About 989 days ago, Bethesda Games Studio released a 36 second trailer for The Elder Scrolls 6. Unsurprisingly, this trailer excited many fans, but revealed very little about the upcoming title. As such, there are probably thousands of days left in its development cycle. Todd Howard has confirmed this in many interviews. While it may be a while off, this long development period could actually benefit the game in many ways.
There are many reasons that The Elder Scrolls 6 likely has a long way to go. First, there are all of Bethesda's current development projects, such as Starfield, which are likely set for release before the Skyrim sequel. Next, there is all of the cutting edge technology that the title apparently uses. Finally, Microsoft's Bethesda acquisition could play massively into the game's lengthy development time, alongside the massive ambitions the studio has for it.
The Elder Scrolls 6 Comes Out After Starfield
Before any Skyrim sequel can come out, Starfield needs to release. This is the next big Bethesda open-world RPG, one with a more epic scale than any before it. Starfield reportedly maps an entire open-world universe. Not even Bethesda's MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online has anything like this sort of size. As of the moment, fans know incredibly little about Starfield, apart from a scant few leaked screenshots and artwork.
So, what can the Starfield leaks tell about The Elder Scrolls 6? Well, from the images already leaked, it is obvious that the game looks different compared to other Bethesda games. There are elements of Mass Effect and even the indie Space Engineers in the game's supposed aesthetics. These images also tell fans that the game is in an incredibly early stage of production, with incomplete textures and a lack of proper UI elements. Knowing that Starfield will come out before The Elder Scrolls 6, it is unsurprising that the game probably has many days left in development.
From Todd Howard's interviews about the the relationship between Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6, it seems incredibly likely that Starfield will act as a sort of prototype for the sixth Elder Scrolls title. The two evidently share similar new open world technology. Starfield is also the first title under Microsoft and Bethesda's new merger, so it seems incredibly likely that Starfield is testing the waters for the next installment in its central franchise.
The Technology For Elder Scrolls 6 Isn't Ready Yet
One of the reasons Starfield is coming out before The Elder Scrolls 6 is because both titles use the same core world generation system. According to Bethesda, both games will use the same procedural generation tools to forge their worlds. This is a technique Bethesda has used before, but not to anything like the scale these current projects require.
The way The Elder Scrolls 6's world is being developed uses a lot of procedural generation. First, random generation seeds create a rough shape to the world. Procedural elements spiral off from this, sculpting a world that feels realistically random. After being roughly hewn by random procedures, the world then undergoes a lot of refining. Cities flourish. Caves wind towards civilization. Finally, a full world arrives. The Elder Scrolls 6's procedural generation is one of the central causes of its far-off release.
Microsoft's Bethesda Acquisition Powers The Game
It would be, of course, remiss to not mention Microsoft's recent acquisition of Bethesda when considering why the next Elder Scrolls title is a long way off. The duo are already knee deep in the creation of not just Starfield, but also the new Indiana Jones title from Machine Games. Todd Howard has direct executive producer input on this title, and it could be further into production than The Elder Scrolls 6.
Microsoft and Bethesda have stated that the Indiana Jones game will not delay The Elder Scrolls 6's development. However, it should be noted that a development cycle and release date are not as linked as one might think. Now that Bethesda is owned by the larger company, it joins a huge list of studios and game franchises owned by Microsoft.
As such, its release schedule will likely change with Microsoft's general release plans, Game Pass schedule, and several other factors. Both companies have confirmed that all Bethesda games will be "first" on Xbox. Plus, Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6 will be available day one on Game Pass, which is a very powerful feather in Microsoft's cap. As such, it seems likely that the sixth game's release could be later due to Microsoft's crowded release schedule.
The Elder Scrolls 6 Will Be Playable For Decades
While Microsoft's input could cause further delays, it will be essential due to the game's huge ambition. Obviously, any sequel to Skyrim has a lot to live up to. The best Skyrim mods are still massively popular now. Skyrim's popularity means it makes perfect sense for its sequel to aim even higher.
For the first time since Skyrim, Bethesda's signature game tool, the Creation engine, is undergoing a massive overhaul. This will allow for a much more detailed focus on NPCs and large, labyrinthian cities in the title. The cities of The Elder Scrolls are already incredible, and this entry into the series looks to improve that even further. Newer technology will allow for a more active, dynamically shifting set of civilizations in The Elder Scrolls 6. While Skyrim still holds up, its cities do feel empty relative to more contemporary titles.
Further to all of this speculation about the new engine and its capabilities are Todd Howard's own words. In an interview with IGN, Todd Howard said that he wants The Elder Scrolls 6 to be playable for 10 years at least. Skyrim had its own playability tools like Radiant Quests, but most of its long life came as a result of mod support. If Bethesda are moving to design this new game with re-playability in mind, it could do absolute wonders for the game. If the gap between The Elder Scrolls 6 and Skyrim is anything to go by, Bethesda will need the decade of content before its next game.