Skyrim lead designer reacts to game's enduring appeal: “What the hell?”
Blog Andrew Joseph 15 Oct , 2025 0

Released in 2011, Bethesda's The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was an instant success and has continued to gain popularity over the years. now is It has sold more than 60 million copies, ranking 8th among the best-selling games in history. Why does this game have such enduring appeal? Chief Designer Bruce Nesmith said FRVR Podcast The game's open-world design was done in a way that “no one had ever done before,” and only “very few” games have attempted it since.
“It stands to reason that a year later, other games should eclipse it. And then two years later, three years later, five years later, 10 years later. It's like, 'What the hell is going on here?'” he said. According to IGN.
Nesmith, who has since left Bethesda, said he remembers meetings hosted by Bethesda boss Todd Howard (Skyrim's director) where he would brief employees The game is still very popular some 10 years after its launch.
Nesmith went on to say that Bethesda acknowledged that Skyrim had bugs and quirks, and fans accepted that. “Weird things are going to happen to you. If you say it's OK, you can get the diamond,” he said.
Previously, Howard spoke about the continued appeal of Skyrim and all the subsequent re-releases for new platforms: “If you want us to stop publishing it, stop buying it.” It has become a joke that Bethesda will release the game on any and all platforms, Includes Alexa devices.
Bethesda is developing The Elder Scrolls 6but it may take a long time. The company is also developing Fallout 5.