Bethesda may come under fire after The Elder Scrolls 6 launch. „If you put out a game that people don’t like, the internet is going to treat you like you’re clubbing baby seals”

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In their role of producing expensive video games, Bethesda faces tough scrutiny from the gaming community. Yet, as reported by a former developer, Nate Purkeypile, they are not just subjected to criticism, but also experience harassment straight from their dedicated fan base.

At the Game Developers Conference (GDC), Purkeypile shared his thoughts about the gaming industry and explained the factors leading to his departure from Bethesda.

During the conversation, it was noted that the creators of Starfield have encountered near-inevitable online criticism. Regardless of how exceptional The Elder Scrolls VI proves to be, there will always be critics directing unfavorable comments towards the game and its creators.

Regardless of how amazing The Elder Scrolls 6 might be, I’m confident that we’ll see lengthy YouTube critiques and potential threats once more. It seems releasing a game that doesn’t meet everyone’s expectations can make one feel like they’re harming helpless creatures on the internet.

Lately, the leader of Hazelight Studio, Josef Fares, has stood up for Electronic Arts amidst player criticisms, while Ubisoft reportedly enlists legal support to shield their developers from cyberbullying. Therefore, it seems that this issue isn’t limited to Bethesda alone.

Instead, let’s revisit Purkeypile and his talk at GDC. He also discussed another intriguing matter – his shift away from AAA projects and Bethesda (which occurred in 2021), where he had worked for 14 years. During this period, the developer was contributing to the development of three games that earned Game of the Year accolades. These titles are: Fallout 3, Skyrim, and Fallout 4.

In a nutshell, Fallout 3 was satisfactory, but Skyrim was extraordinary and distinctly unique. Remarkably, three games I contributed to – Fallout 3, Skyrim, and Fallout 4 – swept the Game of the Year (GotY) awards for their respective release years. To be honest, I didn’t feel compelled to embark on another large-scale AAA project…

The primary motivator behind Purkeypile shifting careers was the desire to encounter fresh opportunities, leading him to open his self-owned studio, Just Purkey Games, in 2021. Recently, this independent studio launched an adventure action game titled The Axis Unseen.

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2025-03-20 16:32