‘I think Todd in particular gravitates not toward the weird stuff’: Skyrim’s co-lead and Morrowind ‘torchbearer’ says Elder Scrolls 6 will probably be pretty normcore

by

As a long-time gamer, I must admit that I’ve grown weary of echoing the same sentiments about certain aspects of gaming, even when they resonate with me. For example, the persistent claim that the Cyrodiil in The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion was a watered-down Tolkien-esque version compared to the descriptions from earlier games. While I concur with this perspective, I’ve heard it so frequently over the past nearly 20 years that it doesn’t stir my passion as it once did (and yes, I still hold Oblivion in high regard, even more than Skyrim).

Well, you know I’m usually all about sticking to my gaming rules, but when it’s the legendary Kurt Kuhlmann, former Bethesda loremaster and Skyrim co-lead designer, I’m more than happy to make an exception! Recently, he had a heart-to-heart with Kiwi Talkz, sharing tales from his days at Bethesda, where he was part of the team from 1996 to 1998, then again from 2003 until just last year. In a nutshell? Dude, Kuhlmann was all about keeping Cyrodiil as weird and wonderful as possible too!

Kuhlmann stated that he returned towards the wrap-up of Oblivion’s pre-production phase. It is important to note that he wasn’t the main actor in Oblivion; instead, the foundation for the world within Oblivion had already been established when he joined the project.

He casually mentions that he’s not upset about it, but points out that if you compare the pre-Oblivion game lore from “The Pocket Guide to the Empire” book, the world depicted there appears to be significantly stranger than the one presented in the Oblivion game.

Without a doubt, what’s portrayed in The Pocket Guide about Cyrodiil doesn’t match the sprawling green landscapes we saw in Oblivion. Instead, it was a humid jungle marked by intricate cultural divisions. Take a look at this artwork from The Pocket Guide, skillfully drawn by none other than Michael Kirkbride, a former Bethesda writer who is acknowledged in the interview as a key figure in the Elder Scrolls’ strange and mysterious aspects.

Kuhlmann, who I should stress doesn’t express strong enthusiasm, explains that there are indeed factors behind Oblivion’s less extraordinary nature compared to its predecessor. He believes the game is drawn “away from” the peculiar elements. For instance, like Morrowind, which Michael and he had thoughtfully contemplated, brainstorming a lot on it. It carries an atmosphere reminiscent of Dune and The Dark Crystal, aesthetics that Kuhlmann admires deeply. If given the chance, he would have incorporated more of these elements into Oblivion.

Despite Kuhlmann’s psychedelic interpretation of Oblivion potentially not achieving as much financial success, it seems like that choice was justified given the immense popularity of Lord of the Rings films at the time. It’s possible that the movies might have still been releasing when Oblivion debuted.

Regarding TES 6, Kuhlmann admits he has no information about the game. He’s not permitted to know what it is. However, he hinted that the developers are creating something different than what he would have made. As a result, he’s unsure of his feelings towards it when he eventually sees it.

Despite the circumstances, he remains uncertain if we’ll see a game reminiscent of Morrowind. Given that Microsoft is now involved, it seems more likely they’re focusing on one of their major projects. To be frank, I find it hard to believe they could create a game set in Elsweyr or Black Marsh, considering the predominance of lizard-like and cat-like characters might appear unusual.

To put it simply, despite being a devoted Morroboomer, I accepted all of that long ago. With initiatives such as Project Cyrodiil and Tamriel Rebuilt bringing back the original Bethesda quirkiness flawlessly, I no longer feel like I’m lacking anything.

It’s intriguing to imagine what The Elder Scrolls series might look like without the influence of Kuhlmann. Michael Kirkbride, who collaborated extensively with Kuhlman on creating the peculiar lore for Morrowind and Redguard, is still active on Reddit. In a post from a few years back, he expressed his concern about Kuhlman’s departure, stating “Since Kurt left, my confidence in TES6 has significantly dropped.” In another post, he wrote “Kurt was the most gifted writer that The Elder Scrolls ever had. He was a guardian of Tamriel’s distinctive qualities and concepts. (Given his role in their creation, this is hardly surprising.) His departure will have a negative impact on 6. Such a regrettable decision to let him go.

Well, damn. At least we’ll always have Morrowind.

Read More

2025-07-15 17:32