Bethesda reportedly never pursued a Fallout: New Vegas-style spin-off for The Elder Scrolls because it was highly protective of the series. Former Skyrim developer Kurt Kuhlmann said Todd Howard may have wanted to avoid comparisons between Bethesda and an outside developer, which had fuelled debate over whether Obsidian or Bethesda handled Fallout better.

Kuhlmann suggested The Elder Scrolls Online helped fill the gap since Skyrim’s 2011 release, providing a continuous stream of new content for its sizeable player base. He left Bethesda in 2023, and circumstances have since changed: Xbox has placed greater emphasis on major franchises, Obsidian now sits under Bethesda and is developing a Fallout project, while The Elder Scrolls 6 remains in development.