Bethesda Software (Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Fallout 3) today annouced the release dates for four major titles hitting Xbox 360 later this year. ZeniMax Media Inc. has been aggressive as of late, purchasing id software to develop titles under ZeniMax’s vast media empire. id is famous for such games as DOOM, QUAKE and WOLFENSTEIN. With id now under the Bethesda Softworks branch, the publisher is set for a record year. The four AAA titles coming out later this year are as follows:

Brink, an immersive first-person shooter under development at Splash Damage, will be available in North America on May 17^th and in Europe on May 20^th. Brink was named as the ‘Game of Show’ at Eurogamer Expo 2010, while G4TV.com declared “Brink takes shooters to a whole new level.” Blending single-player, co-op, and multiplayer action into one seamless experience, Brink features dynamic battlefields, extensive customization options, and an innovative control system.

Hunted, a fantasy action game, will be available in retail stores across North America on June 1^st and on store shelves in Europe on June 3^rd. Hunted is a fresh take on the classic dungeon crawl experience that delivers the intensity and action of a modern-day shooter. Hunted, under development at inXile Entertainment, has been called “A Dungeon Crawl for the Gears Age” by Kotaku.com and has been described by Eurogamer as “violent, deceptively thoughtful and witty.

RAGE, the highly anticipated first-person shooter from legendary developer id Software, will hit retail shelves across North America on September 13^th and throughout Europe on September 16^th. The game has already won numerous awards at E3 2010, including ‘Best Overall Game of Show’ from IGN and three ‘Best of E3’ Game Critics Awards including ‘Best Console Game’. RAGE features intense first-person shooter action, breakneck vehicle combat, an expansive world to explore and jaw-dropping graphics powered by id’s revolutionary id Tech 5 technology.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is the most recently announced title from world-renowned developer Bethesda Game Studios. The studio is widely known for developing the 2008 Game of the Year, Fallout® 3 and the 2006 Game of the Year, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion®. Skyrim, the latest chapter in The Elder Scrolls saga, re-imagines and revolutionizes the open-world fantasy epic and will launch worldwide on November 11^th (11.11.11).

2011 already is shaping up to be a great year in the history of gaming. With Bethesda’s announcement today, gamers can start the countdown towards some of their most anticipated games for the year.