The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is no doubt Bethesda’s most popular title to date. It’s been well-loved by fans since its initial release in 2011 and has gotten multiple re-releases. More than a decade after its debut, however, fans of the franchise are eagerly awaiting The Elder Scrolls 6.

Bethesda may be working on Starfield at the moment, but many believe that The Elder Scrolls 6 is somewhere on the horizon. Fans speculate that the game could come out anytime between 2024 and 2026 considering the development periods for the past titles in the franchise. Despite release dates being unclear, one thing’s for sure: fans want more than Skyrim set in Hammerfell.

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More Than Just Skyrim 2

The Elder Scrolls 6 Skyrim 2

The Elder Scrolls 6 has big shoes to fill, especially given how popular its predecessor is. Skyrim has seen various re-releases and, to this day, has an active modding community. Clearly, it’s well-loved in the gaming community. However, this is a double-edged sword, as the enduring praise for Skyrim also means heightened expectations for The Elder Scrolls 6.

Recent rumors that the next Elder Scrolls installment might be set in Hammerfell have rekindled the community’s interest in The Elder Scrolls 6, with players excited to see what Bethesda has in store for the beloved franchise. As with all sequels, there should be improvements in the game’s graphics, gameplay mechanics, and any other carried-over aspects that might have needed polish in Skyrim.

Though, most importantly, The Elder Scrolls 6 needs to set itself apart from Skyrim while still delivering a distinctly Elder Scrolls-esque experience. This is easier said than done, but there’s plenty that Bethesda can do to achieve this.

Create A Rich World with Plenty of Quests

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Assuming that The Elder Scrolls 6 will take place in Hammerfell, then there’s already plenty of opportunity to make a game world distinct from that of Skyrim. While the land of Skyrim is characterized by snowy mountains, chilly tundras, and dense forests, Hammerfell is known for its vast mountain ranges, wide grasslands, and the desolate Alik’r Desert.

Though aside from creating a novel game world, the elements that populate said game world are just as, if not more, important. In this regard, the developer would do well to improve on the Bethesda open-world formula. For example, Skyrim is filled with miscellaneous dungeons, but it’s guilty of having very similar interiors for them, stopping the areas from truly feeling distinct. The Elder Scrolls 6 can improve upon this by introducing more variety to its interiors so that dungeons aren’t merely draugr crypts or dwarven ruins.

Aside from this, it’s also crucial to populate the game world with quests. The many side quests and miscellaneous tasks are part of what made Skyrim such a fun experience. They’re a reward to players who go out of their way to explore and interact with the game world. That said, quests in The Elder Scrolls 6 should vary in content as well — from fetch quests that bring players to sprawling desert ruins to more conversation-driven quests that reveal more about Hammerfell’s cultures and traditions.

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Tweak Skyrim’s Combat Systems

Skyrim Orcs In Combat

Exploring and leveling up become more fun when a game’s internal systems are optimized for it. This is something that was arguably lacking in Skyrim. In this regard, The Elder Scrolls 6 could improve its combat by looking to the older titles in the franchise. Many in the community think that Skyrim’s combat was a step down from Oblivion in terms of its mechanics because the latter generally had more variety.

In terms of physical combat, Oblivion had four different power attacks for melee players, each with a unique effect. Skyrim removed this feature, reducing it to a simple power attack that dealt more damage. Though both titles have overpowered archery, Skyrim’s is overpowered to a ridiculous degree. Magic in Skyrim was also a step down, as the game didn’t allow for custom spells anymore.

Knowing this, The Elder Scrolls 6 can improve its combat by giving players more options (and tweaking archery to be less OP). It also wouldn’t hurt to reintroduce custom spell creation, perhaps with a more modern system. After all, Bethesda seems to be doing something similar with Starfield’s dialogue system, which takes inspiration from Oblivion’s persuasion mini-game.

Present a New Threat to The Elder Scrolls World

Alduin in The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

Finally, The Elders Scrolls 6 can set itself apart from Skyrim by introducing a new crisis, so to speak. Oblivion had the Oblivion Crisis, and Skyrim had the Dragon Crisis. As such, the next installment should bring something new to the table — a threat worthy of the game’s main questline. With rumors that The Elder Scrolls 6 might not have dragons, it seems likely that Bethesda has a new enemy up its sleeve.

This new threat could be anything from a formerly dormant force residing in the deserts of Hammerfell to a cataclysmic event that takes root in the region. And much like in Skyrim (as well as its predecessors), this main threat is felt throughout the player’s journey. The Hero of Kvatch finds dozens of Oblivion gates in their travels, while the Last Dragonborn constantly runs into hostile dragons. Such encounters remind the player of the dangers they face and what’s at stake, which makes the main questline more compelling. So, whatever the major threat is, it needs to be felt in The Elder Scrolls 6 at all times.

Of course, this is only a fraction of what Bethesda can do to make The Elder Scrolls 6 stand apart from Skyrim. And even then, there haven’t been any recent announcements on the sequel. The developer has been keeping the game close to its chest, so there isn’t much to go on. As such, fans will have to wait and see whether Bethesda decides to tease the long-awaited Elder Scrolls sequel. At the moment, people are optimistic that there might be news on The Elder Scrolls 6 by 2023, though that remains to be seen. Until then, perhaps modded Skyrim will suffice.

The Elder Scrolls 6 is currently in development.

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