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Turns out Todd Howard is a full-time Reddit lurker just like the rest of us, says we’d ‘be surprised how many great ideas’ he gets from the site
Bethesda Game Studios boss Todd Howard has revealed he regularly browses Reddit and finds it a valuable source of inspiration, saying fans "would be surprised how many great ideas" he picks up from the platform. His comments, made in a recent interview, highlight how directly developer-community feedback loops can shape decisions at major studios, offering players a rare glimpse into how their online discussions might feed back into game design.
Howard didn't specify particular ideas he's borrowed from Reddit threads, but framed himself as an active lurker rather than someone who only sees curated feedback through official channels. The remark comes as Bethesda continues work on high-profile projects such as The Elder Scrolls 6, and it suggests the studio remains attentive to fan communities even at the highest level, though the article gives no further detail on specific examples or context beyond the quote itself.
In short
- Todd Howard says he lurks Reddit and finds great ideas there
- He didn't name specific examples of Reddit-inspired ideas
- Shows fan communities may influence Bethesda's game design decisions
Explained simply
Todd Howard runs Bethesda Game Studios, a major video game developer owned by Microsoft. The studio is best known for creating sprawling fantasy role-playing games like The Elder Scrolls series and Fallout, franchises with passionate fan communities.
Howard has revealed that he regularly reads Reddit, a social media platform where millions of people discuss almost everything, including video games. Rather than only receiving feedback through official studio channels, he says he actively browses discussions and finds genuine inspiration in what fans write there.
This sheds light on how major studios source ideas and feedback for game development. Howard's comments show that senior decision-makers can engage directly with grassroots fan communities, rather than relying solely on formal feedback mechanisms.