The Elder Scrolls 6 is rumored to take place in Hammerfell and High Rock, but also, according to some sources, parts of Yokuda. This was the continent to the west of Tamriel which the Redguards originated from, but in a mysterious event was said to be destroyed far back in the history of the game's lore.
However, there are some big reasons that Yokuda could be returning in The Elder Scrolls 6. Fans will likely be excited to leave Tamriel for the first time in the history of the franchise, and there are some strange things they may be able to expect from the lost continent of Yokuda in the next game.
The History of Yokuda
Yokuda was the homeland of the Redguards and their arch-rivals the Sinistral Elves. Most of the continent is said to have sunk into the sea in 1E 792. The Redguards traveled to Hammerfell where they decisively conquered the land and made it their home. One source even claims that “the Redguards destroyed Yokuda so they could make their journey.”
The actual fate of Yokuda, however, has been left extremely unclear in the Elder Scrolls lore. It is unclear how much of the continent remains, how if at all the Redguards knew of the coming destruction of their homeland, and whether any of the Sinistral Elves survived the destruction of the continent.
Not only could The Elder Scrolls 6 see players visiting some areas of Yokuda that survived, but it is entirely possible that the destruction of Yokuda did not take place, at least as it has been framed in the Elder Scrolls games. The continent could simply be hidden, or the Lefthanded Elves could have tricked the Redguards into abandoning their homes, outsmarting them where they could not defeat them in battle.
Why Yokuda?
Including parts of Yokuda would be a big selling point for The Elder Scrolls 6. The Elder Scrolls Online causes big problems for the Elder Scrolls 6 by already showing players large parts of Hammerfell and High Rock, albeit a millennium before the events of Skyrim. To draw in new players, Bethesda will need to present a land that seems as untamed and unknowable as Skyrim did when the game first came out in 2011, and allowing players to explore frontier regions beyond Tamriel for the first time could be a great way to do just that.
Furthermore, Yokuda has an entirely unique pantheon of gods. They worship Satakal as the god of everything, fusing the two primordial concepts of Anu and Padomay which existed before the creation of the world. With gods and demons making personal appearances throughout the Elder Scrolls games, it could be very interesting to learn more about the cosmology of The Elder Scrolls and to uncover more about the true nature of the Aedra and Daedra, especially after the Talos debate in Skyrim.
The Elder Scrolls 6 cannot simply repeat the formula of previous Elder Scrolls games. Many players will likely go into the game expecting to feel confident in their knowledge of Tamriel, the gods, and the Daedra. Introducing Yokuda, or what remains of it, could be the exact curve-ball the game needs to throw at players to keep the series feeling fresh and unexpected. Only with bold moves like that will the new game be able to live up to Skyrim’s legacy and push the franchise into the next generation.
The Elder Scrolls 6 is currently in development.