Summary
A formerBethesdaartist thinks it’s time for the development studio to start making games on Unreal Engine 5 instead of Bethesda’s in-house Creation Engine. Making the switch would arguably have some pros and cons, but the ex-Bethesdadev has pointed out some internal issues with developing for the Creation Engine.
Bethesda has been using some form of the Creation Engine since the release ofSkyrimback in 2011. ForStarfield,Bethesda upgraded to the Creation Engine 2, but many fans still complained, pointing out that bugs and issues which have been a part of Bethesda’s games for over a decade persisted inStarfield. Even the original Creation Engine had issues that carried over from older releases, as Bethesda built it based upon the Gamebryo engine, which titles likeThe Elder Scrolls: OblivionandFallout 3were made with.
Now, speaking on Kiwi Talkz, ex-Bethesda artist Nate Purkeypile spoke on the subject and suggested that Bethesda would be better off moving to Unreal Engine 5. Purkeypile worked onSkyrim, theFalloutseries, andStarfield. Purkeypile is now in the position of having worked with both the Creation Engine and Unreal Engine 5, and says that “things would end up being better” if Bethesdaswitched to UE5 likeHalois doing. However, he also seems skeptical of it actually happening.
Creation Engine vs Unreal Engine 5
InStarfield, Purkeypile says that a lot of the time that was spent on developing the game was getting the “rendering systems and animation systems sort of up to snuff,” which put a hamper on developing the title. This was likely necessary with the upgrade/switch to Creation Engine 2, which was aStarfieldfirst. Now that the Creation Engine 2 is done, that may make it easier for the next Bethesda title to launch on it. However, fans still take issue with some of theCreation Engine 2’s quirks, indicating there’s still room for improvement, which could slow things down again.
With that said, some gamers claim that the Unreal Engine 5 has its own problems. While the game development engine can potentially produce hyper-realistic graphics, some titles developed with UE5 likeSilent Hill 2have experienced stuttersand performance problems, though it’s not entirely clear if this is due to game programming or the engine. WhileStarfieldmay not have impressed some players in terms of its visuals, being able to deliver a game that all players can have an equal and accessible experience with is important. Bethesda, in particular, has a huge PC community behind it due to its open and massive modding scene. Making sure to not alienate gamers with lower-end rigs on PC is something the company will likely be considering.
Of course, this whole conversation could be moot, as the next Bethesda game is still likely many years away. The Creation Engine could see more thorough overhauls in that time, or be scrapped entirely for something new. System requirements and overall performance with UE5 could also improve dramatically in that time. What Bethesda ultimately does remains to be seen, but hopefully it can find a sweet spot that delivers performance and a smoother, more modern gaming experience than whatStarfieldhad to offer.
Bethesda
Bethesda is an American game development studio based in Maryland. They’re best known for the Elder Scrolls and Fallout series. ZeniMax Media, Bethesda’s parent company, was acquired by Microsoft in 2021, which then made it a part of Xbox Game Studios.
