Bethesda is currently working on a new game that isn't The Elder Scrolls 6 or Fallout 5, executive producer Todd Howard recently confirmed. While the Microsoft-owned studio is currently gearing up for the release of Starfield sometime next year, many fans are expecting Bethesda to also continue working on the next installment of two of its most successful franchises. Yet, somehow Bethesda still manages to slip in another new game that it hasn't announced yet.
In an interview last June, Howard revealed that The Elder Scrolls 6 is still in pre-production. The news certainly shocked some fans, given that the game was first announced in 2018 with a very short teaser trailer. In the same month, Howard also confirmed that Fallout 5 will be Bethesda's next big project right after the studio is done with The Elder Scrolls 6. Both of these games might still be years away, but that didn't stop Bethesda from working on a new project that will certainly raise fans' curiosity.
Speaking to Lex Fridman on the latest episode of his podcast, Howard revealed that Bethesda is currently working on a new mobile game. "Well, we've done a few things, and we have a new mobile game that we're working on that we haven't announced yet that I am in love with," Howard said while discussing the conceptual differences between designing a console game versus a mobile game.
Unfortunately, Howard didn't give away any details regarding its new mobile game. The only hint that Howard gave away is that the game would be a more in-depth experience rather than a game designed to be played in short bursts, referring to 2015's Fallout Shelter as an example. "We have found with our games, particularly Fallout Shelter, people will sit there for an hour or two. They will just sit there and play it. Large numbers of people will play it for hours a day," Howard said in the podcast.
This will be Bethesda's third crack at the mobile gaming market. Between this and Fallout Shelter, Bethesda actually released another mobile game titled The Elder Scrolls: Blades in 2020. Sadly, unlike Fallout Shelter which received glowing praise, The Elder Scrolls: Blades generally got unfavorable reviews from critics. Still, both games are considered commercial successes for Bethesda.
At this point, it's unclear whether the new mobile game will be based on one of Bethesda's successful franchises, or it will be a new IP entirely. It'll also likely be a while before Bethesda has anything more to talk about it, given that the studio is currently busy hyping up for the release of Starfield.