Ah, the smell of Tamriel grass and the sweet taste of Skooma. If you’re an Elder Scrolls fan, those words probably hit you right in the soul. But let’s not dwell in our nostalgia because we have updates, baby!
And if there’s one thing the Elder Scrolls community loves more than chugging healing potions during boss fights, it’s news about the long-awaited sequel: The Elder Scrolls 6.
Unfortunately, you might want to temper those blades and holster those spells first – the real quest here is one of your patience.
First off, yes, there’s good news: Bethesda has confirmed that the game is now in early development, stepping out of its conceptual diapers and into the toddling shoes of actual production. This marks a significant milestone in the project’s life cycle, considering that up until now, everything about The Elder Scrolls 6 was as nebulous as a Cheshire cat’s grin. Bethesda’s Pete Hines and Todd Howard have gone on record stating that while the majority of the Bethesda team has its eyes laser-focused on Starfield, their new sci-fi RPG outing, there is indeed a group that’s actively chipping away at The Elder Scrolls 6.
Speaking of Starfield, it’s an important piece of the puzzle to understand why Tamriel’s next chapter has been put on the back burner.
With its release date being around the corner, Bethesda is putting all its resources into making Starfield a hit. Even after the game releases, Bethesda isn’t planning on letting up, as a post-launch expansion for Starfield is already announced. So, those of us who are chanting “Dovahkiin, Dovahkiin” in our sleep might have to learn a few stanzas of whatever the Starfield anthem will be – maybe it’s “Todd, no offense man, that’s a good game.”
But let’s circle back to the game’s development timeline, shall we? Xbox Game Studios’ boss Phil Spencer shot an arrow to every hopeful adventurer’s knee when he confirmed that the game is “five-plus years away.” The most optimistic of estimates pegs a release at around 2028, an eon in gaming. This date isn’t official either and it’s a release window that even Todd Howard hasn’t dismissed in his interviews. Although if you ask Microsoft’s lawyers, they seem to believe it’s coming soon.
Howard himself has admitted that announcing the game in 2018 might have been a bit premature, given the amount of work needed to make the game the “ultimate fantasy world simulator.”
Why is it taking so long? Well, greatness can’t be rushed. The Elder Scrolls 6 is promised to be not just another game, but a whole world that will possibly outclass its predecessors in terms of complexity and interactivity. It’s a gargantuan promise that, if delivered, will most certainly redefine the genre just as Skyrim and Oblivion did in their time. Let’s not forget that the game could very well be exclusive to Xbox, given Bethesda’s acquisition by Microsoft and the comments made by Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty, although this is still speculative at best.
So, what are we left with? An assurance that the game is no longer just in pre-production, a whole lot of attention being devoted to Starfield, and a speculative release date that seems to drift further away the more we learn. But if there’s one thing that being an Elder Scrolls fan has taught us, it’s that good things indeed come to those who wait. The trick, as it seems, is to keep waiting – and maybe explore outer space a little or a trip back to Cyrodiil while we’re at it.
Starfield is coming out later this week. If you’re lucky enough, you might still have a chance to get yourself the game’s limited edition Chronomark watch.
