In a candid new interview, former Bethesda Softworks marketing lead Pete Hines has shared his perspective on why he decided to retire from the company in 2023, describing how he watched the Fallout publisher become "damaged and broken apart."
Speaking with Firezide Chat, the gaming industry veteran reflected on his decades-long career that spanned releases from Doom to The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. Hines explained that while he had previously mentioned retiring around the launch of Starfield made sense, his decision was driven by deeper concerns about Bethesda's direction.
"I reached a point where I realized Bethesda needed me, but I felt powerless to do what I believed was necessary to run the place properly, protect the team, and preserve what we had built—an incredibly efficient, well-run video game developer and publisher," Hines stated. "When I couldn't safeguard it, and I saw how it was getting damaged, broken apart, and frankly mistreated, I knew I couldn't just sit back and watch it happen right in front of me."
Hines noted that staying in his role took a significant toll on his mental health, leading him to decide to leave in 2022, the year before Starfield's release. He humorously recalled, "Every time Todd Howard delayed Starfield, I thought, 'Great, I'm here another eight months.' Todd was the only one who knew about my plans, and he really helped me through that tough period."
While Hines avoided detailing specific events or individuals that influenced his departure, the timeline includes Microsoft's announcement in 2020 to acquire Bethesda's parent company, ZeniMax Media, for $7.5 billion, with the deal finalized in 2021. Emails from 2023 revealed Hines' confusion over Microsoft's strategy of making Bethesda titles Xbox-exclusive while allowing games like Call of Duty on other platforms.
"That was the worst part," Hines admitted. "I joined a place I genuinely admired, with people I held in high regard, only to see how things actually worked. It's one thing to talk, but I care about follow-through. Do you mean what you say, or is it just empty words?"
He acknowledged that Bethesda might not have always delivered on its promises, but he felt the company at least tried to be genuine. "We aimed to do what we said and say what we did, to be authentic," Hines explained. "But honestly, I still believe Bethesda is now part of something that isn't authentic or genuine, and that shouldn't surprise anyone."
Since retiring, Hines has been open about changes at Bethesda. In September 2025, he reminisced about his 24-year tenure, noting that the company "isn't the same" anymore. The same interview touched on topics like the naming of 2017's Prey, the launch of Fallout 76, and the importance of subscription services like Game Pass for developers' survival.
