Bethesda Game Studios

Bethesda Game Studios, the developer behind some of the biggest open-world RPGs, operates out of Rockville, Maryland. Formed in 2001 as the development arm of Bethesda Softworks, it split from the publisher to focus on making games. The studio is famous for The Elder Scrolls series, starting with Morrowind, and later took over the Fallout franchise, bringing it into 3D with Fallout 3. Their latest original IP, Starfield, launched in 2023. Todd Howard, the studio's executive producer, has been the face of Bethesda for decades, overseeing major titles. Managing director Ashley Cheng and studio director Angela Browder help run day-to-day operations. As of late 2023, the team numbered 450 people. Bethesda's games are known for massive worlds, player freedom, and deep lore. Their titles often have a slightly buggy launch but gain long-term fan loyalty. The studio became part of Xbox Game Studios in 2021 after Microsoft acquired ZeniMax Media for $7.5 billion.[edit]