Given the reputation and legacy of the wider franchise, it is no wonder that so many are excited about The Elder Scrolls 6. With the last mainline release for the IP coming out over a decade ago, many fans are hoping that the next installment will provide the most detailed and exciting experience yet.
While little is known about The Elder Scrolls 6, some dominant theories have arisen regarding details such as the potential setting of the title: Hammerfell. The cities of The Elder Scrolls 6 need to truly stand out to help inform the desert-like location but prove worthy enough to follow up on Skyrim. In this way, the cities of TES 6 should take a page out of Oblivion's book instead of Skyrim's.
The Difference Between Oblivion's Cities and Skyrim's
Coming out five years after Oblivion, Skyrim has plenty of features that were improved, but there is a clear disparity between the featured settlements and cities of the two games. Oblivion's locales, simply put, are more expansive and richer than Skyrim's. Both Oblivion and Skyrim feature nine main cities, yet those of the earlier title tend to be much larger and more populated, with this being a lingering criticism of Skyrim ever since it launched.
Of course, it can be argued that Oblivion's setting of Cyrodiil would foster more impressive cities than Skyrim, with Cyrodiil being the capital province of Tamriel and the seat of the Empire. Regardless, settlements play an invaluable role in providing a sense of immersion and weight behind a game's lore, and it would be remiss for the cities of The Elder Scrolls 6 to possess the same barebones feel as Skyrim's.
The Elder Scrolls 6's Hammerfell Setting and its Cities
While not officially confirmed, it is strongly rumored that The Elder Scrolls 6 will be set within Hammerfell. This primarily stems from the now infamous 2019 announcement trailer for the title, which briefly portrayed a landscape that matches up well with the landmarks of Hammerfell. An early Starfield trailer also seemed to showcase a landmass nearly identical to Hammerfell.
Hammerfell has eight major cities, and while this may be less than Cyrodiil and Skyrim, The Elder Scrolls 6 can still easily make these eight feel bustling and organic. Many fans would no doubt enjoy cities that feel thoroughly lived in and dynamic, as opposed to even a dozen or more lifeless settlements. Lore-wise, Hammerfell is anything but lifeless. Although it would be dependent upon what time period The Elder Scrolls 6 is set in, Hammerfell's major cities such as Sentinel are known for their ports and trade. This is an element of a Hammerfell setting that should be utilized by Bethesda to increase the world-building of the title, with exotic ships coming in and out of the province's harbors and potentially opening up quest opportunities for the player. Oblivion briefly explored the likes of piracy and harbors, but the modern hardware behind TES 6 could take this a step further.
Expectations around The Elder Scrolls 6 are understandably high, and while they seem minor, how it portrays its cities could have a long lasting impact on how it is received. Cities being situated near bustling ports or even being built around ancient Dwemer ruins are a great benefit of a potentially Hammerfell-set TES 6, and a lack of detail within the game's settlements akin to Skyrim would squander an important aspect of the game.
The Elder Scrolls 6 is currently in development.