Summary
A former lead designer atBethesda Game Studioshas explained that the team is aware of how many loading screens its games have, but that their inclusion is a “necessary evil” due to how big the open worlds are.
Ever since it truly made a name for itself withThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivionin 2006 and set the bar for open-world RPGs, Bethesda has become known for a few things that all of its games have. While a lot of them are very positive,such as its massive worlds, RPG mechanics, and well-written characters, there are a few common trends between its major releases that are less beloved.
Bethesda’s penchant for releasing buggy games has been talked to death,but it’s also got a reputation for middling combat, strange staring contest conversations, and a whole lot more. Most of these quirks are just considered to be a part of Bethesda’s DNA and something most of us lovingly shrug off, but there is one thing that seems to bother fans more than anything - the number of loading screens.
Former Bethesda Designer Says The Amount Of Loading Screens Is A “Necessary Evil”
“Everybody Who Complains About Them Assumes That It’s Done Because We’re lazy”
If you’ve ever played any ofThe Elder ScrollsandFalloutgames (or evenStarfield), then you’re no doubt aware that their massive worlds are separated by a lot of loading screens, usually when going into dungeons, buildings, or any interior setting. While loading screens are a common thing in games still, a lot of triple-A releases are trying to move away from them, while Bethesda seemingly isn’t.
As pointed out by Insider Gaming, this commonality in Bethesda games has beenaddressed by former lead designer Bruce Nesmith while talking to VideoGamer. Nesmith has been with Bethesda ever since the days of Oblivion and, while he leaved during Starfield’s development, he’s had plenty of experience with the studio.
It’s not that anybody at Bethesda ever wanted to do it. We just didn’t have a choice, really. - Bruce Nesmith
During the interview,Nesmith took the chance to address the loading screensand noted that “everybody who complains about them” thinks it’s simply due to Bethesda being “lazy” or not following modern trends. Instead, Nesmith says it’s because Bethesda games are “so detailed and so graphics-intensive” that loading screens are just an unfortunate reality.
Nesmith goes as far as calling the loading screens a “necessary evil” for Bethesda games, while noting that the team didn’t want to have them either, but there wasn’t really a choice in the matter considering how big the worlds are.Considering how massive The Elder Scrolls 6 is likely to be, it seems that it’s something players will just have to get used to.
