Bethesda says it will release only “minor” updates for latest Elder Scrolls game as studio enters full production on new project.

[UPDATE] Following the publication of this story, a Bethesda representative confirmed with GameSpot that no new downloadable content for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is in the works.

“No, there will be no other DLC,” the company said.

The original story follows below

Bethesda Game Studios is moving on from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, its award-winning 2011 role-playing game. In a blog post today, the developer said its next project is now at the point where it requires the studio’s full attention, though the outfit promised it will continue to support Skyrim.

“Even though we’re moving on, we’ll still have minor updates to Skyrim as needed,” the developer said. “We’ve invested so much of ourselves into Skyrim and will never truly say goodbye to it.”

Since shipping Skyrim in November 2011, Bethesda has released three downloadable content expansions for the game (Dawnguard, Hearthfire, and Dragonborn) as well as Kinect support for the Xbox 360 version and the Creation Kit for the PC version.

No official details regarding Bethesda Game Studios’ next project have been divulged, though a past report suggests a Boston-set Fallout 4 is in the works. In addition, Bethesda parent company Zenimax Media this month trademarked a new game called “Starfield,” though the publisher has declined to comment on what this may be.

Bethesda said last week that it would make “considerably more noise” in 2013.

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Bethesda seeking trademark application for an “ongoing television program set in a post-nuclear apocalyptic world.”

Bethesda Softworks may be developing a Fallout-branded television show. A new trademark application from the company (spotted by The Vault) is listed as an “ongoing television program set in a post-nuclear apocalyptic world.”

Bethesda has not made any such announcements and a representative from the company was not immediately available to comment.

Last week, Fallout 3 voice actor Erik Todd Dellums teased that he would reprise his Three Dog role for an upcoming Fallout project. According to the actor, he was given permission–presumably by Bethesda–to give the announcement.

A rumor from August 2012 suggested Fallout 4 would be set in Boston, Massachusetts. Bethesda developers reportedly have been “scoping out and researching” the city.

The most recent Fallout title was 2010′s Fallout: New Vegas, which was developed by Obsidian Entertainment and set in a postapocalyptic Las Vegas. Its predecessor, Fallout 3, was developed by Bethesda Game Studios and took place in Washington DC and the surrounding area.

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id Software seeking user interface programmers to work on unannounced game for next-generation consoles.

The latest studio to be staffing up for next-generation development is Doom, Rage, and Quake developer id Software. A job posting to the company’s website (via Kotaku) calls for experienced user interface programmers to work on “cutting-edge technology” for an unannounced project on future-generation consoles.

Is Doom headed for future consoles?

An ideal candidate for the job would have experience with DirectX 11 and a knowledge of id Software games, characters, brands, and universes, among other traits. No further information is available.

This is far from the first time id Software has spoken about future-generation consoles. During the 2011 Electronic Entertainment Expo, studio boss John Carmack strongly hinted that Rage would not only get a sequel, but that it would be cross-generational. Additionally, id Software is working on Doom 4, which has been the subject of much speculation.

News of id Software staffing up for next-generation technology follows comments from Carmack last month, when he said he was “not all that excited” about next-gen. He said Microsoft and Sony should focus on building experiences, rather than pushing technology with their future consoles.

id Software joins a growing list of prominent developers staffing up for next-generation projects. These companies include Call of Duty developers Treyarch and Infinity Ward, Halo house 343 Industries, Uncharted studio Naughty Dog, Mortal Kombat maker NetherRealm, and The Elder Scrolls crafter Bethesda Game Studios.

Nintendo will usher in the first next-generation console, the Wii U, this holiday season. Future systems from Microsoft and Sony are planned for late 2013, according to analysts.

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Bethesda offers perspective on popularity of PC Steam Workshop offerings for The Elder Scrolls V.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim still hasn’t seen its first official downloadable content yet, but the game’s PC players have taken matters into their own hands to keep Skyrim fresh in the meantime. Bethesda Game Studios today posted on its
official Twitter account that the number of Skyrim Steam Workshop downloads has topped 13.6 million.

Just in case this wasn’t scary enough, there’s a mod to make this dragon bigger.

Those user-made mods were facilitated by the February release of the Skyrim Creation Kit. The freely downloadable program gives gamers access to Bethesda’s own development tools to make new Skyrim content and distribute it for free through Valve’s Steam service. Some mods simply add weapons and armor to the game, but others allow players to use working fishing nets, kill the ordinarily invincible children in the game, or remove the game’s meme-spawning “arrow to the knee” line of dialogue.

For more on Skyrim mods, check out GameSpot’s weekly video feature that spotlights the top new game-changers released for Bethesda’s open-world role-playing game. Last week’s episode (embedded below) featured a flight ring mod, as well as its interaction with another popular user-made tweak to the game.

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Bethesda working to bring “a little more info” on latest Elder Scrolls title and future add-on content plans as early as next week; Kinect patch date not finalized.

Since The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim launched in November 2011, developer Bethesda Game Studios has not offered news on the first downloadable content for the game, but that may change next week.

A Skyrim DLC announcement appears to be imminent.

Bethesda vice president of public relations and marketing Pete Hines wrote on Twitter this morning that the studio is “working on getting a little more info out on Skyrim / DLC.” As for a timetable, Hines said gamers can expect news “maybe next week. We’ll see.”

Though Bethesda has not offered anything concrete regarding DLC for Skyrim, some details about forthcoming content have been dropped. Last June, Bethesda executive producer Todd Howard said Skyrim will have fewer but more substantial DLC packs.

Additionally, in August 2011, Microsoft announced that Skyrim DLC will launch as timed exclusives for the Xbox 360. That platform will be the sole destination to play Skyrim add-ons for the first 30 days, after which the content will head to other platforms.

On top of teasing the first Skyrim DLC, Hines noted that Bethesda is in the process of confirming a solid release date for the role-playing game’s Kinect patch. The update is expected sometime in April, with one report suggesting it will launch this week.

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Bethesda releases Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim 1.5 update on Xbox Live with new killcam for ranged weapons; expected to hit PlayStation 3 later today.

Console versions of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim will be updated to version 1.5 today, Bethesda has announced. The update–which brings a killcam for projectile weapons and spells–is now live for the Xbox 360 and is expected to arrive for the PlayStation 3 later today.

Skyrim version 1.5 lets gamers witness their kills in grand fashion.

On top of the new killcam feature, the update brings new kill moves and animations for melee weapons, general crash fixes and optimizations, and an “improved” visual transition when going underwater.

For the full list of tweaks included with the update, check out Bethesda’s blog. The patch hit the PC version of Skyrim in late March.

Bethesda also parsed new user statistics for Skyrim today, saying the average player (across all systems) has logged 85 hours in the game. On top of this, the company said 30 percent of gamers have played more than 100 hours.

Skyrim is the latest project from Bethesda Game Studios. It shipped in November to a glowing critical reception and went on to move 10 million units.

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Skyrim, Fallout studio seeking “experienced” programmers to create unannounced games for Apple’s mobile devices.

What’s next on Bethesda Game Studios’ development docket? It could be an iOS game.

Bethesda has caught the iOS fever.

A job listing at Bethesda Game Studios (via Game Informer) calls for iOS programmers to join the studio and build unannounced games.

The requisition calls for candidates who have shipped multiple iOS titles and have experience on Open GL ES and other 3D technologies.

A Bethesda representative declined to comment on the company’s iOS plans.

The most recent game Bethesda Game Studios put out was The Elder Scrolls V: Skryim, which has shipped 10 million units since it was launched in November.

On top of Bethesda Game Studios’ iOS projects, the Maryland-based studio is hiring programmers for a next-generation game.

A recent Nielsen study found that 39 percent of American homes have an iOS device.

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Skyrim, Fallout 3 developer hiring console programmers to work on unannounced game for next-generation systems.

Bethesda Game Studios is staffing up for the next generation, according to a job listing posted to its website.

Bethesda is rearing up and pushing into the next gen.

The requisition calls for future generation console programmers, who will work on an unannounced game for future consoles. Additionally, the listing asks for persons with “extensive experience programming and optimizing for the Xbox 360 and PS3.”

Nintendo’s Wii U is the only next-generation console to be unveiled thus far. Nintendo expects to release the Wii U this holiday. Bethesda said in September that it was considering development for that system, though no projects have been announced thus far.

A Bethesda representative told GameSpot, “Sorry, no comment.”

The most recent title Bethesda Game Studios put out was The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, which has shipped 10 million units since its launch in November.

Bethesda is the latest studio to be hiring for the next generation of consoles. Previously, Call of Duty developers Infinity Ward and Treyarch, as well as Uncharted studio Naughty Dog, have opened positions for the not-yet-announced next generation of consoles.

Additionally, last March it was revealed that Microsoft was forming a team “responsible for defining and delivering next generation console architectures from conception through implementation.”

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