Fallout: New Vegas is beloved by many Bethesda fans because of its well-written story and abundant player agency. Bethesda let Obsidian, the original creators of Fallout, control one game, and it became one of the best in the series. However, at one point, Obsidian tried to do a game for Elder Scrolls and was outright rejected.
After an article from 80 Level explained that Obsidian was going after Elder Scrolls, Chris Avellone, a key figure in New Vegas’ creation, tweeted that there was more to it. Obsidian pitched Bethesda several ideas for The Elder Scrolls spin-offs, all of which were met with rejection.
Avellone revealed that Obsidian, seeking to capitalize on New Vegas’ success, approached Bethesda with multiple Fallout: New Vegas-style proposals. These weren’t just sequels but potentially smaller, focused adventures set within the Fallout universe. The team also ventured outside the wasteland, crafting proposals for The Elder Scrolls spin-offs. Those Elder Scrolls pitches aimed to offer bite-sized adventures within the beloved fantasy world, just like Fallout: New Vegas bridged Fallout 3 and 4.
One particularly intriguing concept involved exploring an alternate Elder Scrolls world where the previous hero failed to fulfill their destiny. This would allow Obsidian to tell a fresh story within the established lore while avoiding directly treading on Bethesda’s core narrative territory. Unfortunately, these ideas never saw the light of day.
There could have been many reasons for the rejections, like resource constraints, a disagreement with Fallout: New Vegas’ darker tone, or even envy of its critical acclaim. (As found by Games Horizon) Avellone even pitched a spin-off that would just be an adventure that wouldn’t mess with the storyline, but still got a no.
I know a lot of people loved Fallout: New Vegas, and many even claim it was the best in the series. I am one of those people who thought New Vegas was the best Fallout to date, but I side with Bethesda. Elder Scrolls isn’t dark or gritty; even when it is, it’s short-lived. Obsidian wouldn’t be the right studio to help with the franchise because they make games in a specific way.
Now that Microsoft owns Bethesda, there’s a chance we will see another studio take on the franchise, but it most likely won’t happen while Todd Howard is around. Howard keeps the series safe and likely made sure it was written in contracts that Bethesda would have to approve spin-offs. We’ll have to wait until we see an Elder Scrolls game outside Bethesda.
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