Former Elder Scrolls loremaster reveals he wanted The Elder Scrolls 6 to be franchise's "The Empire Strikes Back"

Former Elder Scrolls loremaster and writer Kurt Kuhlmann has revealed why he left Bethesda after over two decades and how he wanted to see the enemy win in The Elder Scrolls 6, similarly to Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.

The details:

• Kuhlmann, who left Bethesda in 2023 after more than 20 years with the studio, revealed the reasoning behind his decision to leave the studio in a new interview with PC Gamer. According to the writer, he was promised the lead design role on TES6 by Todd Howard after the success of Skyrim. However, that promise was never fulfilled, as following Fallout 4, Bethesda opted to make Fallout 76 and Starfield, with the position instead going to someone else.
• The writer also attributed his departure partly to Bethesda's dramatic growth and changes following the release of Skyrim in 2011. He stated that a breakdown in communications caused issues amid Starfield's development, with the game being worked on by four remote studios. He added that the studio began operating more like a traditional company compared to the earlier days when developers could directly discuss design choices with Howard.
• In the interview, Kuhlmann shared his plans for the story of TES6, which would’ve seen a departure from Bethesda’s typical plots by allowing the enemy to win. He envisioned the game as the franchise’s version of "The Empire Strikes Back," with the Thalmor, who were a major part of Skyrim’s story, emerging as victorious despite the main character’s best efforts, setting the stage for the events of The Elder Scrolls. 7.