Overview
- Kurt Kuhlmann, a longtime Elder Scrolls designer and Skyrim co‑lead, says he left Bethesda in 2023 after more than two decades, speaking in an interview reported by PC Gamer and summarized by GamesRadar+.
- He says Todd Howard verbally told him after Skyrim that he would lead The Elder Scrolls 6, but when the time came he was offered only an “important role” instead.
- Kuhlmann describes mounting red tape and a shift toward managerial duties that reduced his hands‑on design work, which he found increasingly unsatisfying.
- He recounts communication breakdowns across Bethesda’s expanded studios during Starfield’s development, with different teams giving conflicting guidance on key decisions.
- He adds that a cliffhanger ending he once imagined for TES6 would be unrealistic given the long gaps between series entries, reflecting how his thinking has changed since leaving.