{
  "id": 19163089,
  "title": "\"The lesson learned is you can have both\": Skyrim lead designer reckons there's merit in Baldur's Gate 3-style tough choices and Bethesda's do-anything approach",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/09/the-lesson-learned-is-you-can-have-both-skyrim-lead-designer-reckons",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-11-09T14:30:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Rock Paper Shotgun",
    "slug": "rock-paper-shotgun",
    "url": "https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/the-lesson-learned-is-you-can-have-both-skyrim-lead-designer-reckons-theres-merit-in-baldurs-gate-3-style-tough-choices-and-bethesdas-do-anything-approach"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The debate over whether RPGs should prioritize player freedom or enforce multiple endings persistently continues, even after The Elder Scrolls 5 has become antiquated. Despite the game having sold over six million copies, the discussion surrounding its approach to character development has not faded. For lead designer of Skyrim, both approaches have their advantages when implemented effectively.",
  "summary": "Whether RPGs are better off prioritising player freedom or endeavouring to have several doors slam shut every time you put another foot forwards in order to encourage multiple runs with different characters is, to put it bluntly, something I reckon will still be a matter of debate in the year 4000. We'll all have evolved in non-corporeal beings floating in a galaxy that's been racked by such…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "PC Gamer",
        "title": "Todd Howard's game design power is knowing when to make things 'simple and digestible' according to Skyrim's lead designer",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/07/todd-howards-game-design-power-is-knowing-when-to-make-things-simple",
        "published": "2026-11-07T14:16:28.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}