Bethesda has become known for unexpectedly releasing its games without any advance notice, a practice that Tom Mustaine, director of Bethesda Game Studios, hopes will continue.
If you haven’t heard the term before, a ‘shadowdrop’ is when a game is released unexpectedly, without any prior announcement. Sometimes, developers don’t even mention the game exists until it’s available to play – a prime example is Apex Legends, which was both revealed and launched on the same day.
Bethesda has recently used a specific strategy twice: releasing a surprise hit and then selling it off. They did this with Hi-Fi Rush, which Krafton now owns, and again this year with the updated version of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion.
Dave Mustaine recently told GamesRadar+ at The Golden Joystick Awards 2025 that the surprise release of Hi-Fi Rush on Xbox and through Bethesda was a big success. This encouraged the publisher to use the same ‘shadow drop’ strategy again. According to Mustaine, Bethesda’s Todd Howard has long been a fan of surprise releases, as it allows them to immediately offer players a new game and create excitement.
According to Dave Mustaine, people’s patience is shorter now, likely due to things like TikTok and the constant stream of new releases. He notes that everyone has a shorter attention span – people want instant gratification, like with a game like Grand Theft Auto. He found it a successful strategy to generate excitement and immediately deliver what fans wanted, essentially ‘owning the internet’ for a day, and hopes to see other artists follow suit. While he doesn’t know what’s next, he hopes this wasn’t a one-time event.
Okay, so as a huge Bethesda fan, I’m constantly wondering what they’ll surprise us with next! Shadow drops are the best because you never see them coming, but the rumor mill is spinning about a remastered Fallout 3. Honestly, if I had to put money on it, I’d say that’s what we’re getting!
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2025-11-22 15:40