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Elder Scrolls 6 Release Date & Features: 10 Things to Know

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We don’t have an official Elder Scrolls 6 release date yet and we won’t get one for awhile. While we wait, here’s what you need to know right now about the next Elder Scrolls game based on traditions, rumors, confirmed information, and what we expect from Bethesda.

Its been over a decade since Bethesda released Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. And while the next Elder Scrolls game is confirmed, it won’t hit shelves for a long, long time.

Elder Scrolls 6 is the game’s preliminary title and the game is currently in development behind the scenes. Bethesda remains tight-lipped about its plans for the game and it will probably remain silent for the foreseeable future. There’s a reason for that and we’ll touch on it below.

Unlike other games, GTA 6 for example, we haven’t seen any major leaks so we, and fans of the series, are working with very little information.

That said, we’ve put together a guide that will take you some of the basic things to know about Elder Scrolls 6 and its release.

Here’s a closer look at what you can expect from Elder Scrolls 6’s features, release date, consoles, and more.

Elder Scrolls 6 Trailer

Its been five plus years since Bethesda confirmed Elder Scrolls 6. The confirmation came all the way back in June of 2018 when the company released a teaser trailer, which you can watch below.

Unfortunately, the trailer doesn’t reveal much and it will probably be the last look we get at the next Elder Scrolls game for a long while.

Elder Scrolls 6 Launch Date

When Bethesda released the trailer, it noted that the game was in pre-production. In 2022, it was revealed the game is still in the pre-production process. While that might be disappointing to fans of the series, there’s a very good reason for this.

Bethesda’s currently working on its latest RPG, Starfield. Starfield is Bethesda’s first new developed intellectual property in over 25 years.

Bethesda will support Starfield with DLC content and mods for the foreseeable future so much of its attention will stay on the game.

One other thing of note: Todd Howard says Elder Scrolls 6 may be the last Elder Scrolls game with him at the helm. This makes sense given how long it takes to make these games and how long Bethesda supports them post-launch.

He reiterated that he will be directing the game in an interview with GQ and it will be his fourth time in charge of an Elder Scrolls game.

Elder Scrolls 6 Release Date

Much like Starfield, we should get a preliminary Elder Scrolls 6 release date well in advance. Of course, that doesn’t mean the company will stick with the date.

Bethesda has delayed games in the past and there’s a chance we see the Elder Scrolls 6 release date get pushed back several times before the developer feels comfortable releasing the game to the public.

As for a specific date, Bethesda’s Todd Howard has said we may not see the game land until 2026. And that’s the earliest we may see it hit consoles and PC.

According to Xbox’s Phil Spencer, the Elder Scrolls 6 is likely “five plus years away.” He made the comment during testimony at the Microsoft FTC trial. If Spencer’s comments hold up, it means we may not see the Elder Scrolls 6 release date land until 2028.

A Microsoft lawyer told a judge the projected Elder Scrolls 6 (he called it Elder Scrolls 16) release date is 2026, the same timeframe put forth by Howard.

Documents from Microsoft’s FTC case state the game’s release date is “TBC, but expected in 2026 or later.”

Elder Scrolls 6 Consoles

As it stands, Starfield is exclusive to the Xbox and Windows PC. That may change in the months ahead. And if it does, we could see Elder Scrolls 6 released for PlayStation.

Back in 2021, Xbox head Phil Spencer all but confirmed Elder Scrolls 6 would be an Xbox exclusive. However, he has since walked those comments back.

Last year, during Microsoft’s FTC trial, Spencer said it’s “difficult for us right now to nail down exactly what platforms that game will launch on.” In other words, the company is currently undecided about a launch on PlayStation. And now, we may know why.

Microsoft is planning to bring some of its games to PlayStation including Hi-Fi Rush, Pentiment, Sea of Thieves, and Grounded. We should see more in the future, but Microsoft hasn’t confirmed.

The move doesn’t confirm anything, but it certainly opens the door for a Elder Scrolls 6 release on PlayStation.

As for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, there’s no guarantee the game arrives for current-generation platforms either.

Documents suggest Sony is planning to release PS6 sometime after 2027. If that’s accurate, we’d expect Microsoft to release a new Xbox around that time as well.

Additional documents emerged out of Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard trial and they suggest the company expects to release a next-gen console in 2028. Microsoft expects Sony to launch its own console in 2028 as well.

If the Elder Scrolls 6 release date gets pushed into 2028 or beyond, and that is within the realm of possibility, it could be exclusive to next-generation consoles.

Elder Scrolls 6 Pre-Orders

It almost goes without saying, but don’t buy any Elder Scrolls 6 pre-orders from sites like eBay or other places promising early access to the game. They’re scams.

Elder Scrolls 6 pre-orders will go live when Bethesda showcases the game in full. In other words, don’t expect it to go on sale at retailers for many years.

Elder Scrolls 6 Price

As of right now, you can expect the base version of Elder Scrolls 6 for Xbox One Series X to start at $69.99. This is the going rate for most AAA games right now. That could obviously change down the road, but this is what to expect at this point.

If Bethesda releases additional bundles, and there’s no doubt in our mind that it will, you can expect those bundles to cost more money.

Elder Scrolls 6 Setting

The Elder Scrolls 6 trailer has led to a ton of speculation about the game’s setting, but as of yet, nothing has been confirmed. That being said, Todd Howard has said the game’s setting has already been decided.

As of right now, smart money is currently on Hammerfell, which enthusiasts know as the home of the Redguards. Much of this speculation has come from a tweet from the Elder Scrolls account.

The tweet features a map of Skyrim and says “transcribe the past and map the future.” One of the candles on the map is right where Hammerfall is, leading some to believe this is a clue.

Of course, this could simply be a coincidence, but others have noted that they believe the land shown in the game’s trailer matches up with Hammerfall.

Elder Scrolls 6 Features

The game is still in early development so we don’t have much information in the way of new features, but here are a few things you can expect.

Todd Howard told The Telegraph and GQ that his company is using the same engine for Starfield and Elder Scrolls 6. Obviously, there will be differences as the company makes improvements to the engine, but at least some of the tech should be similar.

Howard also told IGN that, much like Skyrim, Elder Scrolls 6 is a game is being designed with replayability in mind. He says that it needs to be made in such a way that people will be playing it for a decade or more.

In other words, you can expect the game to offer many of the same elements that make games like Fallout and the previous Elder Scrolls games so popular.

We also know that the Skyrim Grandma, Shirley Curry, will appear in the next Elder Scrolls game in some capacity.

Bethesda’s former design director Bruce Nesmith, who lead design on Skyrim, recently made some interesting comments about the game in an interview with MinnMax.

Nesmith, who retired in 2021 after helping design Starfield, says players can expect Elder Scrolls 6 to keep a similar approach to leveling and progression. He also believes the game will keep some of the elements from Skyrim’s magic system that he helped design.

He also believes we won’t hear much about the game until we’re about six months or so away from the game’s release.

Elder Scrolls 6 Mods

Mod support for Bethesda games is always fantastic and you can expect a robust community for Elder Scrolls 6 as well.

Again, as noted above, Howard says these types of games are built to ensure for a decade or longer and mod support plays a huge part in that.

Elder Scrolls 6 PC Requirements

If you’re planning to play Elder Scrolls 6 on a Windows PC, note we won’t get the game’s minimum and recommended requirements until we’re close to the release date.

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