QuakeCon 2013 may have come and gone already, but the frag fests’ annual slew of news just keeps on coming. From talk of Doom 4’s mysterious development to Rage’s rumored return, John Carmack’s customary keynote to The Elder Scrolls Online, this year’s Texas-based event delivered a solid but not particularly spectacular showing.

RPG giants Bethesda were on hand to display their latest wares at the event, and even discuss some of the studio’s guiding mantras - a “ready-when-it’s-ready,” “quality over quantity” style approach that will be familiar to fans of the similarly non-committal Valve Corporation.

Speaking to various members of the gaming press, Bethesda’s Vice President of Public Relations & Marketing Peter Hines, reiterated his company’s commitment to fewer but better-polished titles (courtesy of Joystiq):

This isn’t the first time Hines has addressed Bethesda’s irregular release schedule. Last week, the often-quoted spokesman told Polygon that the company would seek to back any-and-all quality projects, even if it meant extending a game’s development cycle beyond its original allowance:

“We know for sure that we don’t want to be a publisher that is publishing 20 to 30 games a year […] We’re more about fewer premium titles and putting our full attention behind those […] and if it’s one a year, or two a year or three a year or four a year, what’s most important is backing the best bets, putting our full support behind those and making them great. And then, do it again.”

This isn’t to say that the studio is willing to accept a long-term drain on resources: the company’s self-imposed size limitations ensure that every product must first pass muster. Whereas many larger publishers can afford to fund multiple passion projects - given the success of just one or two mega-titles per year - every one of Bethesda’s investments could be considered a financial tent pole. As a result, choosing when and where to call time on a failing project is suitably tough - as Hines told IGN back in June:

“You don’t want to waste all that time and effort for the sake of a couple of months, If a couple of months could make all the difference in the world.”

Just where this cut-off will occur is tough to predict. Human Head, the original developer behind long-gestating space shooter Prey 2, believed their tenure on the title would continue up to the game’s eventual release. Instead, Bethesda owner Zenimax Media effectively fired the team, forcing the promising FPS into a state of developmental limbo.

“This is a business. We do have bills to pay and people to employ [..] You don’t just keep throwing money at something or going down a path that you’re not happy about. You have to make tough choices.”

In discussing the studio’s future projects, Hines also ruled out any short-term plans for Wii U development:

Neither The Elder Scrolls Online or The Evil Within will be appearing on Nintendo’s floundering console, with freshly delayed reboot shooter Wolfenstein: The New Order also set to miss out. In explaining the apparent me-too move (EA, 2K & Ubisoft have all declared their dissatisfaction with Nintendo’s console sales), Hines implied that titles were simply too demanding for the under-powered machine to handle.

“None of the game’s we’ve announced are being developed for the Wii U, so it’s guaranteed that none of those games are coming to Wii U. Will any future ones come out? I can’t say for sure, in our near-term focus it’s not on our radar.”

So, has Bethesda’s strategy led to the studio playing it safe with their properties? Is the Wii U really too weak to run an expansive next-gen title? Have your say in the comments below.

You can follow Sam on Twitter @GamingGoo.

Source: Joystiq, Polygon, IGN