Summary
FansloveBethesdaand its products, even if the company has undone some of its goodwill at times. Still, it’s hard to resist Todd Howard and his promises, with many of the company’s products allowing players to enjoy action-packed experiences and grand adventures that are incredibly compelling.
Seeing the company transform from a fledgling studio into one of the biggest developers and publishers in the video game landscape has been a great ride for long-time fans. During this journey, Bethesda has acquired and created various companies that have done a great job of pushing unique products and letting fans enjoy a bevy of excellent titles.
5ZeniMax Online Studios
As The Name Suggests, This Studio Develops Bethesda’s Multiplayer-Driven Experiences
Developing an MMO is no mean feat, and it’s easy to see why Bethesda decided to create a whole studio to deal with the development, launch, and upkeep ofThe Elder Scrolls Online.Zenimax Online Studiosfaced a rough time at launch, especially with many people being underwhelmed by the MMORPG back when it first came out.
Thankfully, a string of updates and content packs have ensured that fans who loveThe Elder Scrollsuniverse will get a kick out of playingTESO. The environments are beautiful, andsome of the locationsdo a great job of appealing to most fans' nostalgia for older titles in the series. Zenimax may have only developed one game, but the dedication to perfecting the fan experience has already helped them stand out as a promising developer that is only just getting started.
4Arkane Studios
Masters Of The Immersive Sim Genre
Arkane Studiosis hailed by many as the modern kings of the immersive sim genre, and it’s a shame that the bulk of their titles haven’t enjoyed the success they deserve despite their incredible gameplay loop. Games likePrey,Dishonored, andDeathloopshow that this studio has a ton of talent, and they will hopefully provide fans with one of the best superhero games aroundwhenMarvel’s Bladelaunches.
However, the dud that wasRedfalldid mar Arkane’s reputation considerably, causing the studio responsible for the brilliantPreyto be shuttered. It’s a shame that the studio was forced to develop something they had no interest in, only to be punished for the same. Still, fans can only hope that Arkane Lyon will power through this adversity and show gamers why big-budget immersive sims deserve a chance in the gaming landscape.
3id Software
Developed Some Intense Modern FPS Games Under Bethesda
The studio responsible for the genre-definingDoomhas enjoyed a steady time under Bethesda. 2016’sDoomwas a reboot for the ages that fans loved, whileDoom Eternalexpanded this gameplay and was fun to play in its own right. The latter may not have generated as much buzz, but fans are hoping that the release ofDoom: The Dark Ageswill remind players whyid Softwareis a master of their craft.
The focus on old-school FPS gameplay, coupled with modern developments, has helped id Software’s games stand out in the modern landscape. The FPS genre was in dire need of a revolution when 2016’sDoomcame out, and the developer has never looked back since.
2MachineGames
The Action-Packed Gameplay And Memorable Stories Are In A Class Of Their Own
MachineGamessurprised everyone withtheir work onWolfenstein: The New Order, letting fans enjoy a challenging FPS that didn’t shy away from integrating an excellent story despite the series' B-movie roots. However, the games that followed had some issues.The New Colossuswas a bit too heavy-handed in the story department, andWolfenstein: Youngblood’s failures led many fans to believe that MachineGames had lost the spark that had made them so special in the first place.
Doubts flared up once again when it was revealed that this studio was working on a licensedIndiana Jonesgame, only for concerns to drop away in no time as fans were treated to one of the best first-person action-adventure games of all time.The Great Circlelooks stunning, boasts memorable cinematics, and allowed MachineGames to step back into the limelight as developers who clearly know what they’re doing.
1Bethesda Game Studios
The Main Studio That Develops Amazing Open-World Bethesda RPGs
It would be impossible to talk about the parent company’s best studios without mentioning the entire reason why the name Bethesda has become so popular.The release ofThe Elder Scrolls: Arenasparked the embers of a fire that would roar in the gaming industry with the release of hit titles likeMorrowind,Oblivion, andSkyrim.
Bethesda Game Studiosdidn’t stop there, letting fans enjoy a fully open-world take on theFalloutuniverse with the release ofFallout 3andFallout 4.Starfieldmay have divided fan opinions, but even this title shows Bethesda’s magic and ensures players will have a great time as long as they love this developer’s expansive RPGs.
