Fallout 76 project lead opens new studio making new open-world RPG

Jeff Gardiner, a longtime Bethesdaman whose ended his 15-year run as project lead on Fallout 76, announced today he has a new studio making a new open-world RPG. Wyrdsong is its name, and supernatural shenanigans set in quasi-historical Portugal is its game. The new studio, Something Wicked Games really only have concept art to show right now, but I do believe both wizards and swords are involved.

“Wyrdsong is an occult historical fantasy RPG set in a fictionalized Portugal in the middle ages,” a press release explains. “Players will be challenged to question both their reality and the choices they make as Wyrdsong is set to expand, question, and re-define aspects of what makes up the current Role Playing Game genre.”

Alright, so little info there. Oh, hang on, it adds: “Developed on Unreal Engine 5, Wyrdsong immerses fans in a dark historical fantasy where every decision has a consequence, both in this world and others yet to be discovered.” Yep, quiet vague. Hey, it’s early days for development.

Something Wicked say their team is currently 12 developers strong, though they are hiring and aim to hit 65-70. For reference, Bethesda have said Skyrim was made by about 100 people and 400-odd have been on Starfield. Not that it’s worth directly comparing the games in this way when we know basically nothing about Wyrdsong. but you know number? numbers.

Along with Gardiner, another notable name at the Something Wicked Games is design director (and co-founder) Charles Staples. He was at Obsidian Entertainment for years, including serving as design director on The Outer Worlds, lead level designer on South Park: The Stick Of Truth and the Fallout: New Vegas expansions, and a designer on Alpha Protocol. Honestly, Alpha Protocol is the name which most interests me there, especially with chat about consequences to decisions in Wyrdsong. I’d be far more interested in something Alpha Protocol-shaped than anything remotely resembling a Bethesda RPG. I certainly will not get my hopes up based on one game he had a small role on a decade ago. But I am still bored of Bethesda-style RPGs.

With no point in speculating or guessing yet, I’ll point you to their website then say bye. Bye!

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