Skyrim’s lead designer suggests George R.R. Martin should let go of Game of Thrones, praising the success of the story’s new direction.

Former Skyrim lead designer turned author Bruce Nesmith has some unconventional advice for George R.R. Martin, who has openly struggled to complete his A Song of Ice and Fire series: it might be time to let it go.

After his tenure at Bethesda Game Studios, Nesmith stepped away from the gaming world in 2021 to focus on writing novels. He has since released three books in the Loki Redeemed series and a three-book LitRPG series titled Glory Seeker. Drawing from his extensive experience in fantasy writing, Nesmith shared his thoughts on Martin’s ongoing challenges in a recent interview.

“George handed his story off to someone else, and they took it and ran with it, doing an incredible job,” Nesmith remarked, referencing HBO’s eight-season adaptation, Game of Thrones. “I think it would be wise for him to acknowledge that they completed his work and now he can explore new projects. For me, finishing the work would take precedence over the need to have done it myself.”

Fans of Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire have been eagerly awaiting the next installment, The Winds of Winter, for nearly 15 years. At 77, Martin has become increasingly open about his difficulties in wrapping up the series, which is set to conclude with A Dream of Spring. While HBO’s adaptation was well-received in its early seasons, it famously stumbled in the final act when it diverged from Martin’s source material, leaving many fans divided on the overall execution. To claim that HBO did “an amazing job” with the adaptation is certainly a matter of perspective.

The mixed reception of HBO’s Game of Thrones only amplifies the case for Martin to share his original vision for the series’ conclusion, which has been a hallmark of high fantasy storytelling. In my view, this would be the most effective way to address critics of the show and assert, “This is my story.” But that’s just my take.

As for Nesmith, he takes pride in having completed his own series and would welcome an opportunity with HBO. “I don’t want to follow George’s path unless someone offers me an HBO deal for my stories, in which case I’d be more than happy to let [Game of Thrones showrunner] David Benioff finish it for me.”