This year marks several big video game anniversaries, from the 25th anniversary of Halo to the Super NES turning 35, and publisher Bethesda Softworks is celebrating 40 years in the industry with a brand-new logo. The company unveiled the new design today, which has a very cyberpunk-inspired look to it with its choice of font, colors, and subtle decorative elements. “40 years of adventures. Here’s to the worlds we’ve built together… and those still to come. We’re marking the occasion with a logo inspired by our roots,” Bethesda wrote online.
The new logo is a massive departure from the previous ones used by the company, which started with handcrafted art and eventually morphed into something that lacked any personality whatsoever. It’s not clear yet if this will be the company’s long-term logo for the foreseeable future, but for now, it’s a nostalgic way to celebrate its history.
Bethesda Softworks has largely used the same logo for 25 years, with the first one being a straightforward line of text and a splash of color that would be used until 2010. Those few distinctive elements would be removed entirely in 2010, with the font being completely black and the “Softworks” wording dropped altogether.
It’s worth noting that Bethesda Softworks shouldn’t be confused with Bethesda Game Studios, the internal developer at the company responsible for titles like The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and Starfield. The studio has also used the same logo for 25 years: a line of text with a stylized cog behind it.
The publisher’s new visual identity probably isn’t teasing a new cyberpunk game anyway–although fans of the genre are eating well with upcoming Blade Runner and Neuromancer TV series. For now, Bethesda is focused on a massive expansion of the Fallout franchise. Bethesda recently re-confirmed that Fallout 5 is in development alongside remasters of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas. Obsidian Entertainment is also working on a new Fallout game, so there’s going to be a whole lot of post-apocalyptic adventures to look forward to in the future.
As for The Elder Scrolls 6, game director Todd Howard said that the majority of the developers at Bethesda Game Studios are working on it, and they want to stick the landing when it eventually releases.