Bethesda confirms that The Elder Scrolls 6 is officially in early development
Bethesda has confirmed that The Elder Scrolls VI is currently in early development. Speaking to Spanish publication Vandal, Bethesda’s Head of Publishing, Pete Hines, confirmed that as the hype surrounding Starfield builds, some developers at the studio have been working on the Tamriel fantasy sequel, which is now out of pre-production. Both Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6 were revealed at the 2018 E3 event, with the earlier sci-fi RPG well ahead in the release pipeline. For now, Bethesda is fully focused on release and possible post-release support. Therefore, it will be at least a few more years before we learn new details about TES 6.
“We’ve put the entire focus of our studio on making this game as good as possible,” Hines said in an interview. “And yes, there are people working on The Elder Scrolls VI, but that’s what the studio has focused on. So no, you won’t be hearing about The Elder Scrolls 6 any time soon.” The timeline corresponds to Xbox CEO Phil Spencer’s testimony during Microsoft’s trial against the US FTC in June, in which he claimed that the game is still at least five years away and he wasn’t sure which platforms it would appear on. PC and Xbox would clearly be the main platforms considering Microsoft acquired Bethesda’s parent company ZeniMax in 2020 for a $7.5 billion (roughly Rs. 61,990 crore) deal.
However, Spencer’s statement also makes it seem like The Elder Scrolls 6 might not appear on the Xbox Series S/X. During the same process, Microsoft stated that the next generation of gaming consoles – both theirs and Sony’s – should launch in 2028, which somewhat coincides with when Spencer claims the TES 6 will be ready becomes. “It’s the same team that is completing Starfield, which is coming out this September,” he said during the hearing.
The Xbox Series S has already caused problems for developers due to its technical limitations – a recent example is Baldur’s Gate 3, where developer Larian Studios is struggling to integrate split-screen co-op on the cheaper console. The Xbox version is due out sometime later this year.
Coming back to The Elder Scrolls 6, Bethesda has been pretty coy about details. In a 2021 interview, it was revealed that the company will use the revamped Creation Engine 2 for development. The same engine will be used for the upcoming Starfield game, which has been causing quite a stir lately due to a number of leaks that have fans concerned about the scope of exploration and possible invisible walls. According to director Todd Howard, the game is best described as “Skyrim in Space” and happens to be Bethesda’s first new universe in 25 years. It takes you on a futuristic journey to explore space 2330, its planets and inhabitants. From humble beginnings as a space miner, the player joins the Constellation – the last group of space explorers searching for rare artifacts across the galaxy.
There is currently no fixed release window for The Elder Scrolls VI. Meanwhile, Starfield is coming to PC and Xbox Series S/X on September 6th.
