Bethesda Softworks

Bethesda Softworks, LLC is a developer and publisher of computer and video games, founded in 1986 by Christopher Weaver. The company was acquired by Zenimax Media, Inc., which Weaver co-founded, in 1999. The company has a broad collection of games in role-playing, racing, simulation, and sports, with major franchises distributed worldwide.

The company uses two logos. "Bethesda Game Studios" is often used to designate games developed in-house by its own teams, whilst "Bethesda Softworks" is used to designate games published by Bethesda, but not developed by them. However, this usage has not always been consistent from game to game.

Bethesda is credited with the creation of the first physics-based sports simulation (Gridiron) in 1986 for the Atari ST, Commodore 64/128 and Commodore Amiga. This led to Bethesda's creation of the first John Madden Football game for Electronic Arts.

However, despite their long history of development in many genres, Bethesda are perhaps best known for creating The Elder Scrolls RPG series, which Weaver initiated in 1992, based upon the original programming of Julian Lefay. The first chapter of the series, entitled The Elder Scrolls: Arena, was released in 1994, and since then, numerous other chapters have been released, including the latest chapter, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion in March 2006.

• The Elder Scrolls: Arena (1994)
• The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall (1996)
• The Elder Scrolls Legends: Battlespire (1997)
• The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard (1998)
• The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (2002)
• The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal (2002)
• The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon (2003)
• The Elder Scrolls Travels: Stormhold (2003)*
• The Elder Scrolls Travels: Shadowkey (2004)*
• The Elder Scrolls Travels: Dawnstar (2004)*
• The Elder Scrolls Travels: Oblivion (2006)
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006)
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine (2006)
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles (2007)

* Co-developed by sister studio Vir2L, a ZeniMax Media company.

The company also publishes a number of games, including three new Star Trek games, Star Trek - Legacy (For PC/Xbox 360), Star Trek - Tactical Assault (for Nintendo DS/PlayStation Portable), and Star Trek - Encounters (PS2).

Games Developed and Published by Bethesda

Action

• Terminator: Rampage, The (1993) DOS
• Terminator: Future Shock (1995) DOS
• SkyNET (1996) DOS

Action/Racing

• Delta V (1994) DOS

Action/Simulation

• Echelon (2001) Windows

Action/Strategy

• Terminator 2029 (1992) DOS
• Terminator 2029: Operation Scour Add-on (1993) DOS
• Terminator 2029 - The Deluxe CD Edition (1994) DOS

Adventure

• Symbiocom (1998) Windows
• Zero Critical (1998) Windows

Adventure/RPG

• The Elder Scrolls: Arena (1993) DOS
• The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall (1996) DOS
• The Elder Scrolls Legends: Battlespire (1997) DOS, Windows
• The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard (1998) Windows
• The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (2002) Windows, Xbox
• The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Collector's Edition) (2002) Windows
• The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal (2002) Windows
• The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon (2003) Windows
• The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon & Tribunal Duopack (2003) Windows
• The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Game of the Year Edition) (2003) Windows, Xbox
• The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Platinum Edition) (2003) Xbox
• The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Game of the Year - Platinum Edition) (2004) Xbox

Free-Form Action/Adventure

• Terminator, The (1990) DOS

Racing/Driving

• NIRA Intense Import Drag Racing (1999) Windows
• Skip Barber Racing (1999) Windows
• IHRA Drag Racing 2 (2001) PlayStation 2
• IHRA Drag Racing 2004 (2003) Xbox
• IHRA Drag Profesional Racing 2005 (2004) Xbox, PlayStation 2
• IHRA Drag Racing: Sportsman Edition (2006) Windows, Xbox, PlayStation 2

Racing/Driving/Simulation

• XCar: Experimental Racing (1997) DOS
• Burnout: Championship Drag Racing (1998) DOS
• IHRA Drag Racing (2000) Windows, PlayStation, Dreamcast
• IHRA Motorsports (2001) Windows

Simulation/Sports

• Hockey League Simulator (1990) Amiga, DOS
• Hockey League Simulator 2 (1992) DOS

Sports

• Gridiron! (1986) Atari ST, Amiga, Commodore 64
• Wayne Gretzky Hockey (1988) Amiga, Atari ST, DOS, NES
• Wayne Gretzky Hockey 2 (1990) DOS
• NCAA Basketball: Road To The Final Four ('91/'92 Edition) (1991) DOS
• Wayne Gretzky Hockey 3 (1991) DOS
• NCAA: Road to the Final Four 2 (1994) DOS
• PBA Bowling (1997) Windows
• PBA Bowling 2 (2000) Windows
• PBA Bowling 2001 (2000) Windows, Dreamcast
• PBA Bowling 2004 (2004) Xbox, PlayStation 2