The Bethesda game Todd Howard is most proud of isn't Skyrim or Fallout 4, it's Fallout 76, even though he admits "it didn't launch great"

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The Bethesda game Todd Howard is most proud of isn't Skyrim or Fallout 4, it's Fallout 76, even though he admits "it didn't launch great" News By Jordan Gerblick published 21 February 2026

"It's so hard to do and then maintain as a relevant game"

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Fallout 76 is something of a dark horse in the Bethesda Game Studios library, but it's come a long way since its unequivocally disastrous launch, which was plagued with game-breaking bugs and technical shortcomings alongside criticisms of its world design and lack of stuff to do and look at. Bethesda has spent seven years polishing the game and adding content, and these days it's in pretty good standing, and in fact, it's the Bethesda game Todd Howard is most proud of.

Appearing on a recent episode of the Kinda Funny show (via Idle Sloth), Howard made the case for Fallout 76 over generational and beloved releases like Skyrim, Oblivion, and Fallout 3 and 4.

"It was incredibly difficult," Howard said. "It was difficult to get it to launch, and it didn't launch great, and then it was even harder to pull it out of that, and then when it starts getting really popular again, maintain it."

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Howard then shouted out "incredible" Fallout 76 community for sticking with the game for so many years despite its rough state at launch. He also suggested the game's redemption arc and staying power are the reasons he's so proud of it today, which is fair. Not many online games are able to recover from a launch as universally maligned as Fallout 76's, and although that's never been as true as it these days, it's still genuinely impressive that the game is still around and generally liked these days.

"In many respects, it's the game that we've done that I’m the most proud of," added Howard. "It's so hard to do and then maintain as a relevant game, and I think if you look across the industry, the amount of games like it that there have been or come and gone, and here's 76 still there with big numbers and doing well."

Fallout 76 is going on its eighth year, and it doesn't sound like it's slowing down any time soon. "I get to see the roadmap that's planned for the game, and it gets even better," said Howard.

Todd Howard says Elder Scrolls 6 is a return to "classic" Bethesda RPGs like Skyrim, Oblivion, and Fallout 4 after the "creative detour" the studio took with Fallout 76 and Starfield: "We do have a certain style that we like"

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Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. TOPICS Bethesda Game Studios Bethesda Softworks CATEGORIES PC Gaming Xbox Series X PS5 Platforms Xbox PlayStation Jordan GerblickSocial Links NavigationStaff Writer

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.

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