Is Bethesda's issue they didn't evolve?
A big issue is you can frame these things different ways (they evolved because they're trying these different things, they didn't evolve because they're still struggling with a lot of the same issues.)
I feel like I would argue Bethesda had more issue with where they tried evolving. For example, they tried making their first multiplayer game - Fallout 76. I think if they stuck to a more standard Fallout 5 game, it would have started off to much better reception.
I haven't played Starfield, but I feel like even from what I've seen, it feels like they tried to push too much. Maybe it was too big of a game, and stuff came undercooked.
Meanwhile, people still talk about Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim in much higher terms.
