Skyrim’s director believes Starfield would be hailed as a groundbreaking title if developed by a different studio, but acknowledges that Bethesda’s reputation raised expectations significantly.

Skyrim’s lead designer, Bruce Nesmith, believes that if Starfield had been developed by a different studio, it might have been hailed as a groundbreaking title. In a recent discussion, he reflected on how Bethesda Game Studios carries the burden of immense expectations, which may have contributed to the mixed reception of Starfield following its launch.

Nesmith pointed out that Bethesda’s reputation creates a unique challenge: “The expectations are so high they cannot be met. Managing expectations is the number one thing a good marketing department has to do… If a new studio had released Starfield, I suspect it would be celebrated as a major achievement. But because it came from Bethesda, the bar was set much higher, leading to a different perception. Starfield is a solid game—very good, in fact—but it didn’t align with what many anticipated.”

Having left the company midway through the game’s development, Nesmith views Starfield from a player’s perspective: “I played that game all the way to the bitter end, and while I have my thoughts and concerns, finishing it is a win for Bethesda.” He noted that despite some minor issues, Starfield felt like a natural fit for the studio, and he is optimistic that a sequel could greatly improve upon the original, as the team would have the opportunity to build on their first effort.

He also suggested that Mass Effect 5 could benefit from “taking lessons from Baldur’s Gate 3” and adopting a more “Bethesda-style game” approach.