In a recent development, Bethesda has substantiated the ongoing rumours surrounding the initiation of the early development process of the much-anticipated game, The Elder Scrolls VI. This announcement was made by Bethesda's Head of Publishing, Pete Hines, during an interaction with the Spanish publication, Vandal. Despite the mounting anticipation for Bethesda's other significant project, Starfield, it has been confirmed that a segment of the development team is engrossed in laying the groundwork for the sequel to the fantasy series set in Tamriel.
Journey from Pre-production to Development
Initially revealed at the E3 event in 2018, both The Elder Scrolls VI and Starfield have been significant talking points in the gaming industry. While the science fiction role-playing game, Starfield, is further along the development pipeline, The Elder Scrolls VI has recently transitioned from the pre-production phase. Currently, Bethesda is channelizing most of its energy and resources towards the successful launch and subsequent support for Starfield, which clearly demarcates that further details pertaining to The Elder Scrolls VI might not be unveiled in the near future.
Pete Hines emphasized the studio's commitment to presenting a remarkable gaming experience through Starfield by stating, “We have put all of our studio's focus on making this game the best it can be.” He also acknowledged the work in progress on The Elder Scrolls VI, albeit at a nascent stage. Consequently, substantial updates on this project may not surface anytime soon.
Projected Timeline and Platform Availability
Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox, provided some insights into the projected timeline for The Elder Scrolls VI during Microsoft's trial against the US FTC in June. Spencer projected a release timeframe of at least five more years, with uncertainty surrounding the platforms that would support the game. The acquisition of Bethesda's parent company, ZeniMax, by Microsoft in a deal worth approximately $7.5 billion in 2020, primarily directs the focus towards PC and Xbox as the main platforms for its release.
Nevertheless, Spencer's statement leaves room for speculation regarding the game's availability on the upcoming versions of the Xbox Series S/X. This speculation is fueled further by the revelation that the next generation of gaming consoles from both Microsoft and Sony is slated to be launched in 2028, a timeline aligning with Spencer's predictions for the game's release.