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Turbine hires Elder Scrolls designer Ken Rolston

Eddie Makuch
By Eddie Makuch, News Editor

Lord of the Rings Online studio brings on Elder Scrolls, Kingdoms of Amalur designer as director of design; former NetherRealm, Zynga, and Petroglyph devs round out "key hires."

Lord of the Rings Online and Dungeons & Dragons Online developer Turbine has added new leadership to its studio. The Needham, Massachusetts studio today announced that it has hired Elder Scrolls designer Ken Rolston, as well as former NetherRealm and Zynga developers.

Rolston served as lead designer for Bethesda on Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and was most recently behind Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning at the now-defunct 38 Studios. His new title at Turbine is director of design, and his responsibilities include leading the vision and implementation of all aspects of game design at the company.

Coming aboard from Mortal Kombat studio NetherRealm is Alan Villani, who will work at Turbine as vice president of technology. His duties at Turbine include managing the company's digital technology platform, with a specific emphasis on "online engagement" and monetization.

Rounding out the new hires are former Zynga technology maestro Jai Singh, who will head up technical operations at Turbine, and Demetrius Comes of Petroglyph Games (End of Nations, Rise of Immortals). Comes has been hired on as executive director of engineering where he will oversee all engineering functions for the studio's product development team.

Eddie Makuch
By Eddie Makuch, News Editor

Eddie Makuch (Mack-ooh) is a News Editor at GameSpot. He works out of the company's Boston office in Somerville, Mass., and loves extra chunky peanut butter.

32 comments
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alixkid
alixkid like.author.displayName 1 Like

Hey Turbine How about A reboot of AC1!!!!!!

tgwolf
tgwolf

I hope this means that they grabbed the better part of the developing minds, 'cause all the innovation from Skyrim, which isn't much to speak of after, say, Morrowind, isn't worth much if the garbage content does more harm than the playing can do good.

ADDADAC
ADDADAC

 @tgwolf Ken Rolston helped make Kingdoms of Amalur sooo I'm no expecting much of him

params7
params7 like.author.displayName 1 Like

I'd play LoTRO if I didn't see adverts to free 2 play and LoTRO store EVERYWHERE. The game went to hell after F2P.

NkoSekirei
NkoSekirei like.author.displayName 1 Like

 @params7 no it didnt dude theres alot more people playing it now and it still very popular especially rider of rohan

Gizmofather
Gizmofather

Finally , stupid Turbine managed to do something actually useful to the game and community in general. Cheers. More money siphon incoming..

Fursnake
Fursnake like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 4 Like

Ken Rolston, pleasepleaseplease bring us a new Asheron's Call.

ExtremePhobia
ExtremePhobia like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 3 Like

 @Fursnake Please indeed. Even AC2 was looking pretty good by the end. What I wouldn't do for AC3.

ProjektInsanity
ProjektInsanity

 @ExtremePhobia  @Fursnake

 I agree to an extent.  LOVED AC1; absoutely phenomenal game.  AC2 had some promise, but the fact that it was like...4 months into the game, and BASIC CHAT still didn't work reliably...in an MMO?  That's pretty hard to overlook.

Fursnake
Fursnake

 @ProjektInsanity  @ExtremePhobia

 I'm all about the AC1, it was the 2nd MMO I played after a brief stint in Everquest. PLayed AC1 for years. AC2 was a disappointment to me pretty much all around. It was prettier to look at it but  gameplay wise I didn't like nearly as much sa AC1.

Raeldor
Raeldor

Wonder if someone will put that Gamespot video as his screensaver when he turns up for work on the first day. :D

Citizen_King
Citizen_King

I wonder what it's like for a group of people to come to work and find out a crazy guy like Ken Rolston is your new co-worker.  Just gotta be a weird day for everyone.

mwmars
mwmars like.author.displayName 1 Like

Next..  Gen...  AAA... Middle Earth................Please!

Uesugi-dono
Uesugi-dono

Well, let's hope he doesn't bring Bethesda's penchant for bugs with him.

SolidTy
SolidTy

Good, I expect decent to great things from Mr. Rolston's next endeavor.

DarkSaber2k
DarkSaber2k like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

Kingdoms of Amalur? But that game suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu*inhales*uuuuuuuuuuuuuucked!

KotomineKirei
KotomineKirei like.author.displayName 1 Like

 @DarkSaber2k 

I thought Kingdoms of Amalur was good, and even better than Skyrim.

...though, Skyrim wasn't  that great of a TES title.

pandae-mail
pandae-mail

 @KotomineKirei  @DarkSaber2k

 The combat of KoA is fantastic, but other aspects are a bit dry comparing to that. I kept feeling like to skip dialogs and go back to action. It shared a lot of similarity with TES: Oblivion, but I find the gameplay not as balance Oblivion. Oblivion has a more balanced mix of combat, exploration, stealth, quest, story and other funky stuff.

KoA is a really ambitious game, and it is very enjoyable. It is sad that it ends up like this......

This comment has been deleted

KotomineKirei
KotomineKirei

 @buccomatic 

I don't agree about the menus, as I like games with menus like Skyrim.

The menus however were slow after a long playtime, and I didn't like how it was a list on the side.

Also, you can map items/skills to the left and right D-Pad buttons I believe.

 

I agree about the combat system in KoA: R though, it was really fluid and nice to look at.

Fiscaldeal
Fiscaldeal like.author.displayName 1 Like

All I can think of when I hear the name Ken Rolston is that montage/song Gamespot UK made. I'm not sure if I'm happy or mad about that.

gufberg
gufberg

Its great to hear Rolston has joined the team. As i took notice of him during Kingdoms of Amalur development i was pretty awed by his personality and vision. Lotro is a great game.  

MADPADDY
MADPADDY

 @gufberg Rolston is one crazy guy lol.

gufberg
gufberg like.author.displayName 1 Like

 @MADPADDY Yea he is completely loco! I love it. I wish there were more eccentrics like that in the world in general

MADPADDY
MADPADDY

 @gufberg Yeh ya right he isnt doing nobody any harm,id rather someone like that than some nasty soab.He does make me laugh which isnt a bad thing :).

Raeldor
Raeldor like.author.displayName 1 Like

Turbine have been putting out some great games.  LOTRO is an amazing game; it really brings Middle Earth to life.  The main quest line really makes it feel like you're playing a part in the world.  SWTOR could have done with taking some tips from these guys.  I hope Rolston being onboard means we may see some new IP soon, and maybe even bringing their successful formula up-to-date with full voice acting and cut-scenes, etc.

NkoSekirei
NkoSekirei

 @Raeldor also it covers everthing that the books and movies didnt have the appendices

NkoSekirei
NkoSekirei like.author.displayName 1 Like

 @Raeldor also riders of rohan is epic so many quests and horse battles as well

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