The Elder Scrolls 6: possible release year, rumors and latest news
Almost seven years after the release of SkyrimBack at E3 2018, Elder Scrolls fans were given a glimpse into the future, with Bethesda Game Studios confirming that it was officially in the works The Elder Scrolls 6. The latest entry in the legendary RPG series was revealed with a cryptic teaser following Starfield’s official announcement, but we haven’t seen any further trailers or footage since then.
However, Bethesda hasn’t been completely silent. Whether it’s discussing the game’s current state of development or the potential platforms it will be released on, the studio has offered several updates regarding The Elder Scrolls 6. Below we’ve compiled all the information we currently have about the upcoming sequel, so grab yourself a sweet roll and get ready to break down everything we currently know about Bethesda’s next adventure across the vast realms of Tamriel.
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Possible release year for Elder Scrolls 6
The biggest question surrounding The Elder Scrolls 6 is when exactly we can expect to play it. Although there is very little information about a possible release date, we know one thing: it won’t be anytime soon. Bethesda Game Studios has made this very clear Starfield is currently his main priorityAnd considering that the sci-fi RPG only launched last September, it’s safe to assume that the team still has a lot of unanswered questions to resolve before they can devote their full attention to Skyrim’s successor.
In an interview with vandal that was later transcribed by ResetEra User Shoot Back in August, Bethesda publishing boss Pete Hines revealed that The Elder Scrolls 6 was currently “in early development,” confirming, “Starfield is our focus for now and will remain our priority for a while before we “talk about everything else.”
When exactly can we expect the conversation to move on to the next Elder Scrolls entry, Xbox boss Phil Spencer noted during Microsoft’s FTC trial in June that the game is still “more than five years away.” In short, it will be a while before we learn more about The Elder Scrolls 6, and even longer before we can play the game with a taste for ourselves possible release year 2028 at earliest.
On which platforms will The Elder Scrolls 6 be released?
Although The Elder Scrolls 6 is still a long way off, we know that it will most likely be exclusive to Xbox and PC. With Microsoft will take over Bethesda and its parent company Zenimax in 2020, the publisher’s extensive franchise offering now falls under the Xbox banner. As we saw with Starfield’s Xbox console exclusivity earlier this year, it’s quite likely that The Elder Scrolls 6 will be a flagship exclusive for Microsoft, releasing on PC and Xbox consoles but skipping PlayStation.
This isn’t the only evidence that The Elder Scrolls 6 may be skipping PlayStation consoles. A recently leaked document from the Microsoft vs. FTC court case discovered and shared by Axios reporter Stephen Totilo Twitterrevealed that the game is internal The launch is planned for Xbox and PC. Microsoft has not yet officially confirmed or denied the details leaked in the document, but early indications suggest that the sequel is eyeing an exclusive release on Xbox consoles.
However, it is still a mystery which Xbox consoles it will appear on. While the Xbox Series Plans for the next generation of Xbox hardware are already underway. According to the leak, this mysterious next generation Xbox is expected to launch in 2028. With The Elder Scrolls 6 rumored to be at least five years away, there’s a good chance Bethesda will release the sequel on this new Xbox platform.
Will Fallout 5 and Indiana Jones affect the release of The Elder Scrolls 6?
Aside from the big questions, what else do we know about Elder Scrolls 6? Well, for one thing, it’s confirmed that it will release before Bethesda’s next project, Fallout 5. Todd Howard confirmed this when speaking to IGN in 2022 Fallout 5 is the next project in the pipeline after Elder Scrolls 6although he noted that it will take many years.
According to the developer, there is a “One pager for Fallout 5” with a high-level overview of what the team wants to achieve, however, will only be the studio’s focus after the release of Elder Scrolls 6.
Todd Howard is also involved in another big project: The Elder Scrolls director is serving as a producer for Machine Games’ upcoming Indiana Jones title. Bethesda’s head of marketing, Pete Hines, confirmed whether the role would impact the release of The Elder Scrolls 6 via Twitter that Howard’s work on Indiana Jones will not delay Bethesda Game Studios’ projects. “Todd is currently EP on many BGS and other projects,” Hines told fans. “His primary focus continues to be leading the upcoming Starfield and TES6 games.”
The Elder Scrolls 6 teaser trailer
When The Elder Scrolls 6 was announced at E3 2018, there was a 36-second teaser trailer. The footage doesn’t offer viewers much information about the sequel, but it could give a hint of the setting and a brief glimpse of a sprawling landscape.
Possible setting for Elder Scrolls 6
As for the setting, Bethesda hasn’t commented on where the latest Elder Scrolls will take place. As far as confirmed information goes, we just have to look at the game’s 36-second announcement teaser, which shows a massive mountain range and a picturesque coastline overlooking a vast ocean. But that hasn’t stopped eager Elder Scrolls fans from finding out exactly where the next game’s adventure will take us.
The prevailing theory is that the sequel will give players free reign Hammerfall – the central location of The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall and The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard, as well as a visitable location in The Elder Scrolls Online. With tropical forests, rugged mountains, and picturesque coastal towns, Hammerfell’s depictions in previous Elder Scrolls games seem to match the teaser pretty perfectly, suggesting that we may get to explore the home of the Redguards once again.
Under consideration of Lore from previous entries, there would be more than enough to justify a visit to Hammerfell. Whether you’re venturing through the harsh Alik’r Desert, ascending to the mountainous orc capital of Orsinium, or returning to Iliac Bay years after Daggerfall, a modern version of Hammerfell could easily be the franchise’s most diverse and varied setting yet.
But there are plenty of other places The Elder Scrolls 6 could take us instead. Speculation suggests that High Rock may be the central setting of Elder Scrolls 6, with the setting’s surroundings and terrain fairly closely mirroring Hammerfell as they are neighboring regions. With the power of a potential next-generation platform on Bethesda’s side, we might even be able to explore multiple regions. Until we get more official information, we’ll just have to wait and see.
Elder Scrolls 6 gameplay rumors
Similar to the sequel’s setting, we currently know very little about how The Elder Scrolls 6 will play. However, early comments from Bethesda seem to suggest that it will follow in Starfield’s footsteps and is a project that Bethesda hopes players will enjoy for years to come.
During our IGN Unfiltered interview with Todd Howard in 2020the director of Bethesda Game Studios revealed: “This is a game that we have to design so that people can play it for at least a decade.” It seems that the idea is to create a project that is constantly evolving and is infinitely replayable, keeping players invested in the years between major Elder Scrolls releases.
When we met Howard a later episode of IGN Unfiltered, he also hinted that interactivity will be a big focus in the future. When discussing what he thinks could be improved about The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, Howard noted: “There are a number of parts where we don’t go deep enough. Where it’s just a facade in terms of its interactivity.” He elaborates on this point, claiming that the team’s new approach is to look at every system in the game and think: “Whatever that system is, How profound can we make it.”
This approach is quite evident in the team’s latest RPG: Starfield, which gives players the ability to construct ships, modify weapons, and build large outposts on planets. It seems that the same desire to create a deeper level of interactivity will also be present in The Elder Scrolls 6.
Will The Elder Scrolls 6 be Todd Howard’s last Elder Scrolls game?
As for other information we know about the sequel, it could potentially involve the legendary Bethesda Game Studios director Todd Howard’s final Elder Scrolls game. When Howard spoke to us in June about the lengthy process of developing modern games, he claimed: “When we look at Elder Scrolls 6, it’s one where… I probably shouldn’t say that.” But when I do the math, I’m not getting any younger. How long do people play Elder Scrolls? This might be the last thing I do. I don’t know.”
Since Todd Howard has been an integral part of the series for decades, his departure would be the end of an era for The Elder Scrolls series.
What engine is The Elder Scrolls 6 built on?
We also know that the game will benefit from an updated version of Bethesda’s Creation engine. The Creation Engine used to develop The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim has long been controversial among fans, many of whom believe it is outdated.
For the past few years, Bethesda has been working on a heavily updated version of the Creation Engine that was implemented in Starfield and will be used to develop The Elder Scrolls 6. Speaking of which Develop: Keynote session in BrightonTodd Howard called the upgrade “the biggest [overhaul] “We’ve probably had this before, perhaps bigger than Morrowind to Oblivion,” praising its presentation, pathfinding, procedural generation and animation.
With Starfield giving us our first full look at the Creation Engine upgrade in action, it stands to reason that the technology behind Elder Scrolls 6 will have a lot in common with Bethesda’s sprawling open-world space RPG.
Callum Williams is a freelance media writer with extensive experience as a games critic, news reporter, travel guide writer and feature writer.
