The Elder Scrolls VI is now in early development, Bethesda has confirmed. Speaking to Spanish publication Vandal, Pete Hines, head of Bethesda’s publishing division, confirmed that while the hype for Starfield is getting closer, some developers at the studio have been working on the Tamriel fantasy sequel, which has now exited the pre-production stage. Both Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6 were revealed at the 2018 E3 event, with the former sci-fi RPG way ahead of the release pipeline. For now, Bethesda is fully focused on launch and possible post-launch support, which is why it’ll be at least a few years before we hear any new details about TES 6.
“We put all of our studio’s focus on making this game the best it could be,” Hines said in the interview (translation from a ResetEra post). “And yes, there are people working on The Elder Scrolls VI, but this is what the studio has focused on. So no, you’re not going to hear about The Elder Scrolls 6 early.” The timeline echoes Xbox head Phil Spencer’s testimony at Microsoft’s lawsuit against the U.S. FTC in June, where he claimed the game would be at least five years away and he wasn’t sure which platforms the game would appear on . It is clear that PC and Xbox would be the main platforms, as Microsoft had acquired Bethesda’s parent company ZeniMax in 2020 in a $7.5 billion (approximately Rs. 61,990 crore) deal.
However, Spencer’s statement also makes it appear that The Elder Scrolls 6 may not appear on the Xbox Series S/X. During the same trial, Microsoft stated that the next generation of game consoles – both theirs and Sony’s – should be out in 2028, which is roughly the time Spencer claims TES 6 will be ready. “It’s the same team that finishes Starfield, which comes out in September,” he said at the hearing.
The Xbox Series S is already causing problems for developers due to its technical limitations – a recent example is Baldur’s Gate 3, where developer Larian Studios has struggled to include split-screen co-op on the cheaper console. The Xbox version is scheduled for sometime later this year.
Coming back to The Elder Scrolls 6: Bethesda has been pretty tight-lipped on the details, with a 2021 interview revealing that it will be using the overhauled Creation Engine 2 for development. The same engine will be used for the upcoming Starfield game, which was recently the subject of drama due to some leaks that left fans concerned about the scope of the exploration and any invisible walls. According to director Todd Howard, the game can best be described as “Skyrim in space” and happens to be Bethesda’s first new universe in 25 years, taking you on a futuristic journey to explore the space of 2330, its planets and inhabitants. From humble beginnings as a space miner, the player joins Constellation – the last group of space explorers searching for rare artifacts across the galaxy.
Currently, there is no solid release date for The Elder Scrolls VI. Meanwhile, Starfield releases on September 6 for PC and Xbox Series S/X.
