Bethesda Designer Becomes Big, Also Huge

Developer Big Huge Games became slightly bigger and huger as it announced this week that designer Ken Rolston is joining its ranks. Most recently, Rolston was known for his role as lead designer of Bethesda Game Studios' acclaimed The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Xbox, PC) and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (PS3, X360, PC); he also contributed to The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard (PC). Along with the announcement of Rolston's new employment comes the news that the studio, known for its Rise of Nations and Rise of Legends real-time strategy games, is working on a new roleplaying game. There are no details on this upcoing RPG. Rolson's two and a half decades of writing history span novels and pen-and-paper RPGs as well as computer games. He was a co-writer on the second edition of West End Games' Paranoia, which was co-created by fellow multi-medium designer Greg Costikyan. Other games to which he has contributed include RuneQuest, Dungeons & Dragons and Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Ghostbusters, Stormbringer, and Star Wars. "A chance to work on a Big Huge Game with Big Huge Games? Who could resist?" said Rolston in this week's announcement. "I had planned to retire and rest on my laurels after Oblivion, but [company president] Tim Train and his army of visionary charmers came along with a strikingly original and cunning concept for a console RPG...so now I'm back in the harness and chomping at the bit!" Train noted that Big Huge Games intends to continue producing real-time strategy titles, but has been considering developing an RPG for some time. "Ken is a fantastic fit for us on every level, and gives us the leadership we need to be confident of success in our new venture," he said.