The Elder Scrolls 6: Everything We Know

It’s been just shy of five years since Bethesda initially announced The Elder Scrolls 6, and yet, here we are, still without a product. And while this isn’t particularly great news for any fan of the beloved IP, it is a slight consolation to know that, in spite of everything, it’s definitely happening. Unfortunately, it probably won’t officially happen until around 2026, maybe even 2027.

So, why the long wait? Well, according to Todd Howard over at Bethesda, putting a game into production takes roughly three years to complete, and then another six months to test and polish. And given the fact that 2023 will see in the arrival of Starfield, Bethesda’s latest brainchild, it seems more and more likely that TES 6 won’t exit its pre-production phase until after that. So, 2026, all things considered.

The good news is, social media hasn’t exactly been quiet since the devs first announced the game back in 2018. And while screenshots and intricate details are somewhat scarce, there has been a considerable amount of talk — particularly from Todd Howard and other Bethesda staff. So, if you’re wondering what on earth is actually going on in Tamriel, then be sure to read on. Here’s everything we can tell you about The Elder Scrolls 6.

What Is The Elder Scrolls 6?

The Elder Scrolls 6 is an upcoming RPG by Bethesda, and the first mainline entry since 2011’s Skyrim. Supposedly, it’ll feature a new and improved tale within the confines of Tamriel—a continent that has housed every chapter in the series to date. As for where in Tamriel it’ll cast its focus is still anybody’s guess, though rumors have suggested that it’ll highlight both the Hammerfell and Skyrim regions. But you can take that with a grain of salt, given Bethesda’s lack of input.

Story

As it stands, there are no strands to unravel as far as potential storylines go. That said, thanks to Bethesda revealing a map as part of a cryptic tweet back in 2020, it’s fair to say that it’ll be based around Skyrim and Hammerfell, which will essentially make it twice the size of the fifth instalment. As for what events will take place within these two prestigious provinces is still anybody’s guess. It’ll have something to do with the Redguard, though, seeing as its home is within the grounds of Hammerfell.

Transcribe the past and map the future. 📖
Here's to a Happy New Year!🕯 pic.twitter.com/bL44CzLDIE

— The Elder Scrolls (@ElderScrolls) December 31, 2020

Gameplay

If you’ve played any of the past entries in The Elder Scrolls anthology, then you’ll no doubt already have a clear idea of what the gameplay will be like. In short, it’ll lean on open world exploration with fantasy and role-playing elements, and not to mention its signature melee and elemental magic-based combat.

Given the fact that the game is being built on the same engine as Starfield, we can only begin to imagine how visually, aurally, and mechanically sound The Elder Scrolls 6 will be. As it should, what with it being on Bethesda’s bulletin board for the best part of half a decade already.

Development

Bethesda Softworks first announced the sixth mainline entry in The Elder Scrolls timeline way back in June of 2018. Since dropping a teaser trailer to keep fans of the IP on tenterhooks, news has been pretty scarce on the matter, though admittedly, this is partly down to the fact that other projects have been under the hammer, also.

“The vast majority of our development work is on Starfield right now but everybody works on everything so the projects kind of intertwine,” Howard explained. “It’s good to think of The Elder Scrolls 6 as still being in a design [phase]… but we’re checking the tech: ‘Is this going to handle the things we want to do in that game?’ Every game will have some new suites of technology so Elder Scrolls 6 will have some additions on to Creation Engine 2 that that game is going to require.”

If what insiders have been saying is true, then chances are The Elder Scrolls 6 won’t arrive for a few more years yet. It’ll be made exclusive to Xbox and PC users, too, according to Phil Spencer, who’s made it clear that Xbox’s intentions are to have “Bethesda content to show up the best on our platforms.”

Trailer

In spite of Bethesda’s silence on the matter, fans can rest assured that there is, if only just, a trailer to brush over with a fine-tooth comb. You can see it for yourself in the video embedded above.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

With Bethesda Softworks being acquired by Microsoft, it’s only natural that The Elder Scrolls 6 would launch as an Xbox and PC exclusive. Having said that, Todd Howard did shoot down the possibility of it being restricted to Xbox, saying that “it’s too hard to imagine” it not being rolled out to other major platforms.

“What we’ll do in the long run is we don’t have intentions of just pulling all of Bethesda content out of Sony or Nintendo or otherwise,” Spencer added. “But what we want is we want that content to be either first or better or best, or pick your differentiated experience, on our platforms. We will want Bethesda content to show up the best on our platforms.

There’s a chance, too, that The Elder Scrolls 6 will be a day-one exclusive on Game Pass. According to Phil Spencer, Bethesda “were early supporters of Xbox Game Pass” — a fact that was backed up by its decision to bring the entire Elder Scrolls anthology to the platform.

“Just as they took the bold first steps to bring The Elder Scrolls franchise to the original Xbox, Bethesda were early supporters of Xbox Game Pass, bringing their games to new audiences across devices and have been actively investing in new gaming technology like cloud streaming of games,” Spencer wrote.

As we’re still a ways off yet, we can’t say for certain what, if any, the special editions will look like. It’s fair to say that there will be something of the sort though, what with the series having released various versions with each new chapter.

So, what’s your take? Will you be getting your hands on a copy of The Elder Scrolls 6 when it eventually releases? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.