Microsoft gave Todd Howard an exclusive 1,000-Gamerscore achievement in 2016, and we finally know what it is

GamesMicrosoft gave Todd Howard an exclusive 1,000-Gamerscore achievement in 2016, and we finally know what it isWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Bethesda)

Todd Howard gesticulating at a conference

The story begins in 2016, when Howard was given aLifetime Achievement Awardat GDC. During his acceptance speech, which he reminisced about in ablog posthe put up after Microsoft announced its acquisition of Bethesda in 2020, he jokingly wondered how many achievement points a Lifetime Achievement Award was worth.

“At the end of the ceremony, some good friends from Microsoft congratulated me and said they’d find out,” Howard wrote. “A few months later I was given a code to a game they had created, named after me and locked to my account. When ran, it unlocks a single achievement—‘Lifetime - 1000pts.’ It still sits in my list when I check, and I smile every time.”

That game can actually be seen atXbox.com, although of course it’s not available for purchase or download. But the achievement text had remained secret until TrueAchievement’s recent discovery. “Lifetime,” as the achievement is known, “Reflects on the amazing craft of Todd Howard and his team in making worlds as real as any on Earth.”

To get around this cheevo secrecy layer, go into your account settings (and yes, you’ll need a TrueAchievements account to do this) and select “site settings,” then enable the “always show unlocked achievement descriptions” setting. And just like that, there it is.

(Image credit: Microsoft (via TrueAchievements))

Todd Howard’s “Lifetime” Xbox achievement - “Reflects on the amazing craft of Todd Howard and his team in making worlds as real as any on Earth”

That’s a nice gesture, isn’t it? The response to the newly-revealed achievement is quite positive, and naturally—because this is the internet—it has inspired a few users to postguidesexplaining how to unlock the achievement. Some are quite in-depth, such as one from Cpl Kane ZA, which requires facial reconstruction surgery, a time machine, and a possible murder; others, like paramoreRyan’s submission, are more to the point: “Be Todd Howard.”

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals

Well, we can’t all be Todd Howard, but we can acknowledge that if anyone deserves their own custom cheevo, it’s probably him. Howard’s list ofcreditsis enviable to say the least, beginning with The Terminator: Future Shock in 1995 and running through Morrowind, Oblivion, Fallout 3, Skyrim, Fallout 4, and Starfield. He’s currently serving as executive producer on the much-anticipatedIndiana Jones and the Great Circle, and we also maintain hope that he’s squeezing some time withThe Elder Scrolls 6andFallout 5in there, too.

More about games

Double headed wizard man holding arms up looking sad

World of Warcraft Mythic Plus screenshot

World of Warcraft’s competitive dungeon mode is struggling

LatestPalestinian developer raises more than $200,000 to make Dreams on a Pillow, a game about the horrors of the 1948 NakbaSee more latest►

Latest

Palestinian developer raises more than $200,000 to make Dreams on a Pillow, a game about the horrors of the 1948 Nakba

Dreams on a Pillow concept art - Palestinian woman holding a pillow

Palestinian developer raises more than $200,000 to make Dreams on a Pillow, a game about the horrors of the 1948 Nakba

See more latest►

Most PopularI tried a sim racing rig that generates ‘wind’ at CES 2025 and it’s claimed to help keep VR nausea at bayFinal Fantasy 14 communities panic as it turns out change to blacklisting, meant to help reduce stalking, also lets players use mods to track their altsTikTok’s time in the US may be ticking to a close as it makes a last stand in the Supreme Court, though Trump now says he ‘opposes banning’ itMSI intros cheaper ‘back connect’ Project Zero Intel motherboards for super-clean PC builds you might actually be able to affordThermaltake’s new 2000 W PSU is too powerful to be sold in the USA and comes with four PCIe 5.0 GPU power connectorsAMD accuses Intel’s Arrow Lake of being a ‘horrible’ product and implies a lack of options for consumers has caused the Ryzen 7 9800X3D shortageThis Jinx-inspired gaming PC is my favorite of CES 2025 and I’m head over heels for the hardwareHarrowing report alleges years of horrific abuse at Brandoville Studios, an Indonesian support studio that worked on Assassin’s Creed Shadows and The Last of Us RemakeTencent says it’s not a Chinese military company and is willing to sue the US Department of Defense if it isn’t removed from a blacklistAll Zenless Zone Zero 1.5 livestream codesAsus reveals three new Slash Travel Bags for carting around your ROG Ally—however, none of them are particularly fashion forward

Most Popular

I tried a sim racing rig that generates ‘wind’ at CES 2025 and it’s claimed to help keep VR nausea at bay

Final Fantasy 14 communities panic as it turns out change to blacklisting, meant to help reduce stalking, also lets players use mods to track their alts

TikTok’s time in the US may be ticking to a close as it makes a last stand in the Supreme Court, though Trump now says he ‘opposes banning’ it

MSI intros cheaper ‘back connect’ Project Zero Intel motherboards for super-clean PC builds you might actually be able to afford

Thermaltake’s new 2000 W PSU is too powerful to be sold in the USA and comes with four PCIe 5.0 GPU power connectors

AMD accuses Intel’s Arrow Lake of being a ‘horrible’ product and implies a lack of options for consumers has caused the Ryzen 7 9800X3D shortage

This Jinx-inspired gaming PC is my favorite of CES 2025 and I’m head over heels for the hardware

Harrowing report alleges years of horrific abuse at Brandoville Studios, an Indonesian support studio that worked on Assassin’s Creed Shadows and The Last of Us Remake

Tencent says it’s not a Chinese military company and is willing to sue the US Department of Defense if it isn’t removed from a blacklist

All Zenless Zone Zero 1.5 livestream codes

Asus reveals three new Slash Travel Bags for carting around your ROG Ally—however, none of them are particularly fashion forward

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

A bunch of the best Steam Deck accessories on a blue background.

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

Thank Goodness You’re Here review

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback

3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

4Ikea Utespelare desk review

Ikea Utespelare desk review

5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals#

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals