Elder Scrolls 6: Announcement trailer, potential Xbox exclusivity & everything we know

Fans are still eagerly awaiting information about the forthcoming Elder Scrolls 6 game. While we know the game is in development, Bethesda has remained tightlipped regarding further details. Here’s everything we know so far about our next trip to Tamriel in Elder Scrolls 6.

Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls series is up there with the most iconic RPG franchises in history. From its retro roots in Elder Scrolls 1 and 2 to the huge step-up in Morrowind, to the game that truly launched the franchise – Oblivion. Then there’s the game that took the franchise into the stratosphere; Skyrim.

The series has also launched one of the most successful MMOs of all time in The Elder Scrolls Online, but this multiplayer adventure has not slaked fan’s hunger for a new solo main-line Elder Scrolls game. We know that Elder Scrolls 6 is in development, but the game is shrouded in mystery. That being said, there has been some news and updates regarding the adventure, where it will be set, and which platforms it will be coming to – and when.

Contents

• Announcement trailer
• Is there an Elder Scrolls 6 release date yet?
• Will The Elder Scrolls 6 be a Microsoft exclusive?
• NPCs & Settlements

Could this land be High Rock?

Elder Scrolls 6 Announcement trailer

The official teaser trailer was released for the eventual successor to Skyrim back at E3 2018. It came with the caption: “Currently in pre-production at Bethesda Game Studios, the acclaimed developers of Skyrim and Fallout 4. The highly-anticipated next chapter in the iconic The Elder Scrolls series.”

Visually, this is the only evidence we’ve received from Bethesda about Elder Scrolls 6. The location in the trailer looks a lot like High Rock, a region north of Hammerfell which is where some fans expect the next game to take place.

Both High Rock and Hammerfell have been seen in previous Elder Scrolls games, but they’ve never been the star of the show like Morrowind, Cyrodil, and Skyrim have been.

Is there an Elder Scrolls 6 release date yet?

No, not yet. It’s unlikely that we will see the newest installment any time soon. That is because Bethesda’s other big RPG project Starfield was always going to be first.

Now that Starfield is out, however, we may see some movement on the TES6 front.

In a recent court document, Microsoft submitted a chart about its approach to acquisitions since 2018, which shows the new Elder Scrolls isn’t expected until “2026 or later.”

Will Elder Scrolls 6 be a Microsoft exclusive?

Yes, while the news may disappoint those who only own Sony consoles, it has been confirmed that like Starfield, the Elder Scrolls 6 will be a Microsoft exclusive.

This means it’s likely to only be released on PC and Xbox consoles. 

Todd Howard has been tight-lipped about the Elder Scrolls 6 so far.

NPCs and Settlements

In an interview with IGN, Todd Howard discussed how NPCs in TES6 are being designed to be more detailed and varied. This goes hand-in-hand with Howard saying that settlements and cities will be larger and more expansive. This all seems to point towards a more immersive experience for the RPG.

“The gap in between [Elder Scrolls games] is going to be long, it already is,” Howard said, followed by:

“On one hand, I think it’s good to miss things. I think that makes people come to it with really, really fresh eyes, and I think when they eventually, see the game and what we have in mind, they’ll understand the gap more in terms of technology and what we want it to do.”

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