Bethesda Softworks
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| Bethesda Softworks, LLC | |
 |
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| Type | Limited Liability Company |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1986 |
| Headquarters | Rockville, Maryland |
| Key people | Robert Altman, Chairman and CEO |
| Industry | Computer and video games |
| Products | The Elder Scrolls |
| Parent | ZeniMax Media |
| Website | http://www.bethsoft.com |
Bethesda Softworks, LLC, a ZeniMax Media Company, is a developer and publisher of computer and video games.
Contents |
[edit] History
Bethesda Softworks has been a developer and publisher of interactive entertainment content for over two decades. Founded in 1986 by Christopher Weaver[1] 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., which Weaver co-founded, 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, Commodore Amiga 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 three new Star Trek games, Star Trek - Legacy (For PC/Xbox 360), Star Trek - Tactical Assault (for Nintendo DS/PlayStation Portable), and Star Trek - Encounters (PS2). Press Release
[edit] 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.
[edit] 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 Travels: Oblivion* (2006)
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006)
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine (2006)
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles (2007)
The Elder Scrolls Travel Series: Shadowkey, Stormhold, and Dawnstar were co-developed by sister studio Vir2L, a ZeniMax Media company.
[edit] Games in development by Bethesda Game Studios
| Game | Release Date | Platforms | Home Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fallout 3 | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles | Spring 2007 | Windows, Xbox 360 | http://elderscrolls.com/home/home.htm |
| The Elder Scrolls V | TBA | Windows | http://elderscrolls.com/home/home.htm |
[edit] Games to be published by Bethesda Softworks
| Game | Release Date | Platforms | Home Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Star Trek: Legacy | 2006 | Windows, Xbox 360 | Link |
| Star Trek: Tactical Assault | 2006 | PSP, Nintendo DS | Link |
| Rogue Warrior: Black Razor | 2007 | Windows, Xbox 360, PS3 | Link |
Official List of Games Currently in Development
[edit] List of games by Bethesda Softworks
[edit] Games developed and published by Bethesda
| Year | Title | Genres | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Gridiron! | Sports | Atari ST, Amiga, Commodore 64 |
| 1988 | Wayne Gretzky Hockey | Sports | Amiga, Atari ST, DOS, NES |
| 1990 | Wayne Gretzky Hockey 2 | Sports | DOS |
| 1990 | Terminator, The | Free-form Action, Adventure | DOS |
| 1990 | Hockey League Simulator | Simulation, Sports | Amiga, DOS |
| 1991 | Wayne Gretzky Hockey 3 | Sports | DOS |
| 1991 | NCAA Basketball: Road To The Final Four ('91/'92 Edition) | Sports | DOS |
| 1992 | Terminator 2029 | Action, Strategy | DOS |
| 1992 | Hockey League Simulator 2 | Simulation, Sports, Strategy | DOS |
| 1993 | Terminator: Rampage, The | Action | DOS |
| 1993 | Terminator 2029: Operation Scour Add-on | Action, Stragey | DOS |
| 1993 | The Elder Scrolls: Arena | Action, Adventure, RPG | DOS |
| 1994 | Terminator 2029 - The Deluxe CD Edition | Action, Strategy | DOS |
| 1994 | NCAA: Road to the Final Four 2 | Sports | DOS |
| 1994 | Delta V | Action, Racing | DOS |
| 1995 | Terminator: Future Shock | Action | DOS |
| 1996 | SkyNET | Action | DOS |
| 1996 | The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall | Adventure, RPG | DOS |
| 1997 | The Elder Scrolls Legends: Battlespire | Action RPG | DOS, Windows |
| 1997 | PBA Bowling | Sports | Windows |
| 1997 | XCar: Experimental Racing | Racing/Driving, Simulation | DOS |
| 1998 | Burnout: Championship Drag Racing | Racing, Simulation | DOS |
| 1998 | The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard | Adventure, RPG | Windows |
| 1998 | Symbiocom | Adventure | Windows |
| 1998 | Zero Critical | Adventure | Windows |
| 1999 | NIRA Intense Import Drag Racing | Racing/Driving | Windows |
| 1999 | Skip Barber Racing | Racing/Driving | Windows |
| 2000 | PBA Bowling 2 | Sports | Windows |
| 2000 | PBA Bowling 2001 | Sports | Windows, Dreamcast |
| 2000 | IHRA Drag Racing | Racing/Driving, Simulation | Windows, PlayStation, Dreamcast |
| 2001 | IHRA Motorsports | Racing/Driving, Simulation | Windows |
| 2001 | IHRA Drag Racing 2 | Racing/Driving | PlayStation 2 |
| 2001 | Echelon | Action, Simulation | Windows |
| 2002 | The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind | Adventure, RPG | Windows, Xbox |
| 2002 | The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Collector's Edition) | Adventure, RPG | Windows |
| 2002 | The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal | Adventure, RPG | Windows |
| 2003 | IHRA Drag Racing 2004 | Racing/Driving | Xbox |
| 2003 | The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon | Adventure, RPG | Windows |
| 2003 | The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon & Tribunal Duopack | Adventure, RPG | Windows |
| 2003 | The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Game of the Year Edition) | Adventure, RPG | Windows, Xbox |
| 2003 | The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Platinum Edition) | Adventure, RPG | Xbox |
| 2004 | The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Game of the Year - Platinum Edition) | Adventure, RPG | Xbox |
| 2004 | IHRA Drag Professional Racing 2005 | Racing/Driving | Xbox, PlayStation 2 |
| 2004 | PBA Bowling 2004 | Sports | Xbox, PlayStation 2 |
| 2006 | IHRA Drag Racing: Sportsman Edition | Racing/Driving | Windows, Xbox, PlayStation 2 |
[edit] Games developed by Bethesda, but externally published
| Year | Title | Genres | Platforms | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Home Alone | Action | NES | THQ |
| 1991 | Where's Waldo? | Puzzle | NES | THQ |
| 2004 | High Rollers Casino | Cards, Gambling | Xbox | Mud Duck Productions |
| 2006 | The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion | Adventure, RPG | Windows, Xbox 360, Playstation 3 | 2K Games |
[edit] Games produced by Bethesda
The following games were produced by Bethesda, but externally developed. (Note: Vir2L is a division of ZeniMax Media Inc., Bethesda's parent company, and Vir2L calls themselves a 'sister company' to Bethesda on their website.)
| Year | Title | Genres | Platforms | Developer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | F-16 Aggressor | Simulation | Windows | Virgin Interactive |
| 1998 | Magic & Mayhem | Action, Strategy | Windows | Mythos Games |
| 2000 | Gromada | Action | Windows | Buka Entertainment |
| 2000 | Sea Dogs | Action, RPG, Simulation, Strategy | Windows | Akella |
| 2001 | Magic & Mayhem: The Art of Magic | RPG, Strategy | Windows | Mythos Games |
| 2002 | Family Card Games Fun Pack | Cards | Playstation | Mud Duck Productions |
| 2003 | Puzznic | Puzzle, Action | Playstation | Altron |
| 2003 | Pirates of the Caribbean | RPG | Windows, Xbox | Akella |
| 2003 | The Elder Scrolls Travels: Stormhold | Adventure, RPG | Java and Brew enabled mobile devices | Vir2L, co-published by MFORMA |
| 2004 | Powerdrome | Racing | Xbox, PlayStation 2 | Argonaut Games, co-published by Mud Duck Productions |
| 2004 | The Elder Scrolls Travels: Dawnstar | Adventure, RPG | Java and Brew enabled mobile devices | Vir2L |
| 2004 | The Elder Scrolls Travels: Shadowkey | Adventure, RPG | N-Gage | Vir2L co-published by Nokia |
| 2004 | IHRA Drag Racing Multiplayer | Racing/Driving, Simulation | Java and Brew enabled mobile devices | Vir2L, co-published by MFORMA |
| 2005, 2006 | Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth | Adventure | Xbox, Windows | Headfirst Productions |
| 2006 | Pirates of the Caribbean: The Legend of Jack Sparrow | Adventure | Windows, PlayStation 2 | 7 Studios, Buena Vista Games, co-published by Ubisoft |
[edit] External links
- Bethesda Softworks
- ZeniMax Media Inc.
- UESP on Bethesda – The UESPWiki article on Bethesda.
- Vir2L Studios a ZeniMax Media company
- Mud Duck Productions a ZeniMax Media company
- The Official Elder Scrolls Home Page
- Bethesda Softworks profile on MobyGames
- Moby Games - Contains a brief bio and games credit list for Bethesda founder Christopher Weaver
