As fans eagerly anticipate more information on The Elder Scrolls 6 (TES 6), new insights have surfaced, shedding light on its current state. Bethesda Softworks Vice President Pete Hines confirmed that the game is in "early development," a statement further elaborated upon by Todd Howard in June 2021, describing it as in its "design phase."
A Timeline of Development Phases
Despite a teaser trailer from five years ago that announced TES 6, the game's development has seen slow progress. According to Hines, the studio has primarily focused on Starfield, their ambitious space RPG. This focus has left TES 6 and Fallout 5 as secondary projects, but with Starfield set to release next week, this will likely change. Hines stated, "We have put all of our studios focused on making [Starfield] the best it can be."
Trusting the Teaser?
Given that TES 6 remained in the concept and design phase even three years post-teaser, the question arises: how reliable is the teaser for discerning the game's details? Trailers can be deceptive indicators of a game's final outcome, as demonstrated by the disparity between Cyberpunk 2077's initial reveal and its final release.
Speculating on the Setting: Hammerfell or High Rock?
Evidence suggesting the game's setting is scant but intriguing. The teaser trailer showed a mountain range that might indicate the High Rock region, Hammerfell's neighbor. However, mountain ranges are common across Tamriel, and the teaser could simply be intentionally vague.
Cryptic Clues in Starfield and Beyond
In Starfield, fans noted a marking on a ship's console resembling the Iliac Bay, the water body between Hammerfell and High Rock. In addition, Bethesda released a map of Skyrim in 2020 with three candles placed atop it. Fans speculate these candles, marking Solitude, Yngvild, and Elinhir, are clues pointing towards TES 6's setting.