As we all should know by now, Arkane Studios was recently purchased by Zenimax. In the Eurogamer interview last year, Todd Howard said his studio approached them to work on a project during 2009. They like what they were working on so much, that Zenimax decided to buy the studio. Assuming that the Creation Engine and Kit used to develope Skyrim was finished bye the middle of 2009 (when BGS approached Arkane about a new game), do you think it is possible that Arkane is creating an Elder Scrolls game in the vien of Obsidian's Fallout New Vegas?

Some info you might want to know is that Arkane Studios last game was Dark Messiah of Might and Magic. Before that game, they had created and developed the game Arx Fatalis. Both games are of a fantastical nature, and had similar styles to the Elder Scrolls game series.

Considering that BGS now has two franchises that it developes (Elder Scrolls and Fallout) and assuming they will develope Fallout 4 after the release of Skyrim, do you think that Arkane is working on an Elder Scrolls game to better ease the waits between main installments...in a similar way that Bethesda moved to Skyrim after developing Fallout 3 and Obsidian developed Fallout New Vegas during that period.

Arkane made Arx Fatalis because they basically started working on Ultima Underworld 3 without first securing the rights. They were hoping to impress Origin/EA and secure the rights, which they didn't. Then they went to another classic RPG series (Might and Magic) and worked on a game set in that universe.

If you're talking all-time classic CRPG series, Elder Scrolls would be a logical progression for that studio.

I truly doubt it. I believe the only reason Bethesda let Obsidian develop F:NV was because Fallout is not an Original IP of theirs, in fact they only bought the rights to Fallout. On the other hand, Elder Scrolls IS an Original IP of Bethesda, and I can't see them letting another studio EVER handle a game in that world unless it was for maybe a cellphone.

Actually, Bethesda owns the Fallout franchise now. They purchased all assets in 2007 so that they could work on it in the same way they do The Elder Scrolls. from Interplay and then licensed the MMO property to Interplay.

Other than that small mistake, your logic is sound I guess. However, Zenimax owns Arkane Studio now..so .essentially, they would be working on it. I just wouldnt expect Arkane to have full control over it. If its in the current context that BGS sets for the series, then I see no problem assuming that another studio could/is working on another ES game.

If this is true I would hope that they are making a game expansion that includes Skyrim, not a separate installment altogether. That would be disheartening to me and I wouldn't want to have my attention divided between two large open worlds. The idea that they could be making a large expansion is very exciting although I can't put any faith in it until we have more information.

The reason why Obsidian did New Vegas was so that Bethesda could focus on Skyrim. New Vegas is mostly a tribute to old Fallout games.

I don't know about you guys but I would love to see another developer who loves the TES universe (Arkane perhaps?) get to re-boot the idea of Elder Scrolls: Adventures. (Eye of Argonia anyone?)

I'm really interested in whatever they are working on though. Whether it's a new ip or based in something else I'll be checking it out.

Actually, I undestand that they fully own it, but regardless of that fact, they are not the originators of the Fall-out series. I guess the best way I can explain it, would be like this: You have a son(or daughter). You divorce, then later re-marry. The person you marry has their own kid. You love both your kid, and the child of your new spouse, but regardless of that fact, you are always going to show a bit more love, and a bit more affection, towards your own child, and care just a bit less about what happens to your step-child. (I understand not everyone may feel this way, but I know thats how I would feel, and it's the best way I can explain how I envision Bethesda Likely feels about Fallout. I'm sure that they love owning Fallout and being able to bring it into the future, but when it comes down to it, The Elder Scrolls is their baby, always has been, and always will be, and it's highly unlikely they are going to let someone else touch their baby. On the other hand, Fallout can be handled by others, as long as it's done with care).

Hope that clears up my thinking a bit better ^^

I agree, TES is too important to let another studio mess around with.

However seeing a small spin off wouldn't be that bad.

'Wouldn't be that bad' it would be the best thing EVER except maybe TES VI :wink_smile:

I agree with th OP.

The choice of which Studio does TES VI is a decision made by Zenimax not BGS. Zenimax set a pattern with the Fallout IP. BGS created the tools for Fallout 3 and Obsisian used the tools to develop Fallout: New Vegas. 2 years between games instead of 4, good business.

Check out the Zenimax Board (http://www.zenimax.com/bod.htm) These People know something about sequels and spinoffs. Look at the line up at CBS. (Les Moonves & Jerry Bruvkheimer)

You can bet Zenimax has a 5 year plan, with the next gen consoles not due till 2015, and the Creation Engine just sitting there use it while you got it or stike while the iron is hot.

My guess is Arkane is busy on TES VI using The Creation Engine and it will come out 4th quarter 2013.

Machinegames is already working on a project using Id tech 5. Rage 2 or maybe Fallout 5 http://www.zenimax.com/news_pressrelease11.11.10.htm

I wouldn't mind a dark messiah like spin off adventure game, in the elder scrolls universe.

It will NEVER happen. I'm sorry, but gamesas is NEVER going to let another company create a main TES game. A spin-off, as others have suggested, sure, I can see that, but they will never allow another company to mess with, and possibly ruin their pride and joy, The Elder Scroll series.

Zenimax is a shell company that was created by Bethesda Softworks. I think Mr. Altman would be a bit sympathetic to BGS.

ZeniMax Media owns Bethesda Softworks (the publisher) and Bethesda Games Studios, Id Software, Arkane Studios, Machinegames, Tango, Zenimax Online,Vir2L (the game developers). View the Company Profile here http://www.zenimax.com/profile.htm

ZeniMax Directors http://www.zenimax.com/bod.htm

Robert A. Altman
Chairman & CEO

Ernest Del
President

Jerry Bruckheimer
Jerry Bruckheimer Films

Michael Dominguez
Managing Director, Providence Equity Partners Inc.

Leslie Moonves
President & CEO, CBS Corporation

Cal Ripken, Jr.
President & CEO, Ripken Baseball, Inc.

Harry E. Sloan
Chairman, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.

Robert S. Trump
President, Trump Management, Inc

The board of directors decide what IP each studio works on.

ZeniMax contracted Arkane to work a project. Probably an IP owned by ZeniMax.
Obsidian was working on the Fallout IP. So the logical conclusion is that Arkane is working on the Elder Scrolls IP. Probably the next Province. Your chose,
No sorry the chose belongs to the Board at ZeniMax.

Todd said, "We liked it so much we bought the company". If Todd is Happy then I am Happy and we will get more Elder Scrolls more often, a 2 year interval instead of 4.

TES VI in 2013
TES VII in 2015 Maybe on next gen hardware.

You gotta pay attention to history my friend. gamesas founded Zenimax as a shell company. In fact, gamesas was Zenimax's starting assets. Their a shell company, 'nuff said. Micheal Altman is the CEO, but it's not like he's going to piss on gamesas. Now, could Arkane be making an elder scrolls game? sure it could, if BGS was comfortable with it.

Relax, I am not suggesting that Robert Altman and the directors at Zenimax are pissing on BGS or the Elder Scrolls IP. Todd Howard stated that the work Arkane was doing was so good that they (Zenimax) bought the company. I am just suggesting that the project Arkane is working on is an Elder Scrolls game.

Why do you make that assumption? Why couldn't they be making an IP of their own?

I admit that's a possibility, but I'm also saying that gamesas's staff would be an integral part of any decision to have another developer work on the TES IP. It wouldn't really be a top-down decision from Zenimax, especially since Zenimax is really just a shell company. (If you'll notice, Zenimax doesn't actually do much of anything. They buy things, and that's it. gamesas does publishing, BGS and others do development)

The only Arkane IP we know about Is Arx Fatalis. Why would ZeniMax contract Arkane to work on their own IP and not an IP owned by Zenimax. It just makes good business sense that to develop an Elder Scrolls game every 2 years instead of 4 or 5. They did that with the Fallout IP why not with the Elder Scrolls IP. The Creation Engine and the Creation Kit are finished. Why not let Arkane take those assets and build a kick ass game?

I agree

not necessarily "Good business" sense. If they start saturating the market with an Elderscrolls game every 2 years, it will lose a vast majority of the hype that occurs in the 4-5 year waiting period in between. It will be come almost equivalent to the freaking CoD series. It's magic will be lost as people start to say/think "oh, another TES game. bet it's just another reskin of #8 or #9". The wonder/uniqueness/awesomeness of TES is it's not an every other year occurence.

You are right about the saturation effect. But looking at the people sitting on the board at ZeniMax leads me to conculde that quick turn arounds are in our future.
Look at CSI, CSI NY, CSI Miami, NCIS, and NCIS L.A. all on CBS Controled by Les Moonves, and if you look at the list of tv and film credits of Jerry Bruckheimer then you will see that sequels and spinoffs are their stock and trade.

@ Darthravanger

And you must realize that board of directors is not just a title. They direct the operations of the company. ZeniMax maybe a shell company but it is the shell that all of the other companies fall under. The board are the major investors in the company and the people who say yea or nay to what those companies do.

Maybe because they like what Arkane does, and they approached them asking if they could pitch a new IP, or maybe an Arx Fatalis 2? Who knows, but the only way I could see them making an Elder Scrolls is if it was just one of those "legends" or "adventures" spin-offs.


I believe there is a quote of Todd talking about this exact thing. He said they wanted them to initially make a "Morrowind 2.0" just after Morrowind came out, said they could have it done within 2 years. But Todd went on to explain how he doesn't like making +1 games, and how cool the higher ups are with hearing their ideas and giving them a lot of space to do their work. So no, I don't see a turn around happening anytime soon. Fallout =/= Elder Scrolls. Elder Scrolls is their own IP that they came up with, Fallout is just one they picked up. There is going to be a huge difference between how they handle each of them. The Obsidian thing was just convenient. Like "Hey there's some guys in that company who worked on the original Fallout titles, lets see if they want to make a Fallout game to hold people over while we're working on Skyrim".

So like I said, maybe a "legends" game or an "adventures" game, I'll give you that. But they wouldn't just hand off the "next" Elder Scrolls game to another studio. That will never happen.

Glad to see others agree with my initial argument on how TES is gamesass biological baby, while Fallout is just their adopted child. ^^

@shadowbeast: Please note that many of those Law n Order and CSi shows are flops that are only kept alive by the success of the originals of each(Law n order: CI and SVU really imo). I can't imagine Todd and the others would EVER let them start churning out sequels and spin-offs of TES like they do of those TV shows. It just wouldn't work at all imo, for my earlier reasons given. Just because someone uses a business model in one form of media, does not mean they will try it another, especially when it doesn't really work to begin with.