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Bethesda unveiled The Elder Scrolls 6 in 2018 with a brief teaser trailer, but information about the highly anticipated sequel has been scarce in the years that followed. Though so little is known about the forthcoming open-world RPG, we’ve compiled everything available from across the internet to prepare you for whenever Bethesda and Microsoft decide to disclose more about the game.
Bethesda has been understandably more focused on the Fallout series in recent times thanks to the success of the TV show on Prime Video. After all, the success of the show drove a renewed interest in the games, including Fallout 76, which has now climbed past 20 million players. But The Elder Scrolls 6 is still coming, even if it’s some time away. Here’s everything we know so far about The Elder Scrolls 6.
When will The Elder Scrolls 6 release?
The Elder Scrolls 6 does have a release date, or a release window, and executive producer Todd Howard knows it, but he said it would be “foolish” to announce. Whether or not there is a release date, the game won’t be out for a while. After the initial reveal, ZeniMax Online Studios boss Matt Firor suggested it’s “not coming anytime soon.” Firor also said the game might launch this console generation, further underscoring just how uncertain the release really is. In 2023, it was reported that The Elder Scrolls 6 was not going to release until 2026 at the very soonest. Given that timeline, it seems likely, or at least possible, that The Elder Scrolls 6 could release on the rumored next Xbox and PlayStation consoles.
Pre-order The Elder Scrolls 6
Because The Elder Scrolls 6 doesn’t have a public release date, the game isn’t available for preorder anywhere. Furthermore, it seems any additional details about the game won’t be revealed for a few more years. Once preorders go live at the usual retailers–Best Buy, Target, Walmart, et al.–we’ll update this section to include details about available bonuses.
Watch the Elder Scrolls 6 trailer here
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Click To Unmute The Elder Scrolls 6 Reveal Teaser Trailer | Bethesda E3 2018 ShareSize:640 × 360480 × 270
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Aside from the above teaser, Bethesda hasn’t shared any other visuals from The Elder Scrolls 6. The clip is brief. It’s 36 seconds of a camera flying over a foggy, mountainous region before coming to a clearing, then splashing the game’s title across the center of the screen only to immediately cut to black. There is no gameplay footage yet; the announcement trailer was more of a mood piece.
Sleuthing fans have suggested that The Elder Scrolls 6 may take place in Hammerfell, but neither the above teaser nor Bethesda confirm this.
The Elder Scrolls 6 platforms
We know The Elder Scrolls 6 will launch on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S, thanks to Microsoft’s $7.5 billion acquisition of ZeniMax Media. And as part of that purchase, we also know the game will hit Xbox Game Pass the same day it releases worldwide, letting players jump into the highly anticipated open-world sequel without buying the game outright.
But whether The Elder Scrolls 6 comes to PS4 or PS5 remains a mystery. Rumors began circulating that Microsoft buying ZeniMax Media might indicate that all Bethesda games will be Xbox exclusive from now on, and that was seemingly backed up by a report from 2023. Microsoft has yet to counter this sentiment; however, Xbox head Phill Spencer has said that the deal isn’t forcing any decisions about platforms.
Both Howard and Spencer have separately said their companies would review releases and platforms on a “case-by-case basis,” possibly hinting that, at the very least, the next mainline Elder Scrolls game could be multi-platform.
What we know about The Elder Scrolls 6
The Elder Scrolls 6 has not appeared at any showcase since its original unveiling at E3 2018, and that includes a no-show at the Xbox Games Showcase 2024 this June. One of the only concrete pieces of information we know about the game is it marks the “largest engine overhaul” Bethesda has undertaken since Oblivion. The company even teased some of the features this new game engine should retain, including mod support.
In 2023, Howard suggested he had some regrets about announcing The Elder Scrolls 6 so early.
“I have asked myself that a lot,” he said. “I don’t know. I probably would’ve announced it more casually.”
More recently, Howard reflected on the fact that it’s now been six years since The Elder Scrolls 6 was announced in 2018. He told MrMattyPlays, “It’s the sixth anniversary of us releasing the teaser for Elder Scrolls 6, and so that did make me pause and say, ‘Oh wow, that has been a while.'”
Howard also confirmed that The Elder Scrolls 6, or whatever it’s called, does already have a codename but he would not reveal it. As for what he could say, Howard said the game aims to “fill that role of the ultimate fantasy-world simulator.”
“And there are different ways to accomplish that given the time that has passed,” he said.
Keep checking back with GameSpot for more on The Elder Scrolls 6.
