main installment, Skyrim.
13 years after raising $1 million on Kickstarter, dev of infamous JRPG breaks silence to say work will continue through…After 13 years and $1 million raised on Kickstarter, the developer of the JRPG Project Phoenix has broken their silence to explain the prolonged development. Game director Hiroaki Yura apologized for the lack of updates, citing personal issues and the departure of a key programmer as reasons for the delays. He stated that the project is still alive and being funded by other studios he has built, with a new Discord server planned for more frequent communication.- Morning PatchesThis article provides updates on recent patches for live service games ARC Raiders and HELLDIVERS 2. It also mentions a new gothic-inspired quest mod for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, alongside other unofficial game patches and mods.
Get Games For Less Than $10 During Green Man Gaming’s Summer SaleGreen Man Gaming is currently hosting its Summer Sale, offering significant discounts on thousands of PC games, with many titles available for under $10. The sale features a wide range of games, from indie hits like Balatro to major releases such as The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and includes deals on games like Sleeping Dogs Definitive Edition, Batman: Arkham Collection, and Destiny 2: The Collection. The sale is set to end on July 13.
Nintendo Switch 2 eShop charts – July 5, 2026 – Star Fox leads againThe Nintendo Switch 2 eShop charts for the week of July 5, 2026, show Star Fox leading for the second consecutive week. Cyberpunk 2077 and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild are also performing well due to ongoing sales. Moonlight Peaks is making a strong debut, ranking sixth overall and first on the download-only list.
Are these the 100 most influential games of all time?Kitfox Games CEO Tanya Short discusses a list of the 100 most influential video games of all time, compiled by professional game designers. The list, assembled through the Polaris game design retreat, aims to serve as a tool for designers to improve their craft and create influential games.
After a disastrous Skyrim launch, Switch 2 getting Oblivion Remastered in August is less exciting – especially when Bethesda won't show much gameplay footage or fix the existing versions of this RPGBethesda has confirmed that The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered will launch on Nintendo Switch 2 on August 11th, releasing on cartridge. However, concerns are high due to the poor performance of Skyrim on Switch 2 at launch and the existing remaster's issues on PC, with many questioning the lack of gameplay footage in the announcement trailer.
Fatekeeper Early Access Review – The potential to be a Skyrim successor, but you’ll have to waitFatekeeper, currently in Early Access, shows potential as a successor to Skyrim with its atmospheric fantasy world and engaging combat mechanics. Despite some performance issues on PC and messy physics-based combat, the game offers a compelling experience for its low price, with publisher THQ's support expected to help it reach full release.
Skyrim Lead Designer Says Rushing The Elder Scrolls 6, Fallout 5 Could Result in Disappointing FansFormer Bethesda lead designer Bruce Nesmith believes that rushing the development of The Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5 could lead to fan disappointment. He explained that balancing resources, time, and quality is crucial in game development, and that shortening schedules often compromises features, polish, or leads to bugs. Nesmith also noted that while frequent releases can be beneficial, too much time between titles can cause fan fatigue.
SGJ Podcast #516 – Our Favorite Sound Design in GamingThe SGJ Podcast hosts discuss their favorite examples of sound design in video games, covering titles like Elite Dangerous, Thief, Rebel Galaxy Outlaw, and Warhammer 40,000: Darktide. The discussion highlights how audio contributes to immersion and gameplay experience across a variety of genres.
Releasing The Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5 faster risks "disappointing fans," Bethesda veteran says following reports that Microsoft wants to speed up developmentA former Bethesda developer, Bruce Nesmith, suggests that rushing the development of The Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5 could lead to fan fatigue. He emphasizes the balance between resources, time, and quality in game development, noting that excessively long or short development cycles can be detrimental. Nesmith believes a sweet spot of around three to five years between major releases is ideal for meeting fan expectations without burnout.
Now we know how much GTA 6 costs, but can you remember what these other games cost at launch? Take our price tag quiz!Rockstar Games has confirmed Grand Theft Auto 6 will launch at $70, with an Ultimate Edition costing $100. This article tests readers' knowledge of the launch prices of various other games, including the original Grand Theft Auto, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Collector's Edition, and The Orange Box.
Ori Studio Head Says Game Pass Would Have Worked if Xbox Could “Understand What’s a Good Game”Moon Studios CEO Thomas Mahler believes Xbox Game Pass could have succeeded if Microsoft had focused on quality over quantity, comparing it unfavorably to premium streaming services. He criticized Xbox's first-party output, citing Starfield as an example of a game that failed to meet the potential of its predecessor, and suggested that Xbox leadership needs a better understanding of what constitutes a "good game" to truly connect with gamers.- Nintendo 2 Switch eShop charts – June 21, 2026 – Star Fox and The Adventures of Elliot compete for the top spotThe Nintendo Switch 2 eShop charts for the week of June 21, 2026, show Star Fox leading in pre-loads, followed by The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales. The charts detail the top-selling games, including various editions and expansions for popular titles like Zelda and Pokemon.
- Saturday PatchesCrimson Desert has received patch notes version 1.12.01 as a hotfix for all platforms. The article also briefly mentions an unofficial fan expansion for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim titled 'Sigil of the Fallen'.