LogFAQs > #906715239

In all seriousness, my guess is the executives at upper Bethesda asked Bethesda Softworks to use some of the staff who was working on TES:O to move to Fallout since they weren't doing anything aside from upgrades and things. And assuming if TESO was profitable, they wanted more and had employees with the knowledge for online open world games.

You will probably find your answer to figure out exactly which team is working on the project if you compare credits between TES5, FO4, TESO and Fallout Shelter. I doubt Todd Howard is the full project lead for 76 as I am guessing he had to be leading during pre-preduction of TES 6, which I assume the engine is done, along with art direction, and is probably doing voice acting now making sure to MURDER any voice actor that leaks info... that is if they are not telling the actors they are doing an Elder Scrolls game like they did with FO4.

Anyways, useful trivia for today: If you get contracted or hired at Bethesda, ANY side projects you make at home on your days off are considered BETHESDA'S property. This tends to be common for companies, which can be good and bad.

Source: Ananda Gupta in an IAMA about why he didn't make anything after Twilight Struggle, as he worked on TES Online for 5 years. After he left TES Online, he was lead for XCOM Enemy Within.