Nesmith, who dedicated decades to Bethesda, acknowledged that even his own past projects aren’t immune to these issues. He noted that while nostalgia can soften the flaws of older titles, those “cringe moments” become increasingly difficult to ignore the further back you go. In his view, the raw gameplay of Morrowind simply hasn’t aged gracefully enough to satisfy contemporary expectations.
While a ground-up remake could theoretically modernize the clunky systems, Nesmith questions the opportunity cost. “Why not focus on crafting something entirely new?” he suggested. However, he isn’t opposed to returning to the province’s unique, alien aesthetic. “You could certainly revisit the iconic setting—the giant crab-shell palaces and all that—but it should be a fresh story that avoids the pitfalls of dated design.”
Skyrim’s lead designer also believes that if a different studio had developed Starfield, it would be hailed as a masterpiece, but the high expectations associated with Bethesda changed the narrative.
