Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over, have read our Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • Home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Summer Preview
  • Prime Day deals
  • New Games 2026
  • Best gaming tech
  • GTA 6
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games
  2. RPGs

Post-Skyrim and pre-Fallout 4 was a glorious time at Bethesda, devs say: "When we made that game, it was like World Series Red Sox"

News
By Kaan Serin published 14 February 2026

"We, as a studio, got better"

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Ralof sitting in a prisoner wagon chatting to the Dragonborn during the opening of Skyrim.
(Image credit: Bethesda)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
6
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

Bethesda Game Studios developers have reminisced about the company's glory days following the widely successful launch of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim.

The mammoth RPG's senior designer and writer Emil Pagliarulo tells Game Informer that by the time Fallout 4 "rolled around, our team was so tight" because of everything they had learned from Skyrim's production.

"When we made that game [Skyrim], it was like World Series Red Sox," he says. "I used the term that the studio is a starship full of Rikers [Star Trek: The Next Generation reference]. Everyone could captain this ship, that's how good everyone is. We were really tight. We really communicated well. We moved fast on things. We had a good groove. We had been working together for a long time, and I think that was really instrumental as we moved forward."

Latest Videos From
Watch full video here:

"When I look at that transition between Fallout 3 and Skyrim, and then Skyrim to Fallout 4, I really look at how we, as a development team, worked together and improved our craft and the process," producer Angela Browder adds. "I think with every project, I can absolutely, with 100-percent certainty tell you that we, as a studio, got better. Our process – the process of making a game – got better with every single one."

Browder then mentions that the team could have just rested of their laurels after Skyrim's massive sales, near universal acclaim, and endless shelf life, but all of that success didn't "negate any of the learnings that we need to take from the development process." So the studio was still apparently thinking about how to improve its development process with Fallout 4 and beyond.

You may like
  • A black and white picture of the Dragonborn during Skyrim. Skyrim was "the holy s*** moment" at Bethesda that made other devs think twice about winning GOTY, says Pete Hines
  • Fallout: New Vegas Fallout: New Vegas praise felt "a little unfair" to one Bethesda veteran at first
  • Headshot of Todd Howard, executive producer and game director of Bethesda Game Studios. Image supplied to GamesRadar by BGS. Ex-Bethesda senior artist says Todd Howard would tell devs "we can do anything but we can't do everything"

Todd Howard likes "to start over" on every Elder Scrolls game, and as we approach Skyrim's 15th anniversary I don't know that Bethesda needed to start over that hard

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
CATEGORIES
Xbox Series X Nintendo Switch PS5 PC Gaming Platforms Xbox Nintendo PlayStation
PRODUCTS
Skyrim The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Kaan Serin
Kaan Serin
Social Links Navigation
Freelance contributor

Kaan freelances for various websites including Rock Paper Shotgun, Eurogamer, and this one, Gamesradar. He particularly enjoys writing about spooky indies, throwback RPGs, and anything that's vaguely silly. Also has an English Literature and Film Studies degree that he'll soon forget.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
A black and white picture of the Dragonborn during Skyrim.
The Elder Scrolls Skyrim was "the holy s*** moment" at Bethesda that made other devs think twice about winning GOTY, says Pete Hines
 
 
Fallout: New Vegas
Fallout Fallout: New Vegas praise felt "a little unfair" to one Bethesda veteran at first
 
 
Headshot of Todd Howard, executive producer and game director of Bethesda Game Studios. Image supplied to GamesRadar by BGS.
Games Ex-Bethesda senior artist says Todd Howard would tell devs "we can do anything but we can't do everything"
 
 
The Future of Starfield branding
The Elder Scrolls Everything Todd Howard told us about The Elder Scrolls 6, Creation Engine 3, and the future of Bethesda RPGs
 
 
Faelian
RPGs "Go try that s*** in Red Dead Redemption 2": Nobody makes games like Bethesda, says vet Pete Hines
 
 
The Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion screenshot
The Elder Scrolls As Oblivion turns 20, Bethesda lead says the RPG is "what Bethesda games are" in the "rawest form"
 
 
Latest in RPGs
Stranger than Heaven screenshot
RPGs Stranger Than Heaven preview: Immaculate vibes collide with a static combat system
 
 
Ralof sitting in a prisoner wagon chatting to the Dragonborn during the opening of Skyrim.
The Elder Scrolls The Elder Scrolls 6 is "coming along well," Xbox's Matt Booty promises
 
 
Kingdom Hearts 4
Kingdom Hearts New Kingdom Hearts 4 trailer seems to feature a character from a now-delisted MMO, because of course
 
 
A player retrieves their Gloom in Mortal Shell 2
RPGs What is Gloom in Mortal Shell 2?
 
 
Cloud kneels before some yellow flowers while companions Barret, Tifa, Red XIII, Cait Sith, Yuffie, Vincent Valentine, and Cid watch in the background in Final Fantasy 7 Revelation
RPGs Final Fantasy 7 Revelation: Everything you need to know about the conclusion to the FF7 Remake series
 
 
Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave
RPGs Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave is $80 because of "die-hard" fans, says ex-Nintendo marketing lead
 
 
Latest in News
Nier Automata mask in Stellar Blade DLC
Action RPGs After saying the first game beats Nier Automata, Yoko Taro is hyped for Stellar Blade: Blood Rain
 
 
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda Legend of Zelda fans eagerly await Ocarina of Time remake's take on the game's best freaks
 
 
Valor Mortis
Action Games GTA 6 scared so many games into September launches that other games are now getting scared into October
 
 
Star Wars The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Movies The Mandalorian and Grogu director says The Phantom Menace inspired one cool, subtle detail in the new Star Wars movie
 
 
A party of heroes gather in Final Fantasy Resonance
Final Fantasy Final Fantasy Resonance exists because a JRPG veteran was "frustrated" players ignored their game the first time
 
 
A still from the World of Warcraft: The War Within cinematic.
World of Warcraft As World of Warcraft players take on the Casino Bots, Blizzard is working on finding a solution
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Cyborb Superman in My Adventures With Superman season 3
    1
    The 6 best new shows and movies streaming this week on Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus, and more (June 12-14)
  2. 2
    After saying the first game beats Nier Automata, Yoko Taro is hyped for Stellar Blade: Blood Rain
  3. 3
    One of my favorite gaming laptops has been MIA for weeks, now it's back with a deal I wasn't expecting until Prime Day
  4. 4
    As World of Warcraft players take on the Casino Bots, Blizzard is working on finding a solution
  5. 5
    Legend of Zelda fans eagerly await Ocarina of Time remake's take on the game's best freaks

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...