Rumors* have it that - due to the recent success of the TV show -
Bethesda is accelearating the release of the next Fallout game.

Because if there's anything we all want, it's a Bethesda game even
/more/ rushed out of production. After all, it's the bugs and janks
that make their games so memorable, right?

Certainly nobody is crying out for an Elder Scrolls sequel, what with
Fallout 4, Fallout 76 and Starfield having been released since Skyrim.
Ignoring the franchise that made your company a success is a very
clever business move. Chasing after the 'new hotness' always leads to
great results. Especially if you rush things.

The C-levels at Bethesda really seem to have lost the script. Or maybe
they're getting pressure from Microsoft? I don't know, but their
business decisions seems increasingly random, and not to the long-term
benefit of customers or company.

* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4frfcWeJMAc&ab_channel=RandalThor19

>Rumors* have it that - due to the recent success of the TV show -
>Bethesda is accelerating the release of the next Fallout game.
>Because if there's anything we all want, it's a Bethesda game even
>/more/ rushed out of production. After all, it's the bugs and janks
>that make their games so memorable, right?

Perhaps they could reuse the same engine to save production time? Or
shorten the writing process by replacing writers with a chatbot?

rms

On Tue, 30 Apr 2024 08:14:07 -0600, "rms"
<rsquiresMOO@MOOflashMOO.net> wrote:

>>Rumors* have it that - due to the recent success of the TV show -
>>Bethesda is accelerating the release of the next Fallout game.
>>Because if there's anything we all want, it's a Bethesda game even
>>/more/ rushed out of production. After all, it's the bugs and janks
>>that make their games so memorable, right?
>
> Perhaps they could reuse the same engine to save production time? Or
>shorten the writing process by replacing writers with a chatbot?

Procedural generation all the way, baby! Why hand-craft maps, quests,
characters, ANYTHING when you can get a computer to do it?

I'm sure it will all work out fine. ;-)

In truth, the rumor that Bethesda is expediting the next Fallout
remains just that: a rumor. But it's definitely something Bethesda
needs to get ahead of. They /don't/ have the best reputation right
now. A lot of their recent in-house productions have been
disappointments; maybe not flops, but seen as a step down from earlier
games. "Fallout 4" was fairly average. "Fallout 76" had an incredibly
rocky launch. "Starfield" failed to impress on almost every level.
They're continually milking "Skyrim". They're breaking mods. Their
trying to grift off the modder's hard work. They don't have anything
exciting in the pipeline.

Their PR team needs to get out there and issue the usual platitudes:
'of course we aren't going to rush out the next game. We're dedicated
to creating quality products. We're not simply chasing the next
popular trend. Other other IPs remain important to us.' The usual
schtick; say a lot without saying anything. That it's been several
days and Bethesda has remained silent does not speak well of their
management.

On 4/30/2024 5:53 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
> On Tue, 30 Apr 2024 08:14:07 -0600, "rms"
> <rsquiresMOO@MOOflashMOO.net> wrote:
>
>>> Rumors* have it that - due to the recent success of the TV show -
>>> Bethesda is accelerating the release of the next Fallout game.
>>> Because if there's anything we all want, it's a Bethesda game even
>>> /more/ rushed out of production. After all, it's the bugs and janks
>>> that make their games so memorable, right?
>>
>> Perhaps they could reuse the same engine to save production time? Or
>> shorten the writing process by replacing writers with a chatbot?
>
> Procedural generation all the way, baby! Why hand-craft maps, quests,
> characters, ANYTHING when you can get a computer to do it?
>
> I'm sure it will all work out fine. ;-)
>
> In truth, the rumor that Bethesda is expediting the next Fallout
> remains just that: a rumor. But it's definitely something Bethesda
> needs to get ahead of. They /don't/ have the best reputation right
> now. A lot of their recent in-house productions have been
> disappointments; maybe not flops, but seen as a step down from earlier
> games. "Fallout 4" was fairly average. "Fallout 76" had an incredibly
> rocky launch. "Starfield" failed to impress on almost every level.
> They're continually milking "Skyrim". They're breaking mods. Their
> trying to grift off the modder's hard work. They don't have anything
> exciting in the pipeline.
>
> Their PR team needs to get out there and issue the usual platitudes:
> 'of course we aren't going to rush out the next game. We're dedicated
> to creating quality products. We're not simply chasing the next
> popular trend. Other other IPs remain important to us.' The usual
> schtick; say a lot without saying anything. That it's been several
> days and Bethesda has remained silent does not speak well of their
> management.
>
>
>
>

Bethesda is in the slow downward spiral of death right now. It's gonna
take a few years longer, but they will become irrelevant, their IP will
get sold to a different company founded by one of the original people of
whatever, and then stuff is gonna get released that's actually decent to
good again.

On 5/1/2024 1:42 AM, Kyonshi wrote:

>
> Bethesda is in the slow downward spiral of death right now. It's gonna
> take a few years longer, but they will become irrelevant, their IP will
> get sold to a different company founded by one of the original people of
> whatever, and then stuff is gonna get released that's actually decent to
> good again.

MS already owns Bethesda, so they can do whatever they want including
giving Obsidian (New Vegas) which they also own now the go ahead to make
another, or another developer under their umbrella.

They aren't into selling off IP or closing down studios, but they could
come to the conclusion the heads of Bethesda aren't working out and give
them a golden parachute, replacing them with whomever they feel like.

At least one of the original programmers for the original fallout is
still under the Interplay umbrella, and thus we have Wasteland 2 and 3.
(Which unfortunately have nothing on the original Fallout series in my
opinion.)

--
-Justisaur

ø-ø
(\_/)\
`-'\ `--.___,
¶¬'\( ,_.-'
\\
^'

On 5/1/2024 7:17 AM, Justisaur wrote:
> On 5/1/2024 1:42 AM, Kyonshi wrote:
>
>>
>> Bethesda is in the slow downward spiral of death right now. It's gonna
>> take a few years longer, but they will become irrelevant, their IP
>> will get sold to a different company founded by one of the original
>> people of whatever, and then stuff is gonna get released that's
>> actually decent to good again.
>
> MS already owns Bethesda, so they can do whatever they want including
> giving Obsidian (New Vegas) which they also own now the go ahead to make
> another, or another developer under their umbrella.
>
> They aren't into selling off IP or closing down studios, but they could
> come to the conclusion the heads of Bethesda aren't working out and give
> them a golden parachute, replacing them with whomever they feel like.
>
> At least one of the original programmers for the original fallout is
> still under the Interplay umbrella, and thus we have Wasteland 2 and 3.
> (Which unfortunately have nothing on the original Fallout series in my
> opinion.)
>
IIRC the original Fallout painted itself as a "spiritual successor" to
the original Wasteland.

--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.

Kyonshi wrote:
> On 4/30/2024 5:53 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
>> On Tue, 30 Apr 2024 08:14:07 -0600, "rms"
>> <rsquiresMOO@MOOflashMOO.net> wrote:
>>
>>>> Rumors* have it that - due to the recent success of the TV show -
>>>> Bethesda is accelerating the release of the next Fallout game.
>>>> Because if there's anything we all want, it's a Bethesda game even
>>>> /more/ rushed out of production. After all, it's the bugs and janks
>>>> that make their games so memorable, right?
>>>
>>>    Perhaps they could reuse the same engine to save production time?  Or
>>> shorten the writing process by replacing writers with a chatbot?
>>
>> Procedural generation all the way, baby! Why hand-craft maps, quests,
>> characters, ANYTHING when you can get a computer to do it?
>>
>> I'm sure it will all work out fine. ;-)
>>
>> In truth, the rumor that Bethesda is expediting the next Fallout
>> remains just that: a rumor. But it's definitely something Bethesda
>> needs to get ahead of. They /don't/ have the best reputation right
>> now. A lot of their recent in-house productions have been
>> disappointments; maybe not flops, but seen as a step down from earlier
>> games. "Fallout 4" was fairly average. "Fallout 76" had an incredibly
>> rocky launch. "Starfield" failed to impress on almost every level.
>> They're continually milking "Skyrim". They're breaking mods. Their
>> trying to grift off the modder's hard work. They don't have anything
>> exciting in the pipeline.
>>
>> Their PR team needs to get out there and issue the usual platitudes:
>> 'of course we aren't going to rush out the next game. We're dedicated
>> to creating quality products. We're not simply chasing the next
>> popular trend. Other other IPs remain important to us.' The usual
>> schtick; say a lot without saying anything. That it's been several
>> days and Bethesda has remained silent does not speak well of their
>> management.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
> Bethesda is in the slow downward spiral of death right now. It's gonna
> take a few years longer, but they will become irrelevant, their IP will
> get sold to a different company founded by one of the original people of
> whatever, and then stuff is gonna get released that's actually decent to
> good again.

Don't you think they are making bank off of Elder Scrolls Online?

Am 30.04.24 um 16:14 schrieb rms:
>> Rumors* have it that - due to the recent success of the TV show -
>> Bethesda is accelerating the release of the next Fallout game.
>> Because if there's anything we all want, it's a Bethesda game even
>> /more/ rushed out of production. After all, it's the bugs and janks
>> that make their games so memorable, right?
>
>   Perhaps they could reuse the same engine to save production time?  Or
> shorten the writing process by replacing writers with a chatbot?
>
> rms
Fun stuff is, Microsoft has 3 development studios under its wing which
were one way or the other related to Fallout:
Obisidan, inXile Entertainment, and Bethestha

2 of them are successors to Black Isle and have a track record of being
able to produce very good fallout games, the other one has the license
and won´t let go of it...

On Sun, 5 May 2024 03:16:37 -0500, Lane Larson
<lnlarson@stoat.inhoin.edu> wrote:

>Kyonshi wrote:
>> On 4/30/2024 5:53 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
>>> On Tue, 30 Apr 2024 08:14:07 -0600, "rms"
>>> <rsquiresMOO@MOOflashMOO.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>>> Rumors* have it that - due to the recent success of the TV show -
>>>>> Bethesda is accelerating the release of the next Fallout game.
>>>>> Because if there's anything we all want, it's a Bethesda game even
>>>>> /more/ rushed out of production. After all, it's the bugs and janks
>>>>> that make their games so memorable, right?
>>>>
>>>>    Perhaps they could reuse the same engine to save production time?  Or
>>>> shorten the writing process by replacing writers with a chatbot?
>>>
>>> Procedural generation all the way, baby! Why hand-craft maps, quests,
>>> characters, ANYTHING when you can get a computer to do it?
>>>
>>> I'm sure it will all work out fine. ;-)
>>>
>>> In truth, the rumor that Bethesda is expediting the next Fallout
>>> remains just that: a rumor. But it's definitely something Bethesda
>>> needs to get ahead of. They /don't/ have the best reputation right
>>> now. A lot of their recent in-house productions have been
>>> disappointments; maybe not flops, but seen as a step down from earlier
>>> games. "Fallout 4" was fairly average. "Fallout 76" had an incredibly
>>> rocky launch. "Starfield" failed to impress on almost every level.
>>> They're continually milking "Skyrim". They're breaking mods. Their
>>> trying to grift off the modder's hard work. They don't have anything
>>> exciting in the pipeline.
>>>
>>> Their PR team needs to get out there and issue the usual platitudes:
>>> 'of course we aren't going to rush out the next game. We're dedicated
>>> to creating quality products. We're not simply chasing the next
>>> popular trend. Other other IPs remain important to us.' The usual
>>> schtick; say a lot without saying anything. That it's been several
>>> days and Bethesda has remained silent does not speak well of their
>>> management.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Bethesda is in the slow downward spiral of death right now. It's gonna
>> take a few years longer, but they will become irrelevant, their IP will
>> get sold to a different company founded by one of the original people of
>> whatever, and then stuff is gonna get released that's actually decent to
>> good again.
>
>Don't you think they are making bank off of Elder Scrolls Online?

I don't know if Bethesda is in a death spiral. I think it is
struggling, perhaps not financially but instead in an attempt to
remain relevant. "Starfield" was, at least in regards to expectations,
something of a flop. It was hoped to be the next "Skyrim"; a massive
hit that would not only fund the company for decades, but open up an
entirely new IP. But it looks like it may be Bethesda's "Mass Effect:
Andromeda".

Elder Scrolls Online has been financially successful - it's earned the
company $2 billion USD in the decade it's been active. It is
definitely one of the more popular MMORPGs, with ~200,000 active daily
users. But that number isn't really growing. Fallout 76 - despite some
recent spikes due to the popularity of the TV show - is doing much
worse, with only a quarter that number of active users.

ESO brings in good money but that's still only around $200 million USD
per year. Server costs, support personnel, and on-going development
eat into that. In the end, it's the equivalent profits of one hit game
per year for the company. It's nice to have - it gives Bethesda a nice
solid financial base - but I wouldn't say it's 'making bank'. Bethesda
isn't outputting a lot of other games, and a number of their more
recent titles haven't been as succesful as they'd hope. ESO helps mask
those wounds, but it isn't like Valve's money from Steam (or Epic's
from Fortnite), which allows them to ignore pretty much everything
else.

And, like I said, ESO isn't growing... and it's ten years old.