The Biggest Lesson Bethesda Learned From Skyrim | Bruce Nesmith

Support me on Patreon today: https://www.patreon.com/TheExaminedGame?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator Today I am talking with Bruce Nesmith a Bethesda verteran who was a part of pretty much every major release from the studio right up until his retirement in 2022. I was so excited to speak with Bruce and hear how the company delivers a classic Bethesda game, what it's like to work alongside Todd Howard and I couldn't help but ask him what would be on his wish list for Elder Scrolls 6: Sentinel. I love Bethesda's RPGs and I can't help but be excited for Elder Scrolls 6: Sentinel. Hearing about the inner workings of the company over the years and how they delivered the likes of Fallout 3, Skyrim Oblivion and more was an absolute delight. 00:00 Introduction 02:10 What Does Skyrim's Lead Designer Play? 05:32 Baldur's Gate 3 vs Bethesda's RPG Philosophy 08:24 Why Bethesda Lets You Be Evil 11:31 Designing Player Freedom 14:56 How Bethesda Learns From Its Games 17:21 Why Skyrim Players Ignore the Main Quest 19:27 How Bethesda Made Skyrim So Successful 23:47 Why Players Can't Play a Game Wrong 26:10 Skyrim's Stealth Archer Problem 29:20 What It's Like Working With Todd Howard 34:07 What Bruce Got Wrong About Skyrim 37:36 Why Bethesda Doesn't Plan Ahead 39:12 What Bruce Wants From Elder Scrolls VI 42:57 Why Bethesda Removed Flying and Teleportation 45:06 Passing the Torch for Elder Scrolls VI 48:39 How Bethesda Overcame the Fallout 3 Backlash 51:39 Learning to Handle Criticism 55:39 The Culture Behind Bethesda's Success 59:43 Bruce's Early Years Working With Todd Howard 62:04 Why Developers Can't Experience Skyrim Like Players 66:03 Why Every Game Ships With Bugs 67:08 The Penny Arcade Apology #fallout #skyrim #bethesda #elderscrolls #elderscrollsvi #sentinel #rpg #gaming