Why Bethesda Never Made an Elder Scrolls Spin Off

Fans of The Elder Scrolls have often wondered why Bethesda never allowed another studio to create a spin off game to fill the gaps between major releases. Unlike the Fallout series, which saw Obsidian Entertainment develop the fan favorite Fallout: New Vegas, the fantasy franchise has stayed strictly under Bethesda's roof.

Former developer and Skyrim loremaster Kurt Kuhlmann recently shed light on this decision. During an interview on the FRVR podcast, Kuhlmann explained that Todd Howard was very protective of The Elder Scrolls series. Bethesda felt cautious about handing the keys to another development team because the franchise was so important to their internal identity.

While the long wait between entries like Skyrim and the upcoming sequel can be tough for fans, this protective approach was a core part of Bethesda's philosophy. For now, it seems the studio remains committed to building these massive worlds internally rather than outsourcing the task to others.