Bethesda Game Studios has delivered a promising update on The Elder Scrolls VI, shedding light on the current state of the eagerly awaited sequel in one of gaming's most iconic franchises. Announced back in 2018 with a brief teaser trailer at E3, the game has remained largely mysterious, a deliberate choice reflecting Bethesda's reputation for investing extensive time into developing deeply immersive, expansive role-playing games that have defined the genre for decades.
When The Elder Scrolls VI was first revealed, the studio's primary efforts were channeled into Starfield, their ambitious new intellectual property exploring vast cosmic frontiers. That project consumed years of development, culminating in its release and subsequent updates, while The Elder Scrolls VI simmered in the background. Bethesda has maintained a veil of secrecy around the fantasy epic, providing only occasional glimpses to assure the community that work continues steadily behind the scenes.
Bethesda's Latest Update on the Development of The Elder Scrolls VI
In a series of in-depth interviews conducted for Game Informer's recent Fallout retrospective feature, key figures at Bethesda Game Studios opened up about the project's trajectory. Studio director Angela Browder captured the team's enthusiasm, describing The Elder Scrolls VI as representing an “endless set of possibilities” thanks to monumental advancements in hardware, rendering technology, and the broader gaming industry since the era of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
Game director and executive producer Todd Howard, a longtime steward of the series, elaborated on the studio's workflow, emphasizing the practice of “overlapping” development cycles across projects. “It’s progressing really well,” Howard stated. “The majority of the studio’s on VI, but I’ll say this: We always overlap. So, we’re very used to overlapping development. And we have long pre-productions on things so that we feel good about them. And it’s a process. We all wish it went a little bit faster – or a lot faster – but it’s a process that we want to get right.”
This overlapping approach allows Bethesda to maintain momentum on multiple fronts, including ongoing support for existing titles and early planning for future endeavors, while ensuring the bulk of resources are dedicated to the core fantasy RPG. Browder further highlighted the excitement of returning to the rich world of Tamriel after years focused elsewhere, noting how technological leaps have opened doors that were unimaginable during previous entries. The studio's commitment to leveraging these innovations underscores a vision for The Elder Scrolls VI that pushes boundaries in scope, interactivity, and visual fidelity.
Studio design director Emil Pagliarulo addressed the extended development timeline directly, framing it as essential for delivering a product worthy of the franchise's legacy. He stressed that the team will take “as long as it needs to be great,” prioritizing thorough iteration, polishing, and bug resolution over hasty release.
Games take a long time, and games get pushed all the time; GTA just got pushed again, which was the smartest thing they could do, because a game the size of these games, they take not just a long time to make, but a long time to spit and polish and iron out the bugs. And so, what do fans really want? Do they want a game that comes out before it should and doesn’t meet their expectations? Or do they want the turkey that is in the oven for long enough to be delicious when it finally comes out of the oven, you know? That’s what I think people are going to want. So, we’re going to take our time and as long as it needs to be to be great.
Pagliarulo's analogy resonates with Bethesda's history of refining massive open-world experiences, from the groundbreaking freedom of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind to the cultural phenomenon of Skyrim, which continues to thrive through mods and re-releases more than a decade later. The studio's track record demonstrates that patience often yields enduring classics, capable of captivating players for years.
These comments come amid a period of transition for Bethesda, following the launch of Starfield and its expansions, as well as remastered efforts like the recent shadow-drop of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. With the Creation Engine 2 now battle-tested, the foundation is set for The Elder Scrolls VI to build upon lessons learned, potentially introducing unprecedented scale and depth to the series' signature elements—exploration, faction intrigue, magic systems, and player-driven narratives.
While no specific release window or gameplay details were shared, the overarching message from Bethesda's leadership is one of steady advancement and genuine passion. The majority of the studio is now focused on this project, signaling that it has moved firmly into active production following years of pre-production planning.
Fans of the Elder Scrolls franchise continue to highly anticipate The Elder Scrolls VI, viewing it as the next evolution in a series that has shaped open-world RPGs for generations. As development progresses, the promise of an expansive Tamriel adventure, enriched by modern technology and Bethesda's unwavering dedication to quality, keeps hope alive for a return to one of gaming's most beloved universes.
