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Ultimately, Kuhlmann believes their creative paths had diverged. “What I envisioned for the game was no longer aligned with Howard’s direction,” he admitted. He noted that the industry and the franchise had changed significantly since Skyrim. Looking back, he suggests that despite the personal disappointment, Bethesda might have made the right call for the studio’s current goals, as he likely wouldn’t have enjoyed the managerial burdens of leading the sequel anyway.
Reflecting on the franchise’s future, Kuhlmann had previously noted that The Elder Scrolls 6 would likely be “different from what I would have designed,” expressing uncertainty about how he would feel upon its eventual release—likely in the mid-2030s. He remains skeptical of the series’ tonal direction, suggesting that Howard tends to favor a “safer” mainstream tone over the eccentric, “weird” lore that defined earlier entries.
Other former Bethesda staff have shared similar sentiments, with a former Fallout 76 artist expressing hope that the upcoming sequel introduces fresh innovations to avoid the “repetitive” burnout seen in Ubisoft’s franchise models.
