{"id":2052249,"date":"2026-07-20T12:29:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T09:29:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2052249"},"modified":"2026-07-20T12:29:02","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T09:29:02","slug":"professional-lurker-todd-howard-reappears-on-internet-forums-following-bethesdas-fallout-and-elder-scrolls-announcements-to-thank-fans-for-their-support","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2052249","title":{"rendered":"&#8220;Professional lurker&#8221; Todd Howard reappears on internet forums following Bethesda&#8217;s Fallout and Elder Scrolls announcements to thank fans for their support"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"article \" data-ads=\"true\" data-article-type=\"news\" data-article-group=\"news\" data-paywalled=\"false\" data-premium=\"false\" data-sponsored=\"false\" data-type=\"article\">\n<header class=\"article_header\" data-component=\"article-header\">\n<div class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n<nav class=\"nav_breadcrumbs\" data-component=\"nav-breadcrumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\">\n<ul class=\"nav-links\">\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      Home<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/news\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      News<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_details\" id=\"main-content\">\n<h1 class=\"title\">&#8220;Professional lurker&#8221; Todd Howard reappears on internet forums following Bethesda&#8217;s Fallout and Elder Scrolls announcements to thank fans for their support<\/h1>\n<p class=\"strapline\">&#8220;We&#8217;re constantly listening.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_asset\">\n<figure class=\"headline_image_wrapper\">\n<p>        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"headline_image\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/Todd-Howard-at-Fallout-season-one-premier.-He-is-wearing-a-blue-suit-and-white-shirt-with-no-tie.jpg?width=570&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;dpr=3&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Todd Howard at Fallout season one premier. He is wearing a blue suit and white shirt with no tie\" loading=\"eager\" data-uri=\"Todd-Howard-at-Fallout-season-one-premier.-He-is-wearing-a-blue-suit-and-white-shirt-with-no-tie.jpg\" data-lightbox width=\"570\" height=\"321\"><figcaption>\n          <span class=\"attribution\">Image credit: <cite>Bethesda<\/cite><\/span><br \/>\n        <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"metadata\">\n<div class=\"avatar\">\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Fran Ruiz avatar\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/fran-j-ruiz-author.png?width=2048&amp;height=2048&amp;fit=bounds&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;auto=webp\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"180\" height=\"180\"><\/p>\n<p>  <img alt=\"Fran Ruiz avatar\" data-autosize=\"crop_lossy\" data-uri=\"fran-j-ruiz-author.png\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"180\" height=\"180\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text\">\n<div class=\"byline\">\n                  <span class=\"article_type\" data-slug=\"news\"><br \/>\n                    News<br \/>\n                  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"by\">by<\/span> <span class=\"author\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/authors\/fran-ruiz\">Fran Ruiz<\/a><\/span>                    <span class=\"job_title\"><br \/>\n                      Contributor<br \/>\n                    <\/span>\n            <\/div>\n<div class=\"published_at\">\nPublished on <time datetime=\"2026-07-20T12:29:02+00:00\">July 20, 2026<\/time>              <\/div>\n<div class=\"comments\">\n      <a class=\"comments__link comments-bubble\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/bethesda-todd-howard-reddit-lurker?view=comments\" rel=\"nofollow\"><br \/>\n          1 comment<br \/>\n      <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mypop-header-wrapper\">\n<p><button class=\"mypop-button button wide\" data-state=\"follow\" data-type=\"tag\" data-uuid=\"2108e877-106f-4536-9add-bdd6493f44d0\" data-name=\"Fallout 5\" data-follow-text=\"Follow Fallout 5\" data-unfollow-text=\"Following Fallout 5\" data-aria-follow-text=\"Follow Fallout 5\" data-aria-unfollow-text=\"Following Fallout 5\" data-popup=\"true\" data-force-login=\"true\" aria-label=\"Follow Fallout 5\" title=\"Follow Fallout 5\"><br \/>\n  Follow Fallout 5<br \/>\n<\/button>          <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p>Following <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/microsoft-xbox-layoffs-2026-double-fine-compulsion-ninja-theory\">sweeping layoffs across the entire Xbox division<\/a> earlier this month, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/those-rumoured-fallout-3-and-fallout-new-vegas-remasteres-are-real-fallout-5-is-in-pre-production-and-fallout-76-is-getting-a-massive-expansion\">Bethesda shared a surprisingly transparent roadmap about the Fallout and The Elder Scrolls projects<\/a> it&#8217;s making. Now, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/companies\/bethesda-game-studios\">Bethesda Game Studios<\/a> leader <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/personas\/todd-howard\">Todd Howard<\/a> has returned to Reddit after a six-month hiatus to thank fans for their support.<\/p>\n<p>His comments come after confirmation that Bethesda Game Studios will be working more closely with other studios in the future, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/fallout-new-vegas-studio-obsidian-no-avowed-sequel\">Obsidian Entertainment on a future Fallout project<\/a> and with ZeniMax Online on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/elder-scrolls-online-zenimax-online-studios-leadership-fired\">The Elder Scrolls&#8217; ongoing development<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Until recently, Howard&#8217;s last comment on Reddit had been about a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/fallout-4-walkthrough-and-guide-4019\">Fallout 4<\/a> mod which had a cardboard cutout of him hunting players. &#8220;Dear Reddit, please never change,&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/gaming\/comments\/1qbvpy5\/comment\/nzfubzr\/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web3x&amp;utm_name=web3xcss&amp;utm_term=1&amp;utm_content=share_button\">he posted<\/a> six months ago (hat tip to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/games\/fallout\/as-bethesda-pushes-ahead-with-the-elder-scrolls-and-fallout-professional-lurker-todd-howard-returns-to-reddit-to-say-youd-be-surprised-how-many-great-ideas-i-get-here\/\">GamesRadar<\/a>). He was more serious in light of the recent news <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/Games\/comments\/1uz0zoy\/comment\/oy5rpn1\/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web3x&amp;utm_name=web3xcss&amp;utm_term=1&amp;utm_content=share_button\">when he reappeared<\/a>, though. &#8220;Today&#8217;s info was an attempt at changing that and letting everyone know what we&#8217;ve been working on the past several years, and a look at what&#8217;s coming,&#8221; he explained, referencing how secretive he and the teams had been in recent times.<\/p>\n<p>Howard said he&#8217;s &#8220;a professional lurker&#8221; on the Reddit forum and likes to keep tabs on what people are saying, whether it&#8217;s good or bad. &#8220;Know we&#8217;re constantly listening and keep telling us how to be even better,&#8221; he said. &#8220;You&#8217;d be surprised how many great ideas I get from Reddit.&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/we-do-have-long-term-plans-ahead-of-starfields-ps5-launch-bethesda-teases-this-is-far-from-the-end-of-the-controversial-space-faring-rpgs-life\">Recent updates to Starfield<\/a> suggest community requests do play a part in how Bethesda Game Studios continues to shape its games.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"injection_placeholder\" data-position=\"1\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>While <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/todd-howard-stokes-fallout-5-fires-as-second-tv-season-begins\">Fallout 5 had been &#8216;soft-confirmed&#8217; a while ago by Howard<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/fallout-3-remastered-mcfarlane-toys-figure-listings-pop-up-in-multiple-stores\">we&#8217;d been hearing a lot about potential Fallout 3 and New Vegas remasters<\/a>, many were still left wondering about what was happening with the franchise currently elevated by the success of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/tv-shows\/fallout\">Amazon&#8217;s Fallout show<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>News that Xbox is focusing on Fallout going forwards tallies with new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma promising a bigger focus on the brand&#8217;s largest IPs. However, excitement around these projects has been significantly dulled by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/xbox-cuts-report-staggering-loss-fear\">the human cost of layoffs at Xbox surrounding the news<\/a>. Can a heavily reduced Xbox division &#8211; one without many of the people who made some of these franchises so successful to begin with &#8211; rally to create the kinds of experiences Sharma is promising us?<\/p>\n<p>Bethesda Game Studios&#8217; next game is confirmed to be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/the-elder-scrolls-6\">The Elder Scrolls 6<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/elder-scrolls-6-xbox-layoffs-bethesda-reaction\">which is in full production and Bethesda says is in good shape and is playable<\/a>, though it remains as vague and theoretical a prospect for now. Meanwhile, the team on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/fallout-76\">Fallout 76<\/a> is currently planning another large expansion to go with proper current-gen versions of the enduring online RPG.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"preferred-source\" data-component=\"preferred-source\">\nLove Eurogamer.net? Make us a <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\">Preferred Source on Google<\/a> and catch more of our coverage in your feeds.  <\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p>Following <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/microsoft-xbox-layoffs-2026-double-fine-compulsion-ninja-theory\">sweeping layoffs across the entire Xbox division<\/a> earlier this month, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/those-rumoured-fallout-3-and-fallout-new-vegas-remasteres-are-real-fallout-5-is-in-pre-production-and-fallout-76-is-getting-a-massive-expansion\">Bethesda shared a surprisingly transparent roadmap about the Fallout and The Elder Scrolls projects<\/a> it&#8217;s making. Now, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/companies\/bethesda-game-studios\">Bethesda Game Studios<\/a> leader <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/personas\/todd-howard\">Todd Howard<\/a> has returned to Reddit after a six-month hiatus to thank fans for their support.<\/p>\n<p>His comments come after confirmation that Bethesda Game Studios will be working more closely with other studios in the future, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/fallout-new-vegas-studio-obsidian-no-avowed-sequel\">Obsidian Entertainment on a future Fallout project<\/a> and with ZeniMax Online on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/elder-scrolls-online-zenimax-online-studios-leadership-fired\">The Elder Scrolls&#8217; ongoing development<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Until recently, Howard&#8217;s last comment on Reddit had been about a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/fallout-4-walkthrough-and-guide-4019\">Fallout 4<\/a> mod which had a cardboard cutout of him hunting players. &#8220;Dear Reddit, please never change,&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/gaming\/comments\/1qbvpy5\/comment\/nzfubzr\/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web3x&amp;utm_name=web3xcss&amp;utm_term=1&amp;utm_content=share_button\">he posted<\/a> six months ago (hat tip to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/games\/fallout\/as-bethesda-pushes-ahead-with-the-elder-scrolls-and-fallout-professional-lurker-todd-howard-returns-to-reddit-to-say-youd-be-surprised-how-many-great-ideas-i-get-here\/\">GamesRadar<\/a>). He was more serious in light of the recent news <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/Games\/comments\/1uz0zoy\/comment\/oy5rpn1\/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web3x&amp;utm_name=web3xcss&amp;utm_term=1&amp;utm_content=share_button\">when he reappeared<\/a>, though. &#8220;Today&#8217;s info was an attempt at changing that and letting everyone know what we&#8217;ve been working on the past several years, and a look at what&#8217;s coming,&#8221; he explained, referencing how secretive he and the teams had been in recent times.<\/p>\n<p>Howard said he&#8217;s &#8220;a professional lurker&#8221; on the Reddit forum and likes to keep tabs on what people are saying, whether it&#8217;s good or bad. &#8220;Know we&#8217;re constantly listening and keep telling us how to be even better,&#8221; he said. &#8220;You&#8217;d be surprised how many great ideas I get from Reddit.&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/we-do-have-long-term-plans-ahead-of-starfields-ps5-launch-bethesda-teases-this-is-far-from-the-end-of-the-controversial-space-faring-rpgs-life\">Recent updates to Starfield<\/a> suggest community requests do play a part in how Bethesda Game Studios continues to shape its games.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"injection_placeholder\" data-position=\"1\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>While <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/todd-howard-stokes-fallout-5-fires-as-second-tv-season-begins\">Fallout 5 had been &#8216;soft-confirmed&#8217; a while ago by Howard<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/fallout-3-remastered-mcfarlane-toys-figure-listings-pop-up-in-multiple-stores\">we&#8217;d been hearing a lot about potential Fallout 3 and New Vegas remasters<\/a>, many were still left wondering about what was happening with the franchise currently elevated by the success of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/tv-shows\/fallout\">Amazon&#8217;s Fallout show<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>News that Xbox is focusing on Fallout going forwards tallies with new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma promising a bigger focus on the brand&#8217;s largest IPs. However, excitement around these projects has been significantly dulled by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/xbox-cuts-report-staggering-loss-fear\">the human cost of layoffs at Xbox surrounding the news<\/a>. Can a heavily reduced Xbox division &#8211; one without many of the people who made some of these franchises so successful to begin with &#8211; rally to create the kinds of experiences Sharma is promising us?<\/p>\n<p>Bethesda Game Studios&#8217; next game is confirmed to be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/the-elder-scrolls-6\">The Elder Scrolls 6<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/elder-scrolls-6-xbox-layoffs-bethesda-reaction\">which is in full production and Bethesda says is in good shape and is playable<\/a>, though it remains as vague and theoretical a prospect for now. Meanwhile, the team on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/fallout-76\">Fallout 76<\/a> is currently planning another large expansion to go with proper current-gen versions of the enduring online RPG.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Home News &#8220;Professional lurker&#8221; Todd Howard reappears on internet forums following Bethesda&#8217;s Fallout and Elder Scrolls announcements to thank fans for their support &#8220;We&#8217;re constantly listening.&#8221; Image credit: Bethesda News by Fran Ruiz Contributor Published on July 20, 2026 1 comment Follow Fallout 5 Following sweeping layoffs across the entire Xbox division earlier this month, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,253],"class_list":["post-2052249","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-eurogamer-net"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2052249","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2052249"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2052249\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2052249"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2052249"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2052249"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}