Todd Howard Breaks Down His Video Game Career | WIRED

[@JonDan]

Without a doubt, Todd has all his points spent in charisma

[@njm92495]

you need to be when you are the face of a company

[@Anekiii]

He kinda looks like a crack addicted Bobby Kotick, but with more hair.

[@Juiceethekid]

😂

[@JoeKing69]

it's nice to know that you're easily manipulated.

[@jameson1465]

@@JoeKing69how dare someone be charismatic

[@ESOdanny]

I hope The Elder Scrolls 6 sees a return to a smaller detailed worlds that feel visually connected. That was the strongest parts of TES and Fallout for me, you constantly stumbled upon unique handcrafted location, each with their own stories to discover (many left unfinished for the player to interpret). While Starfield was a huge leap in many regards I feel like the core feel of a Bethesda game was somewhat lost within the scale of it for many of us. Todds son was saying 'Dadda' in Fallout 3 while Emil's son was performing the black sacrament in Skyrim!

[@Whoareyoucalling]

Starfield is a beyond MID game with terrible performance, you really think ES6 will be any better? When have studios ever pulled themselves out of the hole? The answer is never. Once you become the villain you cannot revert back to a hero.

[@Jomchen]

@@Whoareyoucalling Unfortunately the management of these companies often include financiers who make decisions about development they're not qualified to make - who end up destroying their investment while trying to secure it through micromanaging and setting impossible deadlines. You can't really blame them at the end of the day, this is what the financial systems we live in incentivises them to do and as long as consumers continue to support these companies they will continue to exist. If consumers want to see real change: boycott, divest, pirate. Unfortunately most people are too caught up in a system of consumerist idealogues.

[@cyprus1005]

@@Whoareyoucallingtrue bsg fell of after morrowind

[@DarrenHoussein]

Skyrim is and always will be a true masterpiece. I cant go back to it now as I replayed it many times and had hundreds of hours played. You're a pony fanboy, own it. @@Whoareyoucalling

[@walasona]

I loved Starfield, but regardless, I don't think we should be worried about elder scrolls VI. The game franchise is Todd and the teams bread and butter. Very rarely do they gamble with that series and I have a feeling they'll be firing on all cylinders with that game. There's also a lot starfield does very well that I'm hoping is in TES VI too. The procedurally generated planets is because of starfields setting too and the amount of planets, so I don't think elder scrolls VI will have that obstacle. I'm expecting 2 decently sized provinces, which will most likely be high rock and hammerfell.

[@cantlivewifoutme35]

Man not going to lie Todd recording his son hit the heart strings.

[@johnmartinez7440]

Why would you lie?

[@BloodAssassin]

​@@johnmartinez7440he forgot to put a comma

[@simple-commentator-not-rea7345]

He forgot the part of the speech where he names the price

[@RevanLockheart-]

​@@simple-commentator-not-rea7345everybody gotta price, everybody gonna pay.

[@justinwinningham4892]

Dude he lied 😂😂can’t believe you still fall for his crap

[@Ms.Fowlbwahhh]

We all joke about Todd, and he has his faults, but no one can say that this man doesn't truly love video games.

[@real_left4you]

Especially Fallout series. Playing Fallout 4 and 76 makes your mouth brown, cause that's a load of crap that fans eating.

[@SpeaksYourWord]

​​@@real_left4youI bet that sounded cool in your head

[@real_left4you]

@@SpeaksYourWord i bought F4 and F76 and played 100+ hours each. My mouth is also brown, but still i love bethesda Fallouts

[@BucketSoup2023]

​@@SpeaksYourWord pictured Bill saying that while lighting up a cigarette

[@imposteramogus2167]

@@real_left4youof course you wouldn’t like the games if you aren’t a fan of the series lmao

[@yeeyeeass]

This interview has 16x the detail of a regular Wired interview E: I typically don't edit my comments, but I want to spread some positivity. Todd, for all his faults, can be at least proud to be head of a team that is at least attempting (with varying levels of success) to do some grander things in gaming, even if they at times don't execute their vision acceptably. Starfield, despite its many bugs, is a game I've found to be quite fun. I've put in a little over 500 hours into the game, despite the story lacking in a some key areas. Ignore the people online paid in ad revenue and Dollar Shave Club sponsorships to rag on video games and instead try it for yourself with an open mind.

[@lewaxer2407]

its also 4x the size.

[@youtubesucks1821]

It just works

[@roguesample]

I was looking for this comment thank you

[@EquaIparts]

Please Todd....no...

[@brickcinemastudios]

It has new lighting, rendering, and landscape technology as well

[@jagheterhopp]

Todd is like the ex-girlfriend that hurt you, but you still have feelings for

[@mossw4ste]

hurt you multiple times.

[@Broodjemetbeleg]

Nah I'm done.

[@GamerSlayer5000]

Crazy how well this sums up how I feel about him

[@jkim-ph1ds]

I’ve never played a single one of this dude’s games and I love him

[@Nazarov7781]

@@GamerSlayer5000 I keep seeing you in comment sections

[@evelynsahoe8896]

Skyrim having a 100 person dev team is kinda crazy, like that game is absolutely massive.

[@DarthWall275]

It's my least favourite Bethesda game, but it certainly has a lot of ambition put into it. Edit: okay, so not my least favourite, but middling.

[@premsix3939]

Okay? @@DarthWall275

[@maiden5427]

How many of them where assigned to creating dungeons

[@hamzehaladwan]

​​​@@maiden5427one dude

[@onesaucynougat7471]

@@maiden5427not that much I would assume

[@exiterr]

They could never make me hate you, Pookie Howard.

[@ArandomPerson7996]

It just works, afterall.

[@mattgahr]

There’s something about Daggerfall’s box art that is incredible to me. It really captures that 90s dark charm that made games so adventurous and awesome for that time.

[@Jardinserpent]

it's a big box pc game which is automatically more charming, plus it's shiny

[@0x13horizon4]

You said it. It’s so very alluring and nothing like what we see nowadays

[@moshymosh]

It's sad that nowadays people just buy their games digitally through an online platform. Sure, it's easier that way, but I wish there still were (more) physical copies as special as that box. Not every game makes physical versions these days. It feels like the art is lost in that.

[@Jardinserpent]

@@moshymosh you could make the same argument for vinyl when you talk about music. but since music is more of an established art-form, physicality has its own validity in the (more or less) public eye. with video games, not so much. if video games would be accepted as art in itself, we could still buy old hardware designed to recreate gaming experiences of older generations. all we get is upscaling and remastering or even remakes, disregarding the value of the original way of experiencing said games

[@OG_Agrivar]

I bought Daggerfall when it was released SOLELY based on that box design! I hadn't played Arena, so I knew nothing of Bethesda and the Elder Scrolls, and had just built my first PC with graphics so I needed something to test it out - and that cover art just grabbed my eye!

[@jacemulliner4962]

I really appreciate how much Todd credits all the teams in almost everything he talks about in this video. He doesn’t make it all about him and when he brings up their faults he admits to being a part of them. Very different and much more real vibe than what he gives off at the big E3 events

[@teaboy301]

And yet you'll still have haters just bashing him because hes the next available designated "scumbag" and the majority of the internet nowadays is just bashing other people.

[@Pyromaniac77777]

I hear you that’s definitely a good thing but isn’t it also the bare minimum? Crediting people who deserve credit?

[@AzaleaLala]

@@Pyromaniac77777 For some people nothing is ever good enough.

[@DarthB1ggles]

@@teaboy301 He's the boss. So yes, the fallout (ha) of releasing unfinished and dull games, does fall on him. That's what being the boss means. It means you take the blame when things go wrong. And MANY things have gone, and/or been done wrong at Bethesda in recent years.

[@Pyromaniac77777]

@@AzaleaLala no, giving credit where credit is due is good enough. But it’s not praiseworthy. Is your comment supposed to offer anything to the conversation besides a snide 1 liner?

[@teampower7820]

Watching Todd talk about video games just works

[@123AffeMitWaffe]

Only if youre still dumb enough to believe anything he says^^

[@kael7953]

He was in the chess club

[@porpfi9197]

yeah but he always wanted to make video games, so whos laughing now@@kael7953

[@criticallol3039]

16x the interview

[@coolsteve1342]

​@@kael7953he laughs now

[@SommerAnimation]

Oh Todd.... You hurt me so often, but I could never stop loving you.

[@LuisGomez-ft9pr]

It´s insane that they made Oblivion in four years

[@TheMadnessSkull75]

@@finesseandstyle with most of the assets already being made (F3) not really

[@Sporfo]

its insane how we dont have Tes 6 already

[@Orcawhale1]

Not really. Back then crunch was practically mandatory, so every developer were putting in a 80 hours a week, if not more.

[@christopherwonch1726]

insane that my nv saves are all corrupted

[@James-eq8cq]

I don't think it's insane. Oblivion and so many other 2000s games were made when the baby boomers were at the peak of their careers. Boomers were willing to sacrifice their time by overworking themselves to create things truly beautiful. Now that you have Gen Zs flooding the gaming industry, you're starting to see poorer output since us young people prioritize our mental well-beings. You can also see this in the movie industry too.

[@Kameken897]

Despite everything that’s happened in the past couple of years I like that he highlighted the fact that these games are a group production not just him.

[@daoyang223]

Better to blame the others.

[@Malisa1990]

But he deserves all the hate and memes. He put himself as the FACE of the company and he KNOWS that he is telling blatant lies about the games. Also he is the lead designer on most of the games, so yes, it is just about him. If literally modders can fix their games for free and Todd isn't capable to hire competent workers, and doesn't care as the lead if something is broken in the game, than how can you blame the others?

[@alpeshabhijitchowdhury6895]

​@@Malisa1990Lmao no. Mods will never fix your game. Enhance your experience, sure. But they'll never fix them.

[@Malisa1990]

@@alpeshabhijitchowdhury6895 What are you talking about? Do you know how many mods actually fixed their games? Not entirely of course but they fixed many, many basic bugs. Have you ever used modes?!

[@0--Zero--0]

Всё правильно, обосрались они все вместе, до этого писали что все решения в компании за Тодом, и всё проходит с его одобрения, а теперь он валит вину на компанию прикрываясь тем что это коллективная работа.

[@andrebenoit404]

It's really crazy to think we had two elder scrolls in the 360 generation and now we are going to wait 3 generations for a new elderscrolls

[@threedog27]

Gave me some chills when he said that next time there will be an TES6 cover. Didnt play Starfield but I have high hopes for TES6. Hopefully they get an similar success like with skyrim.

[@Dr_Bille]

@@threedog27 Yea, Starfield and 76 were both a pass for me. Breaks my heart that the reason we have waited so long, and keep waiting, for TES6 was so they could do those games instead. Hopefully the monetary gains and the tech upgrades translates into a much better game whenever it does finally release

[@Mere-Lachaiselongue]

@@Dr_Bille I doubt it will be considered a "Skyrim 2". It'll probably have a lot of woke politics mashed up into the game also, even CDPR has turned woke. Skyrim could never have been made as good if it were developed now.

[@UnseenOct]

​@@Mere-Lachaiselongueweak

[@arthurmiranda8896]

@@Dr_Bille Don't hold your breath.

[@gearzanimation]

I love how open Todd is about the flaws of games and not being secretive about there being a Fallout V and Elder Scrolls VI and about how impactful the community feedback has been on the challenging times and difficult seasons he faced in building a successful repertoire of games over his career. THAT realness is what builds comfortability, reliability and respect on the consumer side and is the reason I have played all his games and loved them. Need more Todd Howards out there.

[@SpitfireFortyFour]

Todd has a truly advanced level of charisma. Depsite all the problems the games may have, people still love the guy. I respect it.

[@g3orgge788]

He has charisma 10.

[@SpitfireFortyFour]

@@g3orgge788 And luck 10.

[@bluedestiny88]

He tells Sweet Little Lies but I can’t help but listen to him

[@qcumber6652]

He actually is a gamer, which is respectable.

[@CuntLucifer]

Todd is about the most uncharismatic guy I've ever seen in my entire life. I think I'd have more joy and get excitement talking to a brick wall for an hour.

[@coreymagz3145]

Love seeing Todd being honest about Fallout 76.

[@UlyssesM]

76 is great now.

[@pieck5460]

​@@UlyssesMfor new players it's great sure but for end game players the game is dead and it does not play like a fallout game the gameplay loop is ultimately just about collecting plans for your camp. Not a bad game anymore but not exactly a good "fallout" game either, the community is probably the least toxic one I've ever come across tho which is a pretty good achievement, nothing but friendly players trying to help

[@benjamink.crowley4889]

Uh, I mean, he could've been a bit more honest about the launch being completely unfinished.

[@coreymagz3145]

Sure man, why not. @@benjamink.crowley4889

[@comebackguy8892]

​@@UlyssesMnah...

[@Bonezy1001]

The oblivion documentary still is one my favourite documentary of all time. I love how nerdy they are all and all their passion really shows.

[@hillehai]

"... Yes I was in the chess club."

[@sixx5043]

Who’s laughing now?

[@FlyingGospel]

Not only is it the greatest video game documentary of all time, but it's about the greatest video game of all time

[@Kardfogu]

You really believe they are nerdy? todd isn't that great of an actor, you shouldn't get fooled so easily, it's just a facade for PR points. This guy is marketing titan with zero interest in video games, he's just selling a video game by lying about it using obvious marketing mottos. Oh please.

[@spiritwildfiregaming1975]

@@Kardfogu Source or your claim is invalid.

[@bmd5713]

You can tell Todd has a passion for games. Despite everything he's in this industry for the right reasons and that's all that matters.

[@simple-commentator-not-rea7345]

It doesn't matter that for all that passion he would never be able to make an actual good one if his life depended on it?

[@mannychavez1973]

He has made good games. As a Skyrim fan, I just hope Elder Scrolls 6 is as special as Skyrim.

[@Squnchmo]

Tod is so charismatic. This man could sell anything

[@Mr.deacle]

He just works

[@allxtend4005]

he could steal my wallet and sell it to everyone in front of you.

[@mike15236]

He could sell me the same things for several times and I would still buy it!

[@w415800]

I'm surprised he still l has the balls to appear in public.

[@borek92]

I keep reading that time and time again about this fraud and I just cannot relate man. He sounds insincere to me all the time. Exactly like that street salesman that's trying to push you garbage. Or some old friends that reach out to meet you only for it to actually be about some "amazing business opportunity".

[@vrubayka]

90s game boxes are amazing

[@Tiermus]

I always wanted them back. Those were like collectors edition boxes nowadays.

[@vanyadolly]

I miss manuals!

[@TUS3434]

and now it’s a plastic case with just a disk…

[@lawrencefrost9063]

This guy just works.

[@Hirstchs]

but his games dont

[@coolbreeze3793]

@@Hirstchs so why did you buy them!

[@Hirstchs]

@@coolbreeze3793 i mean i played some bethesda games lol but i haven't played any of the newer ones

[@happyatheists9361]

With 16x time of the details

[@austinflores9597]

This is just my opinion, but I think Howard has lost touch with what the gaming community wants, besides those who just want the same game reskinned over and over again

[@OCMRick]

That Daggerfall 2 box is sick. I wish we still got that amount of artistry and effort for physical cases

[@Bacon_]

You gotta love his passion and enthusiasm for making games. While they've had their hits and misses over the years, they're still responsible for some of my all-time favourite games and I am hoping to see some more good ones in the future.

[@tristankasper7484]

Abcolutely, it's a blast go to back and boot up the old classics. I'm always surprised by which have aged well and which ones have not-so-much. Oblivion was an obsession when it came out, now it's probably my least favorite TES game. But I can still sink hours into Morrowind or Daggerfall only to finally look at a clock and realize I'm waaaay too old to be gaming until 3 am on a weeknight...

[@chosenblade3878]

Good to see you here Bacon

[@N_A_R_]

Todd games are some of the game that like a wine, the game at first have some minor inconvenience but after couple of years it feels refined.

[@cody42693]

Bro your little Elder Scrolls shorts make me crack up.

[@yesr5674]

Woah bacon here

[@yep8058]

I like how honest he was with their mistakes in the past with Redguard and then bringing TES back online with Morrowind. It's good to see him like this, because in the usual presentations at E3 or other conventions he is the big sales man. It was nice the see a different Todd, really shows his original background of being a game designer.

[@thomaswest6650]

Lex Friedman has a good interview with Todd Howard that is just conversational like this (but much longer)

[@Nahuelero123]

Bethesda is trash

[@sandycrash8868]

Then he goes and blew it when talking about fall out 76

[@BrokenStylo]

Wow. A different Todd eh? Yeah.. I'm going to refer you to a beautiful comment above that aptly compares Todd to an ex who hurt you, but you still have feelings for. Please wake up and don't get back with. You deserve more!

[@Dhaos620]

Corrupt cops too make mistakes with redguards

[@Al_Paca]

I started with Fallout 3, went up to their latest titles and now I'm back at playing Oblivion. It's so strange that every Bethesda game really makes you dive in into the game. I've spent hours and not noticing how long I've already played. Only a few games achieve this kinda vibe

[@stagiestpizza]

@@Silvarian don't act like that. the final official patch of daggerfall has dozens of broken skills and several borked classes. the dodge skill actually makes it harder for YOU to hit enemies when you level it up. their games have always lacked polish.

[@Al_Paca]

@@Silvarian I actually started with vanilla Daggerfall but the progression system is pretty odd

[@ethanreilly4737]

Bethesda is badddd for that lmaooo. Every time I play fallout 3, 6 hours goes by feeling like it was 1 hour

[@laoch5658]

Except starfield

[@Mere-Lachaiselongue]

@@Al_Paca Try the unity rework of Daggerfall it's really cool I had it but I accidentally deleted it off my computer when I was cleaning it to free up storage. Takes a lot of time to set up but it was really fun with the new graphics.

[@slopsloplive]

I love how honest that Todd is when talking about his career. The ups and the downs… He’s so genuine.

[@voodoo2006]

slopmaster please fill up my piggy trays

[@Pakotugudugudugudugudugudugu]

Bro this dude lies thru his teeth

[@Ironfist_Alexander45]

@@Pakotugudugudugudugudugudugu so you don’t want him to be honest about his faults?

[@Pakotugudugudugudugudugudugu]

@@Ironfist_Alexander45 im just saying todd is a known liar

[@Ironfist_Alexander45]

@@Pakotugudugudugudugudugudugu yeah

[@leftyfourguns]

Anyone who produces Morrowind, Oblivion, Fallout 3, and Skyrim in under a 10 year period is a certified legend.

[@brian9829]

Technology advanced so much in the past 10 years. Bethesda use homebrewed game engine, they need to keep updating that engine WHILE developing their games at the same time to not fell off.

[@sporeham1674]

The Elder Scrolls series genuinely changed my life. I've always struggled with maths, and Morrowind put it all in a way that just clicked

[@SweetyNutmeg1]

Can you elaborate on connection between Morrowind and maths. Do you mean you learnt modding in Construction Set which uses some math through Morrowind?

[@fujtkrisztian]

​@SweetyNutmeg1 I would really like to know that too

[@aamshaegar8557]

That Daggerfall box looks absolutely beautiful. Why can't game boxes look like that anymore?

[@dlju8355]

Got it for my 12th birthday in 96. I hate myself for throwing the box away about ten years ago.

[@aamshaegar8557]

@@dlju8355 Such a shame! :(

[@jesuschrist36977]

came here to post this

[@daiminh010]

modern companies love simplicity

[@AytekinKaraca]

@@eciekoc games are cheaper. 60 bucks in 1996 is like 120 bucks today.

[@benzym]

I don’t know why but I just LOVE todd Howard, it doesn’t matter how much he can hurt me I can’t stop loving him. He just seems so genuine at all times

[@ThePauseMenuVlog]

Oblivion was it for me. It hooked me with the E3 trailer, I got every magazine I could get my hands on to read about it, my school notebooks were filled with drawings and skills and trying to make my character before I ever bought the game. When I left that sewer system for the first time it was like my real eyes opened wide and I realized how much I loved video games. I played them all my life but that moment was mount Everest for me and it resonated with me so heavily that it changed my life. Thank you Todd and Thank you Bethesda.

[@Brokenlance]

This right here. Oblivion was a core moment in my middle school years and growing up in general. It informed a lot of my interests and still, to this day, every time I boot it up that magic never fades. I truly believe even when I’m 80 I’ll STILL be able to boot it up and play it non stop.

[@FlyingGospel]

Best video game of all time. I always come back to it and somehow, almost 20 years later it still manages to feel fresh, original, insanely immersive and completely unique. I love this game so much.

[@kithranen1542]

Coming out of the sewers in Oblivion was a remarkable moment in gaming history for so many of us. Seeing the rolling hills to the east, the mountains to the north, and the swamps downriver to the south, and knowing it could all be explored, was breathtaking.

[@jessemiller3108]

Sean Bean and Demons? Can't beat that! lol Seriously though, the demonic invasion was so interesting. I love dragons and high fantasy, but Oblivion just did the atmosphere to that game right

[@ChiBrianXIII]

The part about his son calling him Dada on his first birthday and used the audio for your character when he’s turning 1 is deep. I’m gonna miss this guy when he officially retires

[@SpaceMissile]

yeah that was a new piece of trivia for me. absolutely wholesome

[@ammagon4519]

I tend to forget that Todd is a real person with a life and a family and not just some internet creature thing that creates videogames

[@GHOSTRIDER373737]

I hope he stay with us for at least one more Fallout game.

[@nullptr_yt]

@@GHOSTRIDER373737 He already said TES VI is likely his final game, and couldn't be gone any sooner. Fresh blood is needed. Todd peaked with Morrowind/Oblivion. Has been rehashing it ever since.

[@CurtisSmal]

@@nullptr_ytnot quite, he said itll be his last elder scrolls, but they are going to be doing fallout 5 and starfield 2

[@exiaxzero]

Nice of Todd to credit the whole team for their success over the years. He may be the face of Bethesda but it takes team effort to win. ♥️

[@sqlevolicious]

He's blaming the issues with the games on his team. Read between the lines. He is a scummy liar. The fist thing he says in this interview is a blatant lie.

[@imitenotbe]

@@sqlevolicious cry harder

[@mtf-alpha-1]

@@imitenotbelove you hun come here let’s cuddle now you cutie :)

[@Khara_Revanite]

@@sqlevolicious sweet little lies

[@Bloopaz]

@@mtf-alpha-1 cuddles 🥺

[@surreal9558]

Todd has made mistakes, but every game director makes one, or many. Even after seeing Fallout 76, I can't deny that Todd is intensely influential to video games as a whole. Won't have nothing but respect and love for him

[@NatzoXavier]

Oblivion and Skyrim was a good part of my childhood and I really want to thank Todd Howard for being in the chess club.

[@OnGodGamer]

I love how the most replayed part of the video is the part where Todd talks about Fallout 76

[@JesusHComedy]

lol why is everyone talking about Bethesda on here?

[@ivanrecio926]

Thank you WIRED for bringing Todd Howard, he's such an inspiration for me and others. Pillar of the industry, 16x the detail, passionate and dedicated. He just works.

[@844pm2]

you forgot to include /s

[@locinolacolino1302]

Todd Howard is the OP we didn't know we needed in our lives

[@eyespliced]

**glitches through floor**

[@ZennExile]

He's a scumbag scammer who buys up bulk talent and resells it. Nothing about him is real. NOTHING. He's just the CEO. That's not even a real job.

[@Marksman3434]

Love him or hate him, you can't deny that Todd is passionate about what he does and he seems to care about the people he works with.

[@NeverBeBored08]

To this day, Skyrim is one of my favorite games of all time and my first ES. Still listen to the OST

[@chopstyx141]

Love the OST

[@androiduberalles]

That ost is fire

[@Joseph843]

The ambient music and sounds in Skyrim were wonderful. Really helps with the setting.

[@bigbananadealer846]

probably best OST for any game though Starfield is pretty close now, especially how good the death metal in that game is

[@wawa6711]

Christ, what a sad post

[@brent95b]

Oblivion was life changing and Todd will forever have my respect for that one, even despite the horse armor.

[@psyche141]

It just works!

[@Morbing_Time]

The reason why we have 60€ lootboxes in full price games now is because people say "it's not that bad"

[@lordthruxawe504]

​@@Morbing_TimeI totally understand the criticism, but a lot of the responsibility falls on gamers too. If the whales stopped buying microtransactions they wouldn't implement them. I'm not saying all gamers are at fault for this, but those that buy microtransactions are the ones ensuring that they will continue to be implemented.

[@DiocletianLarius]

@@lordthruxawe504 Bruh don't put the blame on them, the consoomers exists thanks to the corporations. If a company is good enough with their marketing they could sell you even DLCs of rocks and grass, is not the people's fault. I personally don't think Bethesda is selling us rocks, but the quality has been kinda off lately and I really hope they put their sht together and start improving on the things they do wrong.

[@skeptale]

I know Todd has become a meme in recent years and a punching bag for all of Bethesda's haters, but I hope he and everybody else realize how incredibly important and influential he has been to the industry. He's clearly a guy with a lot of passion and talent who just unfortunately ended up as the public face of a company with a lot of big problems.

[@nighttime9539]

Good point. It's tempting to put all the blame on one guy, but I feel his situation.

[@holdeenyo8914]

I would agree, but more than just optimization and mechanics, the story of starfield especially was not good. The whole game just did not hit

[@indiecore-2022]

Starfield was so bad, really makes me sad cuz i love skyrim, oblivion and fallout. As a whole bethesda has forever changed and affected gaming for the better but ever since fallout 76 theyve just had letdown after letdown​@holdeenyo8914

[@veh3mence963]

@@indiecore-2022I liked starfield a decent bit, even with its faults. They focused WAY too much on quantity over quality and it was horrendously optimized, but I had fun with it. Nonetheless, I agree with a lot of the criticisms and I hope Bethesda takes them into consideration before publishing TES VI or a follow-up game in the starfield universe

[@cwpv2477]

he an absolute legend and achieved and gave us more then most artists, no matter what ppl think of starfield yee

[@rylanpolster7186]

i love how tod calls out his flaws. not alot of game creators have the courage.

[@12twelves144]

Wow he is surprisingly humble. Especially talking about Redgaurd

[@sqlevolicious]

He is lying to you. Slap yourself.

[@Erksah02]

He has some moments in which he looks like a prick and sometimes hes really down to earth I dont get it

[@jollygrapefruit786]

Yeah I expected more N-bombs when talking about Redguard

[@intrepidturtle8483]

Yeah, believe it or not, some people aren't the sum of the content people make about them. Including this and also stuff like Crowbcat

[@chriscueva1866]

Yea despite being a pathological liar, he’s really likable and a perfect spokesperson/salesman/head game designer.

[@stefansibbes2440]

His career spans a hundred videogames. 90 of them Skyrim.

[@Mister_Rat_]

Not his fault people keep buying it and playing it on new consoles. Honestly wouldn't mind if they did it for fallout 3 and NV

[@nectarkundalini]

I have been playing videogames for +40 years and Skyrim is still the game I've spent the most hours at. Thanks Todd and Bethesda for all the awesome experiences!

[@firehouse5767]

Was just thinking how it's crazy it came out over a decade ago and it still trumps every single game that Bethesda has released lol

[@dwarfie24]

Congratz on being 41 years old. Hope life is treating you well.

[@Wheezdadd]

​@@SilvarianI'd say they've aged less gracefully.

[@tatianaes3354]

@@firehouse5767people say Oblivion and Morrowind are better, that Skyrim is a downgrade, a dumb-down.

[@frog6054]

@@tatianaes3354 Sure but Skyrim has a great modding community so we can easily download some overhaul mods that makes the gameplay of Skyrim similar to them and at the same time overhaul other aspects like the combat, movement,etc. Meanwhile the modding community in oblivion and Morrowind is just not big so there is nothing I can do to fix the outdated combat and janky movement.

[@noonecaresproductions3115]

Todd I have bought your latest version of Skyrim, please let my family go 😭

[@Imperial.Soldier]

😂

[@Hikikomori_Gaming]

Thanks for Fallout 4 Todd.

[@Ledoux26]

Fallout 3*

[@chknrsandTBBTROX73]

I read this in a sarcastic tone

[@Maximus5798]

@@Ledoux26New Vegas **

[@Lokhir100]

Starfield makes Fallout 4 looks like a masterpiece in comparison

[@melingdiab6613]

@@Lokhir100 lemme just direct you to the Fallout 4 guns

[@VinnyB117]

Gotta respect the man for acknowledging his faults. Really shows how humble he is. Oblivion is still one of my favorite games of all time.

[@Puxi]

yeah yeah and he was in the chess club bla bla. In Germany we've got a word for people like you. It's called Schleimer.

[@ewjiml]

Just because he acts humble doesn’t mean he’s humble….case in point Starfield. He literally forced every department to go to him for approval. Real humble.

[@peonys111]

@@ewjimlhes literally game director is that not his job? lmao

[@dorianknockout]

@@ewjiml emotional

[@VinnyB117]

@@Puxi ok

[@lloyd9500]

Massive respect for Todd. Not many studios are led by actual gamers anymore, and it shows. Todd knows what it takes to make a good game, and he has enough humility to realise when he's produced a game that doesn't sell well and needs improvement. Well done.

[@youngc570]

Todd and Lord Gaben are the last ones.

[@SpeaksYourWord]

​@@youngc570and kojima

[@Bishox]

@@SpeaksYourWord Kojima is more of like the artist and visionary , often he makes a good game , but he is in pursuit of it as an art form , not a game to get people to play it

[@metal6948]

No way you typed that with a straight face

[@lloyd9500]

@@metal6948 Do please enlighten me

[@melplays90]

love how Howard recorded his son saying dada for baby section in fallout 3, now that's sweet and a good memory for his son when he decides to play the game.

[@Jnk-uu5uc]

I remember being 11 years old round my friends house in 2002. We fired up Morrowind for the first time and I was blown away by this weird alien fantasy world. The memory of killing my first mud-crab with a bow has stuck in my brain all these years later! Dunmer for life!

[@KonohaRamenNoodles]

Same

[@carrot623]

Me too 11-12 in 2002

[@chokoon21]

Fallout 4 was my first Bethesda game. I couldn't remember why I decided to buy it but I bought it maybe a year post-launch. I think I saw a KZbinr play it and thought this style of game was really intriguing to me at the time, it's a new genre that I've never experienced being an FPS fan (COD / Battlefield) and Open World fan (GTA / FarCry) myself, Fallout 4 really widened my perspective. It totally blew me away and I've never been more devoted into a game this much since the original MW2 and Star Wars: Kotor.

[@TheProxyd]

Tactical "play fallout new vegas" missile strike incoming

[@GHOSTRIDER373737]

@@TheProxyd I will always say this. New Vegas is still a Bethesda game, Obsidian couldn't make New Vegas all by themselves.

[@repuIsive]

@@GHOSTRIDER373737hahahaha “kotor” you ain’t widen your sphere you just picked up a new interest legend 😅

[@MisDzidziela]

You may hate or love Todd but he has profound impact on the gaming industry and is a legendary dev imo

[@Archenome]

In no way Skyrim was ever complicated. It's casual as balls and that's a good thing if you want to grab the attention of the widest of audiences.

[@FrenziedManbeast]

I used to spend my nights as an undergrad Computer Science student drooling over the Bethesda and Blizzard Job pages. I would drive 100 miles to UMBC's Game Development meetings, and my enjoyment of games supercharged my drive to learn to code on my own and also pursue mathematics more seriously while in school. Todd Howard, Chris Metzen, and the other folks who bet their career on what back then was anything but a 'safe' industry really paved the way for today's game developers. It's also a cautionary tale of how important it is for studios to stay independent, take creative risks, and not oversell a game's features prior to mature release. I look forward to the next Elder Scrolls game.

[@TihetrisWeathersby]

Of all the games I play, The Elder Scrolls and Fallout are the ones I spend the most time playing, Todd has my thanks

[@mr.commonsense]

and he has my thanks for making one of my favourite games release on my birthday, fallout new vegas

[@CyberDustCapsuled]

​@@mr.commonsense HE didn't make it.

[@ZiddersRooFurry]

@@mr.commonsense Todd had nothing to do with New Vegas. That was J.E. Sawyer and the team at Obsidian games.

[@subsume7904]

​@@mr.commonsenseObsidian made Fallout New Vegas, not Bethesda

[@mr.commonsense]

@@CyberDustCapsuled Making the fact that this specific game released on my birthday, you happy now?

[@Karelle465]

Back when i was 13 yrs old Todd Howard was my hero and i literally watched "the making of oblivion" documentary so many times that i can quote the entire thing to this day. I'm now 25 and working at a certain studio because of this guy.

[@SkiesWRLD]

name the studio for me

[@aaronramen5926]

Which one 🤔

[@ZoeBateman]

as much as people joke about him re-releasing skyrim, he's still an absolute icon of the industry, it'll make me cry when he eventually retires

[@joyfulfishman5445]

Such a wholesome interview and you can tell how passionate Todd Howard is, cant wait for the Elder Scrolls 6!

[@numberonedad]

sweet little lies, like starfield's marketing and paid reviews

[@mr.niceguy3583]

He needs to start putting out games that aren’t dogshit

[@777Godsgift777]

So many suckers falling for this!!!

[@fettidarko]

​@mr.niceguy3583 calm down Todd only has 3 misses

[@joyfulfishman5445]

It's genuine@@numberonedad

[@andersprivateaccount]

Would love to see a biography written about Todd Howard and/or Bethesda. I read Masters of Doom (about ID Software) and Jacked (about Rockstar Games) earlier this year and that kind of peak behind the curtain at the history of Bethesda would be fascinating.

[@gwarden_nz]

check out @noclip docos theres a great one on the history of Bethesda

[@REALLIFEALWAYS]

you should check out the videos Noclip has done on Bethesda - they are awesome

[@WallNutBreaker524]

it may explain to us why Bethesda's been giving us garbage games these days.

[@DeadPixel1105]

Masters of Doom was phenomenal.

[@RHYSHALLDIGITALART00122]

The making of oblivion and skyrims a good video to watch

[@Goofy476]

This is really sweet. Not a Bethesda fanboy, but you can tell todd really cares about the games he works on.

[@TheGreatOne-gw7xh]

He used to care, not anymore.

[@holdeenyo8914]

nah he probably still cares, but he's just a moron@@TheGreatOne-gw7xh

[@SquekretGenius420]

lol

[@DaddyShlong]

@@TheGreatOne-gw7xhhow you know

[@zestorm6233]

@@DaddyShlong because you play morrowind oblivion and skyrim and you can tell that skyrim has a lot less love. It clearly does not feel like the game they wanted to make but rather the one that would sell the most. and sadly it worked and that is why most games starting with skyrim had no soul

[@CorporateLiquidator]

What most people may not know is that this interview is 4x the size of normal interviews with 16x the detail

[@BluntObject89]

Call him what you want for recent decisions/ games but he's one of the pillars of gaming industry.

[@ZX235w3]

He was... maybe up till 2011. But after that, Bethesda has lost their magic. Their game engine is their biggest limiting factor of all

[@MBOmnis]

... and that says a LOT about the current state of this industry.

[@jonas8993]

​@@ZX235w3nah until 2015

[@xzxasxadxas]

@@ZX235w3 some of the Bethesda studios still make bangers like Doom 2016 and Doom Eternal.

[@thanos2715]

He’s there to hype up their releases. But I do agree he’s got charm and the memes coming out of him are great lmfao

[@elblah9721]

Thank you for everything, Todd. Fallout 4 & Skyrim were super helpful during my TBI recovery, quieting the hypervigilance. Starfield is amazing thus far. Well done. 🖖

[@funkyreapercat5280]

TBI?

[@2FITS2SLITS]

Means Traumatic brain injury

[@funkyreapercat5280]

@@2FITS2SLITS Thanks, i hope he's doing okay

[@Caucasian60]

I’ve spent thousands of hours in front of a television because of this man. Godd Howard lied for our sins but we still love him all the same.

[@investmentguru9920]

Ctfu 😂 Lied for our sins

[@nonyourbusiness165]

Who is we 💀

[@jameswhite6612]

Speak for yourself. I think hes the poster boy for everything wrong with capitalism and the current state of the gaming industry. I cannot stand the dude.

[@Caucasian60]

@@jameswhite6612 No, I will continue to speak for you as well.

[@perceivedvelocity9914]

​@@jameswhite6612Hahaha. Without capitalism there would be no video games.

[@Ultra_Ken]

When standard games look like Deluxe Editions of today.

[@justinschultheisz4673]

I really love Todd’s transparency about Redguard and Fallout 76

[@ThrashingBasskill]

You mean the part where he apologized for the completely broken game even after months, the goodies that never arrived or when they arrived, they were not what they advertised entirely (like the canvas bag)? Yeah, loved that part as well. But it must be another video instead of this one...

[@posillicoty2608]

@@ThrashingBasskill bro have you not let go of that grudge this many years later???

[@xacvhFAs]

@@posillicoty2608stop liking your own comments. Also your mom doesn’t love you. She never will

[@bigbananadealer846]

​@@ThrashingBasskilltodd wasnt really a big part of 76s development. he took a hiatus and then was working on starfield. still though, he took the complaints on the chin as if he was the sole reason it failed and now fo76 is considered by many to be an actually pretty good game

[@flyingplantwhale545]

Yeah, I especially loved the part where he quicky switched to how succesful the game was and how proud he is of what's been done with that whole scam. @@ThrashingBasskill

[@Okoii]

I was hoping he'd go through every time he released Skyrim, this video would be 2 hours

[@grubfilms9043]

I could listen to Todd talk about literally anything for hours. How can you not love this guy

[@morennersxm]

right? people just love to project their negative energy to anyone that seems "too positive" for them

[@mercylavigne]

Well: - He lies - He steals - False promises - Etc...

[@Morbing_Time]

His lies and his garbage game design philosophy

[@blutoo1363]

Bro has charisma and deception both turned to max

[@tamto6328]

How? How about almost everything he promised about Starfield turned out to be false.

[@pepo_pipi]

making a game for hardware that doesn't exist is crazy af

[@yuzurihamoon805]

Say whatever you want about him and Starfield. This guy is also behind Oblivion and Fallout 3, two of my favorite games of all time. Just want to say thanks to him for the fond memories these games brought me.

[@MelbourneArchviz]

accidents happen. happy accidents.

[@StoneAgeWarfare]

Todd's games gave me irreplaceable childhood memories. These games are nothing short of legend now.

[@anjovingador2005]

How many hours did you play Starfield before coming to this conclusion? The game is huge and has a lot of amazing stories, perhaps the best ever made by Bethesda. Everything that makes Bethesda games the success they are is there. And next year the official Bethesda mod tool for Starfield arrives, the first DLC that always adds a lot of content.

[@RongleBringer]

Fallout wasn't Bethesda's idea, they bought the IP. And it really shows

[@Arguments_only]

fallout 3 and 4, oblivion and skyrim. Thousand hours of fun memories. ^^

[@hedenbergstudios2906]

I remember getting my hands on Morrowind the first time and it completely changed my understanding of what was possible in a game. I loved that game world and how different the experience was everytime you played it.

[@bellamybomb]

It’s crazy that Skyrim came out only 13 years after Redguard - the leap in technological advancement was insane. Skyrim came out in 2011 and I feel like games released in 2023 haven’t come as far as compared to how Skyrim looked in comparison to Redguard. Same-ish length of time but goes to show the rate at which tech advanced exponentially in the early 2000s I think

[@therenaissanceman9586]

1:13No way!! I didn't know Todd and Gordon Freeman worked together. They looks so cool side by side. 😎

[@Mosqueetto]

As much as he is a meme, Todd seems like a really genuine guy and just seems to be trying his best at all times. Too many cooks spoil the broth, dont think he's behind alot of the decisions being made buisness wise. ALWAYS A LEGEND

[@mr.someone5679]

Very genuine...yes...doesnt talk about the real issues because he will be fired.

[@dorianknockout]

@@mr.someone5679 you beat him at the chess club

[@Watchman6128]

You're the reason Bethesda makes money off of absolute garbage

[@holdeenyo8914]

well his best was not good now was it?

[@avalonjustin]

A legendary liar.

[@craigsparton]

I know Todd gets a lot of hate. I've complained about several things myself, mainly Fallout 76 (the intentionally created problem of storage to be "solved" by a paywall) and Skyrim (releasing 8000 revisions of the game without incorporating bug fixes that already existed by fans). But he's a good face for the company and seems to really passionate about the masterpieces they've created. He also acknowledges his team. Overall this was a good interview and I really hope they return to their roots for Elder Scrolls VI. I am looking forward to it.

[@777Godsgift777]

You suckers fall for it every time!!!

[@diogofonseca3161]

Man I feel like "returning to it's root" is exactly the problem with Bethesda today. Like Starfield is a huge fallout 4, but without the same "depth", with Oblivion elements and it's just weird nowadays. They actually need to shake the dust off with ESVI, bringing innovation. I mean if Starfield was compared to BG3 can you imagine ESVI?

[@GHOSTRIDER373737]

@@diogofonseca3161 I don't play BG3, so I don't care. People used to compare Fallout 4 to Witcher 3 too, and I actually gave Witcher 3 a try. They are complete different games the fact they try to compare it is stupid enough. Not to mention Witcher 3 is no way as good as people on the internet make it out to be.

[@ALUCARD8699]

You got fooled then.

[@ALUCARD8699]

@@GHOSTRIDER373737 Bethesda brainless fanboy spotted.

[@wispybun]

I was 8-9 when I played my first Bethesda game which was Skyrim and then Fallout 3 right around the same time! Now I am 19, it is the biggest reason why I am in the computer science field currently and a reason I am pursuing a dream hobby/job of mine as a content creator! Skyrim has had such an impact on me, it still a game I play heavily to this day and consume content of! It will forever be near & dear to me QwQ

[@samwalkee6268]

It’s awesome the younger years are still loving Bethesda

[@ryan56976]

I started playing games in the late 80s on pc. This led me to a career technology (never mind the impact of the internet dropping in 5th grade). I hope your career is a as successful as mine. Good luck!

[@YouBlockhead]

I'm surprised Todd didn't talk about Skyrim for each time he re-released it.

[@bobbobson9952]

What a great video of a great career. I enjoyed the entire 11minutes and 36 seconds of it.

[@oliver-04]

10/10 comment!!

[@bingusjack]

I think that BGS’s last two games were a big miss for me, but I have to admit that Todd has a lot of charisma and obvious passion for what he and his team does, and that’s invaluable. And regardless of how a couple of their projects have turned out they are responsible for some incredible era-defining video games

[@bigbananadealer846]

i wonder if elder scrolls 6 will be like another morrowind. cause i dont think bethesda can take another game that is so divided

[@bingusjack]

@@bigbananadealer846 bethesda is fine starfield sold like absolute crazy despite reception

[@Baguenaudeur]

A lot of adjectives comes to mind when thinking of Todd, but charisma? Really? LMAO

[@haivie.t]

@@bingusjack and now daily player is less then Skyrim (base on steam chart)

[@bingusjack]

@@Baguenaudeur yeah man i mean he is really good at articulating ideas and he does seem like a likeable personality if you dont know the kinds of things he lies about

[@UltraProchy]

Im honestly surprised he talked about daggerfall and its procedural generation, because the big companies today act like procedural generation is a new thing every year

[@mavfan1]

Have you ever been dishonestly surprised?

[@UltraProchy]

@@mavfan1 yes, usually during holidays or anniversaries

[@kitano47]

lmfao@@UltraProchy

[@paulleach3612]

Won't lie, it blew my tiny little geek mind seeing it implemented for the first time (at least to me) in a game and genre I loved. So, obviously, Daggerfall used up more hours of my life than any other game.

[@VR-db2fo]

I dont like starfield but Tod is a legend forever. No matter what happens.

[@fufu1405]

Actually really cool to see him admit to mistakes instead of coming across as a ''it just works'' meme.

[@jsullivan2112]

Yeah, internet vs. a person in real life. Who knew?

[@coltonroark]

This guy is responsible for some of the absolute best games ever made. Thank you Todd! Hope Elder Scrolls VI is a great send off.

[@CaptainB1994]

That's if Elder Scrolls VI is indeed Todd's last game.

[@Insanepie]

hope he doesn't retire for a looong time but obvs its up to him its whatever makes him happy

[@doomslayer8025]

every game he produces is amazing.

[@Insanepie]

@@doomslayer8025 the man’s a genius… there will never be another Todd Howard

[@Durwood71]

What a career this man has had. Was introduced to Bethesda with Morriwind. Went on to play Oblivion, Fallout 3, Skyrim, and finally Starfield, which quickly became one of my favorite games.

[@mattwellinc.8543]

What about Fallout 4?

[@Durwood71]

@@mattwellinc.8543 Never played it. I recently bought Fallout: New Vegas on sale, but haven't played it yet because I'm having too much fun with Starfield. Of course New Vegas was only published by Bethesda, it wasn't developed by them.

[@OneTwoMark]

Loved all Bethesda games too, and im a big space nerd. You'd think thats an amazing combination But I still haven't beat Starfield. Theres something about it thats just off. Maybe im spoiled by other space games with better immersion such as Star Citizen (as buggy as it is). I hope they really look at it again and correct any mistakes they made to make the next Elder Scrolls really good.

[@laoch5658]

Starfield is a terrible game

[@Durwood71]

@@laoch5658 It's really not.

[@Idolmaniajp]

Those who want the souls games director to break down his gaming career 👇👇

[@BornVillain14]

I will always have immense respect for Todd and Bethesda as a whole. I've been playing their games since Oblivion, and their games have truly changed my life in many ways. It's easy to discredit them for some of the faults in their games, but just like Rockstar, they have consistently tried to push the envelope forward for gaming for decades now. And I can always appreciate that. Watching interviews with Todd, or the old Making Of documentaries for Oblivion and Fallout, it's obvious that Bethesda is led by and filled with people who just love video games. They make the games they want to play and I commend that. After 6 painfully long years, I am still excited as ever for ES6 and look forward to Bethesda's future.

[@hbsvictor]

Some faults? If they're that special then I suppose companies that release games that aren't mediocre must be gods of development then

[@jase276]

For decades? Funny you say that, Rockstar has only made ONE game in THREE generations of consoles. They stink.

[@BornVillain14]

@@jase276 I mean I understand the joke, but Rockstar has made like 5 games since 2010. lol The Red Dead series, GTA V, L.A. Noire, Max Payne 3. Plus DLC’s & online features.

[@robertgreenaway3438]

Some of the games this guy has made have really been an important part of my life and mean a huge amount. Big thanks Todd

[@NikoDeus]

Skyrim is still 13 years later a masterpiece, playing that time to time. Thanks for the video, was really interesting :)

[@noterrormanagement]

And Skyrim SE has on average a larger player count than Starfield. We will not let the game die

[@hasanwaseem1965]

I still play Skyrim too

[@oxyman10]

I recently went back to playing Skyrim, thank you Starfield.

[@jeffreyssary]

I just started a new gameplay in Skyrim a few weeks ago and man, I’m as hooked to the game as i was when I first played it. Skyrim is truly amazing

[@allxtend4005]

@@noterrormanagement how bad this aged a lil bit after your coment they released Payed Mods in Skyrim SE 🤣

[@reddeaddude2187]

Imagine peaking with Oblivion and Skyrim and limping along another 12 years.

[@supersuede91]

😂

[@livingthedream0527]

Something nice about hearing someone like Todd relive the history, it’s easy to be critical of recent Bethesda games (I have very mixed feelings with Starfield) but videos like these are reassuring in a way, he hasn’t forgot the hardships along with the good times.

[@justgrimm]

As much as i meme on the man, i do appreciate his dedication and works that he helped release into the world.

[@TihetrisWeathersby]

He struck gold we got that job at Bethesda, Imagine not even realizing the popularity of the games you would go on to make

[@oufukubinta]

Dude takes pride in the fact that he's still using a decades old 2D height map to generate worlds for games in 2024 because it's easy when even Minecraft uses 3D map making that allows more creative freedom and more variation...

[@bj0urne]

I was around age 10 when I started my Fallout 3 journey. I had never ever experienced anything like it before. When Fallout 4 was announced I couldn't sleep for the entire night cause I was imagining all my future adventures. Eventually I got tired of just playing, and I started to dream about creating aswell. I fully believe both Halo and Fallout is the biggest reasons why games and game development is engraved in my DNA. Currently doing a non-gaming related job, but I'm about to jump into a scary unknown future, to learn game development and potentially starting my own game development organization one day with a friend, all thanks to these games and what they have meant to me.

[@GAM3RK1NG.]

use unreal 5 or 4 and i’ll send videos about how to use it if you want!

[@williamtaylor3760]

I recommend to start as a QA tester, easy to break in, and it's really the backbone of game development, fingers crossed friend! Sky's the limit!

[@arbayer2]

Iterate, iterate, iterate. Whenever possible, take a fiver when facing the latest challenge and review what has worked before, write it down. Review what your ambitions and goals are, write them down. Reflect on where your imagination took you in the beginning, and always back up your stuff in multiple places. Ad astra per aspera. I think y'all will do great!

[@Lorefarer]

12:20 "we love this, please fix it" is genuinely how I wish more people would give feedback

[@KieranDomney.]

Didn’t realize I’ve probably played 1000+ hours of his games collectively. Thank you to Mr Howard and the teams you’ve worked with.

[@TheDeeGeeNL]

The Terminator games deserve a remaster, currently playing through Future Shock and it's very good.