It is no secret that The Elder Scrolls 6 is a highly anticipated title, even though the game was originally announced back in 2018. Although there is a lack of post-announcement updates regarding the title, fans are eagerly debating some core factors of the future release, with the location in which the game will be set being one of the most important.
When considering where The Elder Scrolls 6 may be set, there are a huge array of potential locations. However, when regarding the likely scale and ambition that the title will possess, it may be time for the franchise to finally move beyond the confines of the continent of Tamirel.
Tamriel's Historic Portrayal in The Elder Scrolls Games
A large portion of The Elder Scrolls mainline and spinoff installments have taken place within Tamriel, with the continent resultantly becoming quite synonymous with the franchise. Tamriel is a continent on the planet of Nirn, containing a huge range of races, cultures, and biomes, ranging from snowcapped mountains to arid deserts.
Many Elder Scrolls installments have taken place in a single province within Tamriel, with each game serving as an opportunity to explore a new area of the intriguing and complicated region. The mainline releases of TES have slowly built this formula up over time, and the likes of Morrowind and the massively successful Skyrim are even named after the provinces that they predominantly take place in.
With five mainline The Elder Scrolls titles and a litany of spinoff games, much of Tamriel has already been explored in detail, although there is still room for more thorough representation as hardware capabilities become more impressive. Bearing this in mind, it may be pertinent for The Elder Scrolls 6 to break away from the constraints of Tamriel, and explore the other continents of Nirn that have had close to zero influence on the games thus far. While it is true that the likes of Oblivion technically explored outside of Tamriel in its gameplay sections that took place within the realm of Oblivion itself, there is a clear untapped potential for more thorough world building outside Tamriel.
The World of Nirn Outside of Tamriel
In all, there are five other continents on Nirn aside from Tamriel: Akavir, Pyandonea, Atmora, Yokuda and Aldmeris. Tamriel is the largest central continent, so it is no wonder that the majority of The Elder Scrolls has taken place in the region. As well as being the largest continent, it seems that Tamriel is undoubtedly the most populated and diverse area on Nirn, further explaining the narrative reliance on the location.
That being said, the potential of five near-entirely unexplored continents remains, and The Elder Scrolls 6 is the perfect launching ground for exploration outside of Tamriel. Akavir is the land east of Tamriel, reportedly home to four unique races that include tiger dragons, demons, and ape-like creatures. While not much is known of the Akaviri, they are largely considered to be hostile and aggressive, waging several invasions into Tamriel over the ages.
Pyandonea is a smaller island continent, primarily consisting of dense rainforest biomes, rich with dense vegetation. The mysterious Maormer are indigenous to Pyandonea; they are a race of sea elves who have historically waged conflict against Summerset Isle. Atmora is an ancient frozen continent to the North of Tamriel, said to be the origin place of the first humans who would go on to become Nords, Imperials, and Bretons.
Yokuda is the ancestral home of Hammerfell's Redguard, but the continent was largely destroyed by a mysterious catastrophe in the First Era. The final continent, Aldmeris, is an almost mythical region said to be the ancestral home of all Elves. Its exact location and function are the point of huge debate within Tamriel.
Where The Elder Scrolls 6 Could Explore Outside Tamriel
When considering where The Elder Scrolls 6 could go, it is important to first regard where the title is rumored to be set. From the small amount of official imagery that fans have regarding the game, many believed that The Elder Scrolls 6 will take place in Hammerfell, a province of Tamriel that featured heavily in The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall.
The nearby province of High Rock is another rumored setting for TES 6, so most current information does indicate that the game may predominantly take place within the familiar Tamriel. That being said, there is still room for the game to take players beyond the confines of the continent. For example, since Hammerfell is the home to the Redguards, TES 6 could be the perfect title to take players to the lost continent of Yokuda, even if only in flashback quests that finally give closure on how the region collapsed.
Whether at launch or in the way of DLC, The Elder Scrolls 6 would do well to provide context for these other long-discussed regions, whether it includes the majesty of Aldmeris or the unforgiving lands of Akavir. Even if these intercontinental journeys are minor, the value that exploring outside of Tamriel would have on world building and setting up the future of The Elder Scrolls franchise would undoubtedly be valuable.
The Elder Scrolls 6 is currently in development.