Bethesda Softworks

Background: Bethesda Softworks is a game developer and publisher founded in 1986 in Maryland. In 1999 it was acquired by ZeniMax Media and since 2001 the name was used only for publishing with the special "Game Studios" brand opened for development. Since 2009 Bethesda also serves as a publisher for the other studios owned by ZeniMax, including id Software.

1st Logo

(1986-2000)

Logo: The name "BETHESDA SOFTWORKS" is written in a special font.

FX/SFX: Usually none, but games like Delta V have the logo spinning.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on early games.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo

(2000-2010)

Logo: Simple logo animation, revealing Bethesda logo letter by letter. It is colored in gray with first letter red, and small square to the left. The ZeniMax byline is wiped out below.

Variants:


 * In 2000-2001 there was a special animation with moving particles and transparent geometry which formed the logo. This was seen on Sea Dogs and Magic & Mayhem II.
 * On IHRA Drag Racing, the letters zoomed into the logo, with background in white, then followed to the intro movie.
 * Sometimes in was still. The colorless variant was spotted as well.

FX/SFX: Letters appearing.

Music/Sounds: A dreamy soundtrack.

Availability: Seen on many games, for example The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

Editor's Note: None.

3rd Logo

(2010- )

Logo: There is a white holed cube running on the black field and stopping. Instantly it all zooms out and the word Bethesda appears right to the cube, which turns 2D.

Variant: Occasionally, the colors are inverted.

FX/SFX: The cube rolling.

Music/Sounds: Several background sounds.

Availability: Appears on Brink, Dishonored, and Rage and continues to be shown on their recent games, such as Wolfenstein: The New Order (along with its expansion The Old Blood and its sequel The New Colossus) and The Evil Within. The inverted version appears on the 2016 version of Doom, Hunted: The Demon's Forge, and The Elder Scrolls Online. Don't count for this to appear on recent Bethesda Game Studios titles such as The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4.

Editor's Note: None.

Bethesda Game Studios

4th Logo

(November 11, 2011)

Logo: On a black background, we see the metallic Bethesda Game Studios logo slightly zoom in as a light passes through it.

FX/SFX: Just the zoom and light.

Music/Sounds: A quiet dark ambiance sound.

Availability: Seen on The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

Editor's Note: None.

5th Logo

(2015)

Logo: The Bethesda Game Studios logo slightly zooms out with a light illuminating it.

FX/SFX: The slight zoom out.

Music/Sounds: The trailer's music.

Availability: Was seen on the launch trailer of Fallout 4.

Editor's Note: None.