Bethesda Game Studios is one of the most decorated developers in the modern gaming scene and are known for pushing the boundaries of the single player RPG genre with critically acclaimed masterpieces such as the Elder Scrolls and Fallout franchises. According to a new job listing, however, the company may be looking to branch out into online multiplayer gaming.
A listing on ZeniMax, Bethesda"s parent company, indicates that the company is looking for a "Manager in Game Performance to join the Montreal-based team that exceeds the standards and pushes the boundaries of AAA freemium game development," where the role of this manager will mostly be to "envision, evolve, and operate monetization strategies, targeting the intersection of revenue generation goals and quality player experience."
The freemium, or free-to-play, model is usually employed in online multiplayer games where users can buy regular expansions, cosmetic items or even in-game currency for performance/equipment upgrades, which is usually the developer"s main source of revenue. This model of gaming is a stark departure from the kind of games the company is usually known for so it"s rather unlikely the listing is for a future Elder Scrolls or Fallout game.
It would also seem improbable that this is in reference to Starfield, widely rumoured to be one of Bethesda"s "three big projects" and believed to be a Skyrim-style RPG in a sci-fi and space exploration setting as that game is most likely being developed under the guidance of Todd Howard at the game developer"s headquarters in Maryland, and not Montreal. The timing also seems off considering Bethesda is expected to reveal the game at E3 2017 next week and monetization models for the game should already be decided on at this stage of development.
Thus, it would seem that of the two new IPs Bethesda is said to be working on, this freemium model is perhaps being considered for the second, though without any confirmation, Starfield might just turn out to be a Destiny-esque online multiplayer with a freemium model, despite how unlikely it may seem.
The company"s plans will be much clearer soon, though, as the company has confirmed its presence at E3 this Sunday, where it"s expected to reveal Fallout 4 VR and possibly two new IPs.
Source: ZeniMax via MSPoweruser