Although rumors and speculation about upcoming and unconfirmed games are a commonplace occurence in the video game industry, only a few studios and developers (like Valve or Blizzard) attract rumors as frequently as Bethesda Game Studios. With constant pressure from fans to deliver information on upcoming installments in franchises like Fallout and The Elder Scrolls, it's no surprise that everything the studio says or does is put under a microscope to hunt for clues.
Just a month after the setting for Fallout 4 was potentially leaked, Bethesda is back in the headlines with another unofficial development. This time, fans will have to do some inferring to figure out what sequel or new IP the studio is secretly working on.
A few job advertisements that Bethesda posted online through ZeniMax Media Inc. call for talented programmers to join the 'bleeding edge of RPG development' on both PCs and consoles. The idea of a bleeding edge RPG is likely to make most Bethesda fans consider Fallout 4 or Elder Scrolls 6 as the likely projects.
A second job posting adds some more fuel to the Fallout/Elder Scrolls fire. In addition to the programming position, the studio is also searching for a 'Quest Designer' who is familiar with the Elder Scrolls Construction Kit and/or GECK (the level creation tool used for Fallout).
Although familiarity with the creation tools used for those iconic RPG franchises is required, it isn't necessarily an indication that the hired talent would be working on a Fallout 4 or Elder Scrolls 6. The 'Quest Designer' job description goes on to explain that the potential employee would be hired to "design and document stories and quests for future next generation projects."
A third Bethesda position has also been posted to hunt down an executive producer. The EP listing specifies that potential candidates should have a "comprehensive knowledge of Action/Adventure/Shooter product genres."
The intentionally vague description of the programming posting seemed to suggest the game could be any already established Bethesda RPG or even a new IP, but the more specific producer job description includes key words like "shooter," which sounds a lot more like a Fallout project to us.
It's certainly not the official confirmation of Fallout 4 that fans have been not so patiently waiting for, but Bethesda definitely has something up its sleeve. For now, Bethesda fans who don't mind shelling out a subscription fee will have to settle for being excited over Elder Scrolls Online, which is currently in beta and on track for an April release for PC and Mac.
When do you expect the official confirmation of Fallout 4 to arrive? Be sure to place your bets and let us know in the comments.
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Follow Denny on Twitter @The_DFC.
Source: ZeniMax