now there's actually an rumor about this flowing around, which surprised me

I don't hold much hope about it being true, but I see no other companies more fitted to continue making STALKER, and the STALKER game is way too big of a cake to pass on.
Why do I think Bethesda can pull it off? Because Bethesda has successfully revived the Fallout series and though some old fans of fallout don't approve this effort, the new Fallout games are successful in their own merrit.
STALKER series is dead for good anyways, why not revive it and turn it into something new, and equally successful?
In a world where single player games are declining, STALKER is no doubt worth reviving, though the new STALKER using Creation Engine may not feel exactly like the old STALKER.
The only challenge for Bethesda is the lack of experience in making horror games. STALKER is scary, it wins by its atmosphere which no other game can surpass. In a stalker world, no matter where you are, even if you are out in the open under bright day light, you still feel danger lurking around you. Do you think Bethesda has what it takes to achieve this?