Todd Andrew Howard, born in 1970, is a prominent American video game designer, director, and producer. He serves as director and executive producer at Bethesda Game Studios, where he has led the development of the Fallout and The Elder Scrolls series.
Early Life and Education
Todd Andrew Howard was born in Lower Macungie Township, Pennsylvania, to Ronald and Priscilla Howard. He attended Emmaus High School in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, where he graduated in 1989. Howard then attended the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, where he majored in business while taking computer classes for credit.
Entry into Bethesda Softworks
During the holiday break of his senior year in college, Howard obtained a copy of Wayne Gretzky Hockey (1988) by Bethesda Softworks in Rockville, Maryland. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, he visited the offices of Bethesda Softworks, which he passed by daily on his commute to and from school. He asked for a job at the company but was rejected and told that he needed to finish school as a prerequisite. After graduating, he returned to Bethesda, seeking a job but was rejected again due to a lack of job opportunities then at the company.
Major Projects and Achievements
In 2000, Howard was appointed project leader and designer for The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and the expansions that followed. The game was released in 2002 and was a critical and commercial success, winning several Game of the Year awards.
Howard admitted in 2011 that The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion had sacrificed what made The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind "particular", saying: "With Oblivion, we're dealing with the capital province, and we wanted to get back to the more classic Arena and Daggerfall feel of a fantasy world that felt more refined and welcoming." In 2016, after the release of Fallout 4, Howard admitted that he was well aware of the criticisms received by the game, especially with regards to the dialogue system, saying: "The way we did some dialogue stuff [in Fallout 4], that didn't work as well."
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In 2012, Howard also said he was favorable to modding in video games, claiming he did not understand why many developers do not allow it.
Todd Howard Breaks Down His Video Game Career | WIRED
Recognition and Awards
Howard has spoken at industry events and conferences. In 2009, he spoke to developers at the D.I.C.E. Summit, sharing his rules of game development. He returned as a keynote speaker at the 2012 D.I.C.E.
Howard was the 16th recipient of a Game Developers Conference Lifetime Achievement Award. The magazine GamePro named him among the "Top 20 Most Influential People in Gaming over the Last 20 Years". Howard also received the D.I.C.E.
During an appearance on Lex Fridman's podcast, Howard stated that he considers Tetris to be the greatest game ever created.
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Personal Life
Howard married Kimberly Yaissle on July 8, 1995, at St.
Summary of Todd Howard's Key Projects
The following table summarizes some of Todd Howard's most influential projects throughout his career:
| Game | Year Released | Role | Awards/Recognition |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind | 2002 | Project Leader and Designer | Several Game of the Year awards |
| The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion | 2006 | Director and Executive Producer | Praised for its refined fantasy world |
| Fallout 4 | 2015 | Director and Executive Producer | Known for its expansive open world |
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