Skyrim loremaster says The Elder Scrolls never got a Fallout: New Vegas-style game because Bethesda is “very protective” over its golden goose
According to Kurt Kuhlmann, lead Skyrim developer and The Elder Scrolls franchise loremaster, Bethesda has never seriously considered commissioning an outside studio to develop a mainline-style Elder Scrolls spin-off to bridge the gap between Skyrim and The Elder Scrolls VI—unlike its approach with Fallout: New Vegas.
Skyrim launched in 2011 and remains the primary Elder Scrolls game nearly 15 years later, with The Elder Scrolls VI still in development. Speaking on the FRVR podcast, Kuhlmann explained that Bethesda is “very protective” over what he called its “golden goose,” preventing the company from replicating the Fallout: New Vegas model where Obsidian Entertainment developed a critically acclaimed external spin-off.
The contrast highlights divergent franchise strategies: Fallout: New Vegas, despite being developed outside Bethesda Game Studios, is widely considered one of the best entries in the Fallout series and proved that external developers could successfully handle a major franchise installment. The Elder Scrolls, however, appears to be treated differently, with Bethesda unwilling to grant similar creative freedom to another studio during the prolonged wait for its next mainline release.
Kuhlmann’s comments suggest Bethesda’s cautious approach stems from Skyrim’s exceptional commercial success and cultural significance, making the publisher reluctant to risk brand control with an outside team despite New Vegas demonstrating that such partnerships can produce quality results.