2020 hasn't been the best for many, but certainly had a lot to offer to gamers. While there was a fair share of Covid-19 related delays to video games and disappointing launches, Sony and Microsoft finally ushered in the next generation of console gaming with the release of PS5 and Xbox Series X. Sony already had a stellar library of exclusives, and with Demon's Souls as the launch title and a promise of a steady flow of exclusives, seemed poised to dominate this generation.
On the other hand, Microsoft remains on a shopping spree for studios both small and big to join Xbox Game Studios. The heavily anticipated acquisition of Bethesda's parent company, ZeniMax Media, has finally been completed after passing reviews from the European Commission. Xbox added 20 popular Bethesda titles to its Game Pass service, meaning there may be a greater chance that fans may receive remastered versions of classic titles in the future.
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A gaming giant like Bethesda has been making games for a long time, and some of its popular franchises have lasted several console generations. The two most prominent franchises that fall under this category are The Elder Scrolls and the Fallout series. The Elder Scrolls 1 released way back in 1994 and the first Fallout released in 1997. Although the two games haven't made the cut for Xbox Game Pass for now, its sequels The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind and Fallout: New Vegas have.
These titles, as well as the earlier Doom games haven't really aged well for the most part. The washed-out textures, low draw distances as well as some obtuse mechanics make it really hard for modern or younger gamers to get into. The fantastical worlds and the characters that inhabit them are so enticing, that gamers who miss these titles would be doing themselves a disservice. Thus, many of such games definitely warrant a remaster.
Remastered Bethesda titles are currently the subject of fan speculation for the most part, hence all related information should be taken with a grain of salt. Xbox has shown a lot of interest in bringing its beloved titles to a new light, with the biggest example being Halo: The Master Chief Collection, alongside some others. Since it wouldn't necessarily make a lot of sense bringing decades-old titles to Xbox Game Pass for newer players, remastered versions have a slight chance of happening instead. Bethesda has also pointed towards something similar, with Todd Howard stating that they have many surprises for fans in the near future.
Most speculation points to fans receiving more information about Starfield or The Elder Scrolls 6, but there is still a slim chance that such remasters could be in the works. However, fans shouldn't expect a lot from such remasters if that's something potentially in development. As great as it would be to receive remasters comparable to the scope of the fan-made The Elder Scrolls: Skywind, it'd prove taxing for a team already hard at work for future games. It's important for fans to keep their expectations in check, as smaller upgrades such as improved visuals and better framerate options would probably be the standout highlights, if such remasters do even happen.
In addition to this, there are a fair chance that these upgrades may turn out to be Xbox exclusive versions of the game, as it'd prove a great talking point for making it the best platform to experience Bethesda games.
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As much as there are rumors of Bethesda's titles such as Starfield dropping soon, the possibility of this happening seems unlikely. Starfield seems to be actively in development, as the most substantial piece of information about the game is still leaked screenshots which showed basic UI and environments. On the other hand, The Elder Scrolls 6 is largely shrouded in mystery, as there is almost nothing known about the next entry at the time of writing.
Bethesda's other studios, such as Arkane and Tango Gameworks, are already hard at work on their upcoming projects; Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo respectively. Funnily enough, both of these titles already have existing deals with Sony, which will be unaffected by the acquisition. While there isn't any lack of exclusive titles for Microsoft's machines for the time being, the heavily anticipated acquisition could show something substantial in the near future, like remasters of Bethesda's many classic games.