Bethesda has provided a small update on the development of The Elder Scrolls 6 on the franchise’s 30th anniversary. The highly anticipated RPG is still likely several years away from release, though Bethesda says that the team is already playing early builds of the game.
Last but not least, yes, we are in development on the next chapter – The Elder Scrolls VI,” reads a message posted by Bethesda on the 30th anniversary of The Elder Scrolls franchise. “Even now. returning to Tamriel and playing early builds has us filled with the same joy, excitement, and promise of adventure.”
The fact that Bethesda is testing early builds of The Elder Scrolls 6 isn’t indicative of how far along it is in development, though it’s still a good sign that things are progressing smoothly. Unfortunately, it’s hard to tell just how early those builds are. We know that in early 2022, the game was still in pre-production as Bethesda Game Studios focused its efforts on Starfield. The Elder Scrolls 6 only officially entered early development in August 2023 after the studio completed its work on its sci-fi RPG first.
Happy 30 years of The Elder Scrolls: pic.twitter.com/dvCiFnZo6T
— Bethesda Game Studios (@BethesdaStudios) March 25, 2024
There’s been some speculation about where The Elder Scrolls 6 could take place, though we speculate that it could be set in High Rock, Hammerfell or both locations on Tamriel, given the small bits of evidence we’ve received so far from Bethesda and other sources.
Considering that Bethesda Game Studios’ development cycle usually produces one major title every 3-4 years (or 5 years in the case of Starfield), it’s safe to assume that The Elder Scrolls 6 will launch by late 2026 or 2027 at the earliest. Last year, FTC court documents revealed that Microsoft doesn’t plan on releasing The Elder Scrolls 6 on PS5, though plans could easily change in the years to come.
The Elder Scrolls 6 is still in development.
Source: Bethesda
