Former Dev Claims Todd Howard's Protectionism Stopped a New Vegas-Style Elder Scrolls Spinoff
Former Bethesda developer Kurt Kuhlmann explains that Todd Howard's protective stance over The Elder Scrolls prevented outsourcing a spinoff to a studio like Obsidian.
Image Source: The Elder Scrolls VI
Why The Elder Scrolls Never Received a New Vegas-Style Spinoff
Former Bethesda lead and senior designer Kurt Kuhlmann, who departed the Microsoft-owned studio in 2023 after a 20-year tenure, has revealed in an interview with FRVR why The Elder Scrolls never received a spinoff akin to Fallout: New Vegas.
The Fallout: New Vegas Factor
According to Kuhlmann, the perception created by Obsidian Entertainment's Fallout: New Vegas (released in 2010)—where a segment of the fan base argued that Obsidian handled the franchise better than Bethesda—created a dynamic that Todd Howard wanted to avoid repeating for his fantasy RPG flagship.
"I'm not sure that Todd wanted to create that situation again for The Elder Scrolls," Kuhlmann stated. "Todd, from my time there, he is very protective of it."
Kuhlmann noted that The Elder Scrolls Online, developed by ZeniMax Online Studios and launched in 2014, effectively absorbed the demand for more continuous multiplayer content within the universe, acting as a release valve for the franchise.
The Road Ahead for TES 6
As fans await further updates regarding The Elder Scrolls 6—initially announced at E3 in 2018—the title remains years away from launch, despite recent internal demonstrations praised by Xbox executives for their immense scale.
Get the latest breaking gaming news and updates instantly on our official news channel.
