After supporting 2011's The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim with DLC and add-on content for the last year and a half, Bethesda is finally ready to move on to a new adventure. In a farewell post, the company confirmed parts of the team have already been in pre-production for the next "major" project, and "that game is at the point where it requires the studio's full attention to make it our biggest and best work yet."
Although Bethesda is shifting its focus to a new project, there will still be "minor updates to Skyrim as needed."
"We've invested so much of ourselves into Skyrim and will never truly say goodbye to it," Bethesda said. "We loved hearing your stories, your in-game triumphs, and your suggestions. One thing stuck out to us through those emails, letters, and postings. And that is – video games matter. They’re as important to you as they are to us. It’s not just about entertainment, it’s about your time. And you chose to spend it with our game."
"Thank you again for all your support. We hope you stay engaged in the gaming community here and elsewhere. Keep spreading the word. Games are the world’s best entertainment because they can do what other forms cannot – fill you with the wonder of exploration and the pride of accomplishment. We look forward to sharing our next adventure with you."
Although The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim received great praise from critics, there were some clear problems with the game on PlayStation 3. For over a year, Bethesda struggled with Sony to get the game running properly on the PS3. It wasn't until recent that the add-on packs were released on PlayStation 3 — several months after the launch of the Xbox 360 and PC versions.
To date, there have been three DLC packs released for Skyrim — Dawnguard, Hearthfire, and Dragonborn. While three add-ons are nothing to scoff at, only one of them — Dawnguard — really felt like the "large expansion pack" promised to us by director Todd Howard. Given Bethesda's new plans, it seems unlikely that we'll get any more downloadable content.
