Starfield's lead quest designer leaves Bethesda

[John Elden Ring]

Starfield's lead quest designer leaves Bethesda to join other RPG veterans making a new open-world game

Something Wicked Games snatches another veteran for their horror-RPG

www.gamesradar.com

Starfield’s lead quest designer, also a Bethesda design director, is leaving the studio to help other genre veterans make another open-world RPG.

Will Shen was the lead quest designer and eventually design director on Starfield - meaning he’s responsible for some of the space epic’s very best moments - but he’s actually been working on Bethesda RPGs since Fallout 3. In an interview with Game Developer, Shen confirmed that he’s now joining developer Something Weird Games, a studio that was founded by another ex-Bethesda lead. The team now houses an all-star lineup of RPG developers with former BioWare, Bethesda, and Obsidian staff employed at the new studio.

Shen said his new role would bridge the gap between the studio’s narrative and design teams to help the game achieve a more cohesive vision.

“I think one of the things that makes triple-A role-playing games really come together is when it feels like the game has some kind of singular direction.

 

[KiryuRealty]

Bethesda Quest Designer must be the slackest job imaginable, considering they don't require any imagination or effort out of the person in that role, judging by their games.

 

[Johnic]

Gonna have to hotkey this .gif

 

[Dick Jones]

Something Wicked Games. I spent ages looking for Something Weird Games on Google

 

[Plextorage]

Starfield’s lead quest designer, also a Bethesda design director, is leaving the studio to help other genre veterans make another open-world RPG.

Will Shen was the lead quest designer and eventually design director on Starfield

So, besides main quest, side quests are the best thing in that game. So, isn't a big loss and future looks great for ES6, i suppose. :/

 

[Yurinka]

Shen confirmed that he’s now joining developer Something Weird Games, a studio that was founded by another ex-Bethesda lead. The team now houses an all-star lineup of RPG developers with former BioWare, Bethesda, and Obsidian staff employed at the new studio.

Sounds promising. I wish them luck.

Starfield’s lead quest designer, also a Bethesda design director, is leaving the studio

Will Shen was the lead quest designer and eventually design director on Starfield - meaning he’s responsible for some of the space epic’s very best moments - but he’s actually been working on Bethesda RPGs since Fallout 3.

Seems another important loss for Bethesda. It's only one guy and I assume they'll replace him with someone valuable but if they continue losing key staff of their iconic games it will lose its esence and will end being another MS empty shell.

 

[Entropi]

Another one?

 

[SLB1904]

“I think one of the things that makes triple-A role-playing games really come together is when it feels like the game has some kind of singular direction."

Lol no shit. Being bought by corporate money grabbers will do that to you

 

[historia]

“I think one of the things that makes triple-A role-playing games really come together is when it feels like the game has some kind of singular direction."

Lol no shit. Being bought by corporate money grabbers will do that to you

It is bought from the same company that thought they owned Donkey Kong when they bought Rare.

I mean at least Donkey Kong is safe, thanks god.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

Xbox bleeds talent like I drool staring at Chun-Li's booty: way too easily.

 

[ToTTenTranz]

They're getting ChatGPT to write all those fetch quests and it's probably going to improve from now on.

 

[Say1nMan]

If folks ain't seeing that there's a pattern here of retention falling apart post-acquisition for Xbox then they are truly blind.

 

[Nimrota]

Starfield's lead quest designer leaves Bethesda to join other RPG veterans making a new open-world game

Something Wicked Games snatches another veteran for their horror-RPG

www.gamesradar.com

Starfield’s lead quest designer, also a Bethesda design director, is leaving the studio to help other genre veterans make another open-world RPG.

Will Shen was the lead quest designer and eventually design director on Starfield - meaning he’s responsible for some of the space epic’s very best moments - but he’s actually been working on Bethesda RPGs since Fallout 3. In an interview with Game Developer, Shen confirmed that he’s now joining developer Something Weird Games, a studio that was founded by another ex-Bethesda lead. The team now houses an all-star lineup of RPG developers with former BioWare, Bethesda, and Obsidian staff employed at the new studio.

Shen said his new role would bridge the gap between the studio’s narrative and design teams to help the game achieve a more cohesive vision.

I was hoping this was going to be Emil, but Starfield was so bad it can only be a good thing Shen is leaving too.

 

[KiryuRealty]

If folks ain't seeing that there's a pattern here of retention falling apart post-acquisition for Xbox then they are truly blind.

When Bungie staff were told MS was buying them, three quarters of them gave notice immediately and had to be given HUGE bonuses to stay until the game was “finished”.