Bethesda Softworks
Bethesda Softworks LLC, a ZeniMax Media Company, is a developer and publisher of computer and video games.
History
Bethesda Softworks, has been a developer and publisher of interactive entertainment content for over two decades. Founded in 1986 by Christopher Weaver in Bethesda, Maryland; they moved to Rockville, Maryland in 1990, and have a long history of PC and console games. Bethesda was acquired by Zenimax Media, Inc., of which Weaver was co-founder, in 1999.
With a broad panoply of games in role-playing, racing, simulation, and sports, Bethesda Softworks major franchises are distributed worldwide.
Bethesda is credited with the creation of the first physics-based sports simulation (Gridiron)in 1986 for the Atari ST and Commodore 64/128, which led to Bethesda's creation of the first John Madden Football game for Electronic Arts. Despite their long history of development in many genres, they are perhaps best known for creating The Elder Scrolls RPG series which Weaver initiated in 1992, based upon the original programming of Julian Lefay. The first chapter of the series, entitled The Elder Scrolls: Arena, was released in 1994. Since that time, numerous other chapters have been released. The latest chapter, The Elder Scrolls:Oblivion, was released in March 2006.
Bethesda is also the publisher for two new Star Trek games, Star Trek - Legacy (For PC/Xbox 360) and Star Trek - Tactical Assault (for DS/PSP). Press Release
Logos
Bethesda uses two Logos. "Bethesda Game Studios" is often used to designate games developed "in house" by its own teams. This may occasionally be seen on games published in foreign countries by outside publishers that were originally developed by Bethesda. "Bethesda Softworks" is often used to designate games "published" by Bethesda, but not always developed by them. This usage has not always been consistent from game to game.
File:BethesdaGameStudios.JPG File:BethesdaSoftworks.JPG
The Elder Scrolls series
- The Elder Scrolls: Arena (1994)
- The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall (1996)
- The Elder Scrolls Legends: Battlespire (1997)
- The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard (1998)
- The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (2002)
- The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal (2002)
- The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon (2003)
- The Elder Scrolls Travels: Stormhold (2003)
- The Elder Scrolls Travels: Shadowkey (2004)
- The Elder Scrolls Travels: Dawnstar (2004)
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006)
The Elder Scrolls Travel Series: Shadowkey, Stormhold, and Dawnstar were co-developed by sister studio Vir2L, a ZeniMax Media company.
Games in development by Bethesda Game Studios
Game | Release Date | Platforms | Home Page |
---|---|---|---|
Fallout 3 | TBA | Windows | None yet |
IHRA Drag Racing Sportsman Edition | Early 2006 | Playstation 2, Xbox | Link |
The Elder Scrolls V will begin production this year, and is to be a game released on the PC and Xbox 360. Nothing is known about this game yet, and Bethesda will likely not release any information about it until 2007.
Games to be published by Bethesda Softworks
Game | Release Date | Platform(s) | Home Page |
---|---|---|---|
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Legend of Jack Sparrow | TBA | TBA | None Yet |
Star Trek: Legacy | 2006 | Windows, Xbox 360 | Link |
Star Trek: Tactical Assault | TBA | PSP, Nintendo DS | Link |
Official List of Games Currently in Development
List of games by Bethesda Softworks
Note: Games developed by Bethesda but published by another company will list the (Publisher:). Games published by Bethesda but developed by another studio will list (Developer:). Games without this designation are Developer: Bethesda Game Studios / Publisher: Bethesda Softworks.
- Title Year of Release / Genre(s) / Platform(s)
- The Elder Scrolls Legends: Battlespire 1997 Action, Role-Playing (RPG) DOS, Windows
- Burnout: Championship Drag Racing 1998 Racing/Driving, Simulation DOS
- Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth 2005 Adventure Xbox (Developer: Headfirst Productions)
- Delta V 1994 Action, Racing/Driving DOS
- Echelon 2001 Action, Simulation Windows
- The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard 1998 Adventure, Role-Playing (RPG) Windows
- The Elder Scrolls: Arena, The 1993 Action, Adventure, Role-Playing (RPG) DOS
- The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, The 1996 Adventure, Role-Playing (RPG) DOS
- The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon, The 2003 Adventure, Role-Playing (RPG) Windows
- Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon & Tribunal Duopack, The 2003 Adventure, Role-Playing (RPG) Windows
- Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Collector's Edition), The 2002 Adventure, Role-Playing (RPG) Windows
- Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Game of the Year Edition), The 2003 Adventure, Role-Playing (RPG) Windows, Xbox
- Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Game of the Year - Platinum Edition), The 2004 Adventure, Role-Playing (RPG) Xbox
- Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Platinum Edition), The 2003 Adventure, Role-Playing (RPG) Xbox
- Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, The 2002 Adventure, Role-Playing (RPG) Windows, Xbox
- The Elder Scrolls Travels: Dawnstar 2004 Adventure, Role-Playing (RPG) Java and Brew enabled mobile devices (phones, PDA's) (Developer: Vir2L)
- The Elder Scrolls Travels: Shadowkey 2004 Adventure, Role-Playing (RPG) N-Gage (Developer: Vir2L)(Co-Publisher: Nokia)
- The Elder Scrolls Travels: Stormhold 2003 Adventure, Role-Playing (RPG) Java and Brew enabled mobile devices (phones, PDA's) (Developer: Vir2L)(Co-Publisher: MFORMA)
- The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal 2002 Adventure, Role-Playing (RPG) Windows
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion 2006 Adventure, Role-Playing (RPG) Windows, Xbox 360
- F-16 Aggressor 1998 Simulation Windows (Developer: Virgin Interactive)
- Family Card Games Fun Pack 2002 Cards Playstation (Developer: Mud Duck Productions)
- Gromada 2000 Action Windows (Developer: Buka Entertainment)
- Gridiron! 1986 Sports Atari ST, Amiga, Commodore64/128
- High Rollers Casino 2004 Card/Gambling Xbox (Publisher: Mud Duck Productions)
- Hockey League Simulator 1990 Simulation, Sports DOS
- Hockey League Simulator 2 1992 Simulation, Sports, Strategy DOS
- Home Alone 1991 Action NES (Publisher: THQ)
- IHRA Drag Racing 2000 Racing/Driving, Simulation PlayStation, Dreamcast, Windows
- IHRA Drag Racing 2 2001 Racing/Driving PlayStation2
- IHRA Drag Racing 2004 2003 Racing/Driving Xbox
- IHRA Drag Profesional Racing 2005 2004 Racing/Driving Xbox, PlayStation2
- IHRA Motorsports 2001 Racing/Driving, Simulation Windows
- IHRA Drag Racing Multiplayer 2004 Racing/Driving, Simulation Java and Brew enabled mobile devices (phones, PDA's) (Developer: Vir2L) (Co-Publisher: MFORMA)
- Magic & Mayhem 1998 Action, Strategy Windows (Developer: Mythos Games)
- Magic & Mayhem: The Art of Magic 2001 Role-Playing (RPG), Strategy Windows (Developer: Mythos Games)
- NCAA Basketball: Road To The Final Four (91/92 Edition) 1991 Sports DOS
- NCAA: Road to the Final Four 2 1994 Sports DOS
- NIRA Intense Import Drag Racing 1999 Racing/Driving Windows
- PBA Bowling 1997 Sports Windows
- PBA Bowling 2 2000 Sports Windows
- PBA Bowling 2001 2000 Sports Dreamcast, Windows
- PBA Bowling 2004 2004 Sports Xbox, PlayStation2
- Pirates of the Caribbean 2003 Role-Playing (RPG) Windows, Xbox (Developer: Akella)
- Powerdrome 2004 Racing Xbox, PlayStation2 (Developer: Argonaut Games) (Co-Publisher: Mud Duck Productions)
- Protector 1999 Action Jaguar
- Puzznic 2003 Puzzle/Action Playstation (Developer: Altron)
- Sea Dogs 2000 Action, Role-Playing (RPG), Simulation, Strategy Windows (Developer: Akella)
- Skip Barber Racing 1999 Racing/Driving Windows
- SkyNET 1996 Action DOS
- Symbiocom 1998 Adventure Windows
- Terminator 2029 1992 Action DOS
- Terminator 2029 - Deluxe CD Edition, The 1994 Action DOS
- Terminator 2029: Operation Scour 1993 Action DOS
- Terminator: Future Shock 1995 Action DOS
- Terminator: Rampage, The 1993 Action DOS
- Terminator, The 1990 Action, Adventure DOS
- Wayne Gretzky Hockey 1988 Sports Amiga, Atari ST, DOS, NES
- Wayne Gretzky Hockey 2 1990 Sports DOS
- Wayne Gretzky Hockey 3 1991 Sports DOS
- Where's Waldo? 1991 Strategy NES
- XCar: Experimental Racing 1997 Racing/Driving, Simulation DOS
- Zero Critical 1998 Adventure Windows
External links
- ZeniMax Media Inc.
- Bethesda Softworks
- Vir2L Studios a ZeniMax Media company
- Mud Duck Productions a ZeniMax Media company
- The Official Elder Scrolls Home Page
- Moby Games - Contains a brief bio and games credit list for Bethesda founder Christopher Weaver