Bethesda Game Studios is celebrating its 40th anniversary, an occasion marked by the reveal of The Elder Scrolls 6: Sentinel and the launch of a new site featuring employee memories. Among the shared anecdotes is that of Alan Nanes, now a design director, who was hired as one of Bethesda's first full-time QA testers.
Nanes recounts that his entry into the company during the development of Morrowind was informal. He was friends with multiple Bethesda developers and was allowed to spend time in the studio, playing games with them before being formally employed. "Things were a bit 'Wild West' back then, and my friends allowed me to hang out... playing multiplayer games with them and just getting to know everyone," Nanes wrote. Todd Howard eventually noticed his frequent presence and offered him a testing role.
What began as informal testing sessions evolved as developers would observe Nanes play, ask for his feedback on design choices, and debate potential game tweaks. "It was an extraordinary feeling, the first time I felt like I was contributing to the creation of an actual videogame," Nanes stated, noting his inclusion in the Morrowind manual's credits. This consistent involvement led to the establishment of a full-time QA position, which he then assumed.
Nanes went on to become a quest designer for Oblivion and served as lead companions designer on Starfield. However, the path of QA workers at Bethesda has seen significant changes since Nanes's early days. In 2022, QA staff at Bethesda's parent company, ZeniMax, initiated a unionization vote due to concerns over compensation, advancement, and workload. This led to the formation of ZeniMax Workers United - CWA, which became the largest video game union in the US after its successful vote in January 2023.
Contract negotiations with Microsoft proved protracted, lasting over two years and prompting the union to authorize a strike in April 2025. A historic contract was eventually ratified in June 2025. When Xbox's July 2026 layoffs affected some ZeniMax QA employees, their contract enabled an "effects bargaining" process, resulting in a significant agreement regarding severance terms in September 2026.