The Elder Scrolls: Arena struggled at launch but built a billion-dollar franchise

The Elder Scrolls: Arena had a difficult launch after reaching stores in 1994. Bethesda was not yet known primarily for open-world role-playing games.

Designer Ted Peterson said retailers began cancelling orders when the game failed to ship on time. Early sales of Arena were lower than those of a retail pack for Terminator 2029, the first game he had worked on.

Arena’s troubled release

Peterson discussed the launch in a Time Extension retrospective about the making of Daggerfall. He said word of mouth eventually helped as players discovered the game and enjoyed it.

Arena was not poorly reviewed: contemporary reviewer Andy Butcher gave it an 87. Even so, it did not make an immediate major impact on the market.

Bethesda before role-playing games

In a November 1995 interview, Bethesda president Christopher Weaver said the company was entering unfamiliar territory. At the time, Bethesda was better known for sports games including Wayne Gretzky Hockey 3 and Gridiron!, and for helping Electronic Arts finish John Madden Football.

Arena eventually helped shift Bethesda’s reputation from sports-game developer to role-playing specialist. Despite its troubled release, Peterson said the game ultimately created a billion-dollar franchise.