Jeff Gardiner, a former producer at Bethesda, shared insights on how he personally adjusted the balancing of Skyrim just two weeks before its launch. In his account, he reflected on a significant disagreement with the design team who relied on AI simulations for game mechanics. According to Gardiner:

“I had this fight with the designers at the time. They wanted to do things through data and simulations. And I was like, ‘But the player does things, like backs up and double taps.’”

Gardiner’s insistence on human behavior led him to manually playtest and tweak the game’s mechanics at the last minute, worried that Skyrim would only feel balanced for players ignoring core combat mechanics.

He stated, “Well, I hope this is good,” after spending two weeks making adjustments. This proactive approach stemmed from his respect within the development team, a nuanced perspective shaped from years of creative experience.

Ultimately, Gardiner’s involvement highlights the importance of human experience in game balancing, especially when AI doesn’t capture player behaviors accurately.