Bethesda, the developer behind popular video game franchises Fallout and The Elder Scrolls, announced today that they would be shutting down their game launcher in May of this year. The company went more in-depth about the announcement on their website and explained how players should expect to transfer their game library and Wallet over to Steam when the migration process starts in early April. Those who play Bethesda titles on console are exempt from the news, as the closure of the Bethesda.net Launcher only affects those who use the game launcher to access PC games.
Although the Bethesda.net Launcher will shut down, the company clarified that “your Bethesda.net account will not be lost and will still be accessible on our website and in-game, and we will continue supporting all Bethesda.net accounts with our future titles.” Therefore, players will still need a Bethesda.net account to access certain services, such as game mods, in-game items, and exclusive news and updates, as many Bethesda titles require an account. A Bethesda.net account will also be required to manually transfer games over to Steam if need be.
Once the migration period begins, Bethesda will notify players and update their instructions to include a link showing where and how to migrate. The company expects that automatic and manual transfers to Steam will not affect game saves, and players can continue playing where they left off. Also, any title owned on the Bethesda.net Launcher will be available for free via Steam and in-game currency balances, purchases, and DLC will automatically transfer over.
Bethesda also ensured that The Elder Scrolls Online is unaffected by this change. Since Fallout 76 can only be played online, the game has its own specific FAQ regarding the Bethesda.net Launcher available to read here. At this time, the only game that is currently unable to transfer to Steam is Wolfenstein: Youngblood.
Bethesda did not specify the reason behind the decision to close their game launcher, but the closure does make it more convenient for PC players to access and store their games all in one place.