March 2000: Morrowind is announced
May 2002: Morrowind is released
September 2004: Oblivion is announced
March 2006: Oblivion is released
July 2004: Fallout 3 is announced
June 2007: First glimpse of the game is shown
October 2008: Fallout 3 is released
Yes but when was the first info shown? Skyrims first real game information was reveled Jan 8 for example.
I don't have any problems with the shortness of time between announcement and release. In fact more devs should take a leaf out of Bethesda's book in this regard, and cut down on all the hype that starts years before release. However I do have an issue over the way Beth are handling the PR over its own game.
Obviously they got a not insubstantial amount of money from Games Informer for exclusivity rights in relation to first-preview, but it seems GI is handling all of the pre-release hype, and not imho doing an awfully good job of it.
For example, I recently found out that the Dwemer Centurion Spheres are to set make a return to the ES series. This for me is a major piece of news. But I discovered this in the recent (admittedly, pretty decent) vid about sound effects. I can't help thinking that if Beth was handling its own PR, it'd do a proper expose about the return of the Centurions and we'd get a richer insight into the world of Skyrim.
This is not meant as a moan, but the policy of keeping to a 'trickle of information' with regards to such a AAA release seems strange, and at times, just plain amateurish.
Game Informer also did the OB first preview(with the cover showing a guy on horseback with gasp his sword drawn!).
I also much prefer the announcement of a game or anything(tv show,etc) and release be as close as possible. I don't like to know too much about a game I am going to get before hand and the longer the time between previews and game the more chance I will stumble on it. For example I skip by any talk of Skyrims story and I did not look at that map of Skyrim in the video. Nor will I watch any extensive gameplay videos like the E3 videos of OB. I have not played FNV yet(but will!) and the only thing I really checked out was the early dozen or so screens released during the first preview and the info that went with it. I don't know the story, I have not see video nor have I see pics of New Vegas itself(except in ads which I quickly look away,etc). Even reviews I only skim. For games I am not sure about, I will get as much info as I can before playing.
I don't see any issue with the way Beth is teasing out the info on Skyrim.