Bethesda Game Studios Dallas LLC (formerly Escalation Studios, LLC) is an American video game developer based in Dallas. Founded in 2007 by Tom Mustaine, Marc Tardif, and Shawn Green, the company was briefly owned by 6waves Lolapps (6L) in 2012 but returned to independence after the publisher laid off all development staff. ZeniMax Media acquired Escalation Studios in February 2017, and it became part of Bethesda Game Studios as Bethesda Game Studios Dallas in August 2018.

Tom Mustaine, Marc Tardif, and Shawn Green founded Escalation Studios in 2007.^[1][2] Mustaine had previously co-founded Ritual Entertainment, while Tardif had been an executive producer and senior vice president of business development at Gearbox Software.^[3][4] On January 18, 2012, the social gaming company 6L announced that it had acquired Escalation on undisclosed terms.^[2][5] Mustaine and Tardif consequently became Escalation Studios' design directors, while Green acceded to 6L as its director of engineering.^[2] At the time, Escalation had around 30 employees.^[6] However, in March 2012, 6L announced it was laying off all development staff, retaining Escalation Studios "active in some capacity".^[7] By May, the studio had become independent again.^[8] ZeniMax Media acquired Escalation Studios on February 1, 2017.^[1][3] In August 2018, it became part of the ZeniMax studio Bethesda Game Studios and was renamed Bethesda Game Studios Dallas.^[9] It was immediately put to work on Starfield alongside Bethesda Game Studios.^[10] Microsoft acquired ZeniMax in March 2021.^[11][12]