The Elder Scrolls 6 is currently in development and will definitely be released on the upcoming Xbox Series X and Playstation 5, as well as PC. While PC game releases have been a paragon of consistent game quality due to their improvable hardware, console game releases have sometimes been found wanting. The hope is that next gen consoles can break the cycle when it comes to the release of The Elder Scrolls 6.
When considering The Elder Scrolls 6, the other games made by Bethesda must also be taken into account. Fallout 3, Fallout 4, The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind, The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, and The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim all have a similar issue when it comes to consistent gameplay, load times. Many console owners will remember loading screens that sometimes last up to 5 minutes, or sometimes a infinite loading screen will appear if there is a bug.
The Elder Scrolls and Loading Times
"What causes these obscene load times?" is a question every game has asked themselves, but one not so simple to answer. Load times for a game made in 2012, like The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, become easier and easier to process and may only last a couple of seconds on PC. However, consoles are manufactured and mass produced with a specific set of specs that does not change. Seeing as the specs for the Xbox Series X and PS5 are meant to be on the up and up, this problem should not arise for The Elder Scrolls 6.
Bethesda games have been noted for their use of radiant ai, a feature of their original Gamebryo game engine, which was used by Bethesda to develop The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind, The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, Fallout 3, and Fallout: New Vegas. Bethesda took the Gamebryo engine and modified it into its contemporary, the Creation Engine. It has been used to develop The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, Fallout 4, and Fallout 76. There is still no word on whether or not The Elder Scrolls 6 will be using the Creation Engine or a completely new one like the Unreal Engine 5, and all of this mtters when it comes to load times.
The Creation Engine is a piece of technology that tries to emulate the physics of real life with its in-game assets. Complex physics engines, like the Creation Engine, are notorious for being extremely taxing on the processing power of consoles. The more objects in a space, the harder it is for consoles to render everything in real time. This is especially true when the game is loading in the assets, making the load times longer for areas with more objects. The games that use the Creation Engine all have interactive objects that can be picked up and thrown around. Some rooms have more than others, but all contribute to long loading times. Even if The Elder Scrolls 6 has a physics engine, here is why the Xbox Series X and Playstation 5 will compensate with superior specs.
The Elder Scrolls 6 on PS5 and Xbox Series X
As mentioned previously, The Elder Scrolls 6 will likely be available on Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X, assuming it launches in the next 5 years or so. Both of these consoles are equipped with SSDs, or solid-state drives, which are a benchmark in memory processing technology. The SSD will allow the PS5 and Xbox Series X to call information that is stored persistently. This means that the access time for data is extremely fast. Solid-state drives are expensive, but they may be the key to unlocking these consoles' potential. With all of the information being quickly accessed, loading screens may take no time at all, or at least so fast that is pales in comparison
With Xbox Series X and PS5 showing upgrades to load times, players should expect games like The Elder Scrolls 6 to run as smooth as butter. Little may be known about The Elder Scrolls 6, but at least players should know that the hardware should be able to support the software exceedingly well.
The Elder Scrolls 6 is currently in development.