True indeed. The executive managers (writing "departement" especially, which consists in two dudes) are to blame for the direction of their games, not their teams. It's two, three people who are toxic for the product, at most. Even Todd Howard is not really the problem. He is not a writer, he couldn't tell a professionnal script from an amateur, but it's normal, it's not his job. His job is to make sure the titles fit their audience's expectation (they do) and are profitable (they are), and for that, let's be honest, he is not only good, he is very good.
He could be blamed for his policy with the consoles, for refusing to hire script doctors, and for refusing to admit Emil's errors. But then, it could be explained by investors pushing him : "it worked with him before, it will work again. And script doctors are expensive, cut the costs. Second writing of the script? No time. Keep the initial planning, release it before this christmas, at all costs." Hard to convince them otherwise, when your mediocre title almost makes a billion in the week day.
It's not really an industry in which you have much choice who you work for. You're lucky enough if you work for a firm that pays you and doesn't make you work for three days straight without a night of sleep. And as it happens, Bethesda has the reputation of a company which treats its employees well.
I dislike what they do, I truly, deeply do. But you gotta give to Caesar what is Caesar's.
Even the narration and translated barks for the ending slide for that was hilarious and strangely heartwarming. The mental image of "a small army of Boston terrifiers that gnawed and devoured anything in their path" was worth the detour to build Roxie.
