Bethesda Softworks will be closing out 2011 on a busy note, with the release of the highly anticipated Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Rage. Looking to the year ahead, the publisher hasn't provided much visibility for its future plans beyond announcing Prey 2. However, one project on the horizon may have been unearthed today in a United States Patent and Trademark filing.

　　Bethesda may be feeling Dishonored. As first spotted by SystemLink, Bethesda parent company Zenimax Media has filed a trademark application for "Dishonored." The filing occurred on June 17, 2011, and it covers "computer game software for use with computers and video game consoles" as well as "downloadable computer game software offered via the internet and wireless devices."

　　While game companies don't always execute on game titles they file trademarks for, it appears as if Bethesda is serious about Dishonored. According to a WhoIs search, URLs that include www.dishonoredgame.com and www.dishonoredthegame.com were snatched up by Web marketing specialist Rokkan.

　　Rokkan counts a variety of game companies as clients, including Rockstar Games, 2K Games, EA, and THQ. In May, the company announced that it had created a new in-game animation logo for none other than Bethesda.